New York Giants: Bill Belichick worth the gamble and cost

The New York Giants should pull the trigger on the biggest NFL transaction of the year by bringing Bill Belichick back for a memorable homecoming.

The old saying teaches one can’t go home again, but fans of the New York Giants are hoping that isn’t the case following stories that emerged on the first Friday of 2018. Unless you’re still celebrating the holiday season or decided to ignore the NFL until the upcoming draft, you’re probably at least aware of the report produced by ESPN’s Seth Wickersham.

You know, the one regarding supposed unrest hovering the New England Patriots as it pertains to head coach Bill Belichick, quarterback Tom Brady, owner Robert Kraft and all that went down ahead of the club trading quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo to the San Francisco 49ers.

Assuming Wickersham nailed even half of the report, all indications are that Kraft has chosen Brady, arguably the greatest to ever play the position at any level, over Belichick, and that perceived reality led more than a few fans and knowledgable observers to speculate if the all-time great head coach would consider a move to a different franchise before hanging-up his hoodie and headset one final time.

Fast-forward to Friday evening, when Gary Myers of the New York Daily News wrote that Belichick “sees an opening — an opening to get to the Giants.” It’s easy for anybody, let alone a respected journalist such as Myers, to come to such a conclusion. The Giants need a new head coach and also a culture change. Belichick won a pair of titles with the Giants as an assistant, and it’s no secret he’s always held a soft spot in his heart for the organization. Linking Belichick with a return to the Giants is more logical than it is a hot take.

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Would Belichick embrace the idea of taking the Giants back to the Super Bowl, perhaps as quickly as next season? Only he can answer that. Sure, the franchise endured a disastrous campaign starting last August, but there were legitimate reasons why so many believed the Big Blue roster that existed during the summer months could compete for a title. Injuries, mistakes made by former coach Ben McAdoo and his staff and overall incompetence, not a lack of talent, sunk the 2017 Giants.

In New York, Belichick would have a proven quarterback in two-time Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning, an offensive superstar unlike any other in the league, when healthy, in wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. and the ability to rebuild a defense that dominated opponents a season ago. He’d also be given the opportunity to pick Manning’s future replacement either in this year’s draft or in the near future.

The Giants recently acquired Dave Gettleman to serve as general manager, and he’d have to be willing to work alongside Belichick rather than act as his superior. Gettleman would be foolish to not welcome the chance to create a potential dynasty with the greatest NFL mind of the current century. Truth be told, Gettleman should realize his best bet of building a winner before riding off into the sunset is with Belichick guiding the roster.

Those speculating on what Belichick would be worth in a transaction that would see him leave Foxborough for the Meadowlands are asking the wrong questions. Whether or not you, as a fan, media member or somebody who clicked the wrong link and is still reading, for whatever reasons, would trade the No. 2 overall pick in this year’s draft is irrelevant. Instead, the Giants must learn what Belichick is prepared to give to New England ahead of taking the job.

League tampering rules prevent the Giants from directly contacting Belichick about such matters, but these obstacles are easy to get around. Ownership would need a handful of conversations, at most, with the right people to learn if Belichick is merely interested or actually yearning to become the face of one of the most famous franchises in the history of North American pro sports.

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For the Giants, this one’s a no-brainer, a layup, a tap-in putt on a flat green. Belichick is everything the club desires and requires this winter. He’s a winner. Players would either respond to him or be shown the door. If Garoppolo is who so many believe him to be, Belichick has picked two franchise quarterbacks since 2000. No price-tag is too high if he signs off on the deal. He’s worth the wait so long as the Giants have reason to believe he’ll go back home after the Patriots either fall in the playoffs or win another Super Bowl.

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