The New York Giants are heading into the second half of another forgettable season. What else is new? At 2-8, they’ve already made the biggest move they could by firing head coach Brian Daboll on Monday. Offensive coordinator Mike Kafka has taken over in the interim, and while no full-blown search is underway just yet, the speculation about the next hire is already in full swing.
Related: Everything Giants fans should know about interim HC Mike Kafka
One name that will float around until pen's put to paper — whether fans like it or not — is Bill Belichick. He’s widely considered the greatest coach of all time, has deep-rooted Giants ties, and he’s likely itching to get back on an NFL sideline to break Don Shula’s wins record and secure a Tom Brady-less Super Bowl.
On Tuesday, Belichick was at the podium at UNC’s media day, where he’s currently coaching (if that's what you want to call it) in his first season in the NCAA. And of course, the Giants' HC opening came up. Naturally, he was asked about it. For anyone desperate to hear what Belichick’s magnetic media presence had to offer, Darth Hoodie spoke... in the only way he ever does:
"I’m focused on Wake Forest. That’s it."Bill Belichick (not focused on Giants)
Bill Belichick shuts down Giants' HC rumors (for now) in only way he knows how
That was pretty much it. When asked again whether his players or recruits had brought up the job opening in East Rutherford, he admitted it’s been mentioned, but his answer didn’t change.
And anyone expecting anything more out of the curmudgeonly coach should know better by now.
Whether his tune changes is another story entirely. Belichick is 73, currently leading a 4-5 UNC team, and has made it clear he’ll entertain conversations when the time is right. But there’s no reason to overread a canned answer during a game-week press conference, especially one from a guy whose entire brand is saying as little as possible.
The G-Men, for now, are riding out the rest of the season with Kafka running the show and hoping rookie quarterback phenom Jaxson Dart survives the next couple of months in one piece. Until then, the Belichick rumors will keep popping up — and so will the standard non-responses.