The number of prominent NFL figures not on social media is small. That group shrunk again on Wednesday.
Legendary former Patriots coach Bill Belichick launched an Instagram account less than eight months after parting ways with the franchise he coached for 24 years.
It wasn't long ago that Belichick mocked social media, but he has a bit more time on his hands now. The future Hall of Famer will spend Week 1 watching games, rather than coaching in some capacity, for the first time since 1974. Now, he can share his thoughts on Instagram, too.
Here's what you need to know about Belichick's arrival on Instagram and the hilarious way he announced it.
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Bill Belichick Instagram account
Belichick is staying busy in more ways than one despite not coaching this season. From joining The CW Network as a studio analyst to making regular appearances on "The Pat McAfee Show," Belichick's voice will still be heard by fans.
The most shocking reveal of Belichick's post-coaching life came on McAfee's show Wednesday when he revealed he joined Instagram as only he could.
"I can't really believe I'm doing this, but I've joined InstaFace," Belichick said.
You have an announcement to make Coach..
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) September 4, 2024
"I can't believe I'm doing this but I've joined Instaface" 😂😂 ~ Bill Belichick #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/VZZJbskdyF
"He's going to be tweeting on InstaFace," McAfee joked.
That's a callback to the many occasions Belichick mocked social media, including a mention of "SnapFace" in 2017.
“As you know, I’m not on SnapFace and all that, so I don’t really get those. I’m really just worried about getting our team ready to go," Belichick told reporters when asked about Antonio Brown controversially broadcasting live from the Steelers' locker room. He went on to describe Instagram as "InstantChat" in the same answer.
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So, why did Belichick make the switch all of a sudden? His first Instagram post detailed the reason.
"I haven't had the opportunity to express my thoughts at a moment's notice. So, now, I'm changing that," Belichick said. "I tried to join SnapFace, but I couldn't find it."
Bill Belichick's first post on Instagram 📲
— The 33rd Team (@The33rdTeamFB) September 4, 2024
"Hello InstaFace, we'll see you soon." https://t.co/KdDIuTNuhR pic.twitter.com/ICBKlwwCOx
When he coached the Patriots, it was tough for even the most skilled reporters to get any insight into what Belichick was thinking on a given day. Now that the shackles are off, it appears the six-time Super Bowl champion head coach is ready to chime in and share his opinions as the 2024 season plays out.
Much like college football is benefiting from having Nick Saban's football mind on the ESPN "College GameDay" set, discourse around the NFL could receive a major boost with Belichick planning to be active as an analyst throughout the season.
Would Belichick give up Instagram if it meant he could coach again? The 72-year-old interviewed for the Falcons' job in January and hasn't declared his career over, so there's still a chance he goes dark on social media after 2024.