Based on a plan concocted by Sean Payton, there could have been a world in which he briefly acted as an assistant for the Denver Broncos with Bill Belichick as head coach. <\/p>\n
Per ESPN’s Seth Wickersham<\/a>, Payton had an idea that never came to fruition entering the 2024 season in which Belichick would have stepped in as head coach long enough to surpass Don Shula’s NFL record for most wins: <\/p>\n “When Belichick and the Patriots divorced in 2024, Payton considered presenting Broncos owner Greg Penner a proposal for the ages: Hire Belichick as head coach until he reached 15 wins, enough to break Don Shula’s career record of 347. Payton would temporarily step down to assistant head coach and run the offense, then move back after Belichick became the all-time leader. In the end, it was too complicated \u2014 and maybe too fanciful.”<\/p>\n Belichick left the New England Patriots in a mutual parting of ways in January 2024 after 24 seasons together. He has a career record of 333-178 in 29 years as an NFL head coach, including his tenure with the Cleveland Browns from 1991 to ’95.<\/p>\n Shula is the\u00a0all-time leader<\/a>\u00a0in career wins for an NFL head coach with 347 between the regular season and playoffs.<\/p>\n At the time Belichick left the Patriots, Payton had just finished his first season with the Broncos in which they went 8-9. His debut year was defined more by his what appeared to be a\u00a0frequently-tense relationship<\/a>\u00a0with Russell Wilson.<\/p>\n