Rodney Harrison spoke with Bill Belichick and asked how many more years he wants to coach

Retired New England Patriots safety Rodney Harrison now works for NBC and gets to speak with players and coaches that will be appearing on Sunday Night Football. He also has a connection with Patriots head coach Bill Belichick and is able to get more information out of the typically reserved coach.

Harrison shared what he learned about Belichick’s future at the start of the 2017 regular season.

“I asked him that question at the beginning of the year and he said, ‘I’m feeling pretty good,’” Harrison said. “But my thing is that maybe he’s staying there to firmly entrench his kids, his boys in that organization. And once his sons get firmly entrenched in that organization, maybe he walks away in a few years.”

This isn’t the first time we’ve heard speculation about Belichick wanting to make sure his sons are established coaches before retiring, as ESPN reported the same back in October after the Jimmy Garoppolo trade took place.

Belichick’s son Steve is currently the team’s safeties coach and is completing his sixth season as a coach, while his other son Brian is finishing his first year as a coach after spending last season with the scouting department.

Harrison also rolled his eyes about the perceived magnitude of a different ESPN report detailing turmoil in the Patriots organization between Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady.

“It happens when you’re in a long term relationship,” Harrison shrugged. “The thing about those guys is they respect one another. And Belichick knows how to push Tom Brady more so than anybody. So it’s a healthy, respectful relationship.”

Harrison is as tapped in as anyone about the dynamic between Brady and Belichick and what Belichick has in mind for his career, so hopefully he’s right.