With the dust still settling on Bill Belichick’s stunning decision Wednesday to join the college football ranks as head coach of the North Carolina Tar Heels, many are still trying to wrap their heads around the latest chapter of the eight-time Super Bowl winner’s storied coaching career.
In a piece published Thursday by The Athletic, some league executives suggested that Belichick — who spent 24 years at the helm in New England and won six Super Bowls — would be far from a shoo-in candidate as the NFL hiring cycle approaches and that likely influenced his college decision.
“[Belichick] burned a lot of bridges over his career,” a high-ranking team exec told The Athletic.
As of Thursday, there are three openings after the Bears, Jets and Saints parted ways with their coaches midway through the 2024 season.
A team currently seeking a coach “had already ruled out the idea of interviewing Belichick,” a league source told The Athletic.
ESPN added that those around Belichick had decided the Bears were the most intriguing option of those three, but that Chicago was more likely to go with an offensive-minded choice for QB Caleb Williams — such as Lions coordinator Ben Johnson.
The Jets, with whom Belichick infamously resigned as head coach on a napkin in 2000, “were never considered a possibility.”
Although it remains to be seen if other opportunities will emerge, with the Jaguars (3-10) and Raiders (2-11) as possibilities, “sources with a couple of other teams with potential head coach vacancies didn’t believe there’d be enough support within the building to hire Belichick,” per The Athletic.
Belichick, who pivoted to sports media this season after missing out on the Falcons’ job, still had an itch to coach, with a separate team executive suggesting, “If he wanted to coach again, he almost had to take this job.”
North Carolina announced Belichick as its new football coach Wednesday.
Belichick’s father, Steve, was an assistant at UNC from 1953-55.
“I am excited for the opportunity at UNC-Chapel Hill,” Belichick said in a statement. “I grew up around college football with my dad and treasured those times. I have always wanted to coach in college and now I look forward to building the football program in Chapel Hill.”
The announcement was made Wednesday with reports indicating the UNC Board of Trustees was slated to meet Thursday morning to finalize the deal. A press conference is scheduled for Thursday afternoon.
Belichick’s coaching career spanned roughly five decades in the NFL, with 24 years spent in New England. He took the Patriots job in 2000 and parted ways with the team in January.
In the wake of his move to Chapel Hill, Belichick was showered with love by those who know him best.
“Congats coach,” former Patriots quarterback Tom Brady posted Wednesday on Instagram. “The Tar Heel way is about to become a thing.”
Belichick’s girlfriend, 24-year-old Jordon Hudson, also took to social media to celebrate.
“We are onto Chapel Hill!” she posted in an Instagram Story.
North Carolina was in the market for a new coach following Mack Brown’s firing in November.
