Bill Belichick surprises everyone by showing up for annual NFL coaches photo, six coaches missing
Let's break down the NFL head coaches photo
Each year in Phoenix, the head coaches gather for a picture. It's the best NFL-related picture of the year, because when you put 32-ish NFL coaches in casual resort wear and throw them into one photo, you just get a wild juxtaposition of style, as well as some insight into what these guys would want to wear in a photo with their colleagues.
It's almost like a little window into their soul. Or something. Either way it's a grand old time and Bill Belchick even showed up this year. If that led you to believe the Patriots coach would be enthusiastic with reporters on Tuesday, well, you were led in the wrong direction.
But for one moment we can imagine a happy Belichick, basking in the glow of the Arizona sun and his giant pile of Super Bowl rings. Let's dive into some other thoughts about the picture in question.
Here's the full photo, as annually captured by Mark Dalton of the Arizona Cardinals:
Say cheese: @NFL head coaches pose for group photo at the league’s Annual Meeting at the Biltmore in AZ pic.twitter.com/n2PO6Ml4U5
— Mark Dalton (@CardsMarkD) March 25, 2019
Here are 15 random thoughts on the photo:
1) Belichick is there! Bill Belichick showed up for the coaches photo! This never happens. Belichick skipped in 2014, 2016, 2017 and 2018. He was notably kicking it in flip flops and jeans back in 2015. Now he's rocking khakis with cuffs? Style legend.
2) Andy Reid is still wearing a glorious Hawaiian shirt. This is an annual tradition dating back to Reid moving from Philadelphia to Kansas City, at which point he (metaphorically) let his hair down and started to relax in more casual wear.
3) Kliff Kingsbury is a stone-cold assassin. Look at what he's wearing. Kingsbury is good looking and he clearly knows it. But just to make sure everyone is laser locked on his dashing good looks, he decided to sit in between two bald dudes (Dan Quinn and Sean McDermott). You can't convince me that was by accident.
4) Mike Vrabel with a power stash is pretty darn glorious. Not sure March is the typical month for facial hair experimentation, but I love the look. Keep it for the season.
5) Frank Reich usually looks like a college professor and now he looks like a college professor you ran into on spring break.
6) Freddie Kitchens' commitment to wearing that Browns hat in all public settings is outstanding.
7) Doug Pederson has a scooter! The Eagles coach apparently had foot surgery and is whipping around the Biltmore in Phoenix on one of those little medical scooters.
As we head to Arizona for the NFL Annual Meetings, one note: #Eagles coach Doug Pederson underwent foot surgery on a nagging ailment & will be hobbled this week, source said. No timetable, but he should be ready for the American Century Celebrity Golf Championship in Tahoe 🏌️ ⛳️
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 24, 2019
I'm entirely convinced he ran into Jay Gruden right before the picture was taken.
8) Because otherwise how on Earth do you explain the reaction Gruden as during this picture? What a DISASTER. He looks like he realized that he left town for a few days and his sink is on or his front door is open or that he's almost certainly dealing with a QB depth chart that will end up featuring Case Keenum and Alex Smith (injured and heavily paid) and maybe even Daniel Jones if his bosses go crazy in the draft.
9) Or maybe he realized that he and his brother Jon Gruden wore the exact same shirt to the photo and Jon looks better? It's not hard to figure out they're related.
10) Maybe Matt Patricia shouldn't be criticizing the posture and attire of reporters?
11) Mike Zimmer looks like a cop who's not afraid to break the rules in the name of justice.
12) Jason Garrett and Pat Shumur going blue blazer bookend is my sneaky favorite part of the whole photo.
13) Whose grandson snuck into this photo??? Oh never mind, that's Zac Taylor, the new Bengals coach.
14) Dan Quinn continues to flex his "I would win NFL Coach Fight Club" muscles on a daily basis.
15) Who's missing? Sean McVay (Peter Schrager of NFL Network reported that McVay just lost track of time, which is hilarious considering the coverage of his memory), Pete Carroll, Sean Payton, Bruce Arians, Adam Gase and Mike Tomlin.
















