Bill Belichick had a chance to gauge his market last year and certainly did not like the result. Although he had believed he was a true contender for the Falcons job hours before the team’s Raheem Morris hire, some of the animosity he created while in New England may well have shown up during the 2024 coaching carousel’s spin.
Several of the teams who held a coaching vacancy “quickly” dismissed the notion of interviewing Belichick, The Athletic’s Jeff Howe reports (subscription required). While the Falcons interviewed Belichick twice — with plenty of fallout coming from that saga — the Chargers, Commanders, Raiders, Panthers, Seahawks and Titans also needed a coach. None interviewed Belichick, leading him to what amounted to a months-long media tour. That is now complete, as Belichick accepted North Carolina’s offer to lead its program.
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This obviously proved shocking, in the grand scheme, as it will all but certainly end Belichick’s run as an NFL head coach and keep him 14 wins short of Don Shula‘s all-time record. However, the NFL’s second-winningest coach is now believed to be “disgusted” by what the league has become, according to ESPN.com’s Seth Wickersham, who adds Belichick and his confidants — Josh McDaniels, Matt Patricia and ex-Patriots staffer and Browns GM Michael Lombardi among them — began to look to the college level as a possible destination months ago.
Set to turn 73 in April, Belichick did not exactly have the luxury of waiting another year and hoping for more attractive jobs to open up come 2026. And one team with a vacancy already ruled out Belichick, per Howe. This would seemingly mean in addition to the Jets, with that fit — due to mutual feelings — never pointing toward a pursuit. The Bears and Saints need a coach. Belichick and his confidants had viewed the Bears as the most attractive opening thus far, but Wickersham adds Chicago was unlikely to consider the eight-time Super Bowl winner. Belichick’s circle of trust expects the Bears to target an offensive coach, a route that has become quite popular over the past several years.
Indeed, Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz adds Belichick believed he would have many options to coach again in the NFL. Teams, however, were not eager to allow him to bring in his various preferred staffers. The Patriots’ post-Tom Brady decline played a significant role in teams’ view of Belichick and willingness to use what is being viewed as an old-school model, and even the interest of having him only operate as a coach — as opposed to a coach/de facto GM — was weak enough that this college jump took place. Belichick NFL interest existed, per Schultz, but it fell short of assuring him a job would await.
The subject of personnel power came up frequently this year regarding Belichick. Although Arthur Blank said Belichick did not ask for full personnel control during his interviews last year, the issue helped impede him. As Belichick undoubtedly would have threatened the power Falcons president Rich McKay and GM Terry Fontenot have, it is believed Blank was steered away from his initial goal of hiring the 24-year Patriots HC. Other owners were also skeptical, per Wickersham, of Belichick not throwing his weight around. Additionally, Wickersham indicates Fontenot discussing the Falcons’ draft strategies, from a position of knowledge, annoyed Belichick.
The Patriots had attempted to curb some of Belichick’s power around the 2021 draft, Howe adds, but that effort effectively fell apart in 2022. Belichick had lieutenants like Scott Pioli and Nick Caserio during his historically successful New England run, but both had left — Pioli in 2009, leading to more Belichick power, and Caserio in 2021. The latter’s departure coincided with the above-referenced Patriots effort to work more collaboratively. Robert Kraft is believed to have played a lead role in Belichick’s market cooling this offseason, and the owner later admitted he fired his longtime coach — rather than the party line of a mutual parting being reality.
At North Carolina, Belichick will have the kind of control he held in New England. While some big coaching names on the football and basketball sides have left their respective sports due to the chaos the transfer portal and NIL landscape have caused, Wickersham adds Belichick views the current college setup as “more transactional and less relational,” pointing to a coach carrying decades of experience in the pros being well equipped to step down and navigate the destabilized college level. Belichick said Thursday (via NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo) coaches have reached out to him about NFL-inspired rule changes.
Belichick said he had always hoped to coach in college. This will still be one of the more interesting transitions in coaching history, as he had coached in the NFL only and had done so for 49 consecutive seasons. Belichick’s father, Steve, coached at Navy for more than 30 years and was a North Carolina assistant in the mid-1950s. Signing a five-year contract, Bill Belichick said is not planning to use the Tar Heels as a springboard back to the NFL. That would be more likely to take place with a younger coach, but with Bruce Arians (at 66) being the oldest NFL HC ever hired, Belichick had seen his chances dwindle at the sport’s top level.
Lombardi, who worked with Belichick in Cleveland and New England, is joining his longtime colleague as North Carolina’s GM. Schools are adding these positions with more frequency as the sport’s compensation model has radically changed. (Andrew Luck is now Stanford’s GM.) Lombardi spent a year as Browns GM, working alongside Joe Banner back with the Browns in 2013, and joined the Patriots in 2014. He has not held a position since, becoming a regular media presence.
Freddie Kitchens, who is most famous for his Browns one-and-done as head coach in 2019, had served as North Carolina’s interim coach post-Mack Brown. Belichick announced he is retaining the former NFL staffer. It would not surprise to see McDaniels, Patricia and Joe Judge join their former boss as well, though it is not known which former Patriots staffers are coming. Steve and Brian Belichick also will undoubtedly be in play to rejoin their father; Steve is the Washington Huskies’ DC, while Brian stayed on under Jerod Mayo with the Pats.
Belichick will be celebrated as one of the greatest coaches in NFL history. His late New England decline notwithstanding, his six Super Bowl wins as a head coach lead the field by two. In the salary cap era, Belichick’s six titles are three more than anyone else. He will be eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2026, per the Denver Gazette’s Chris Tomasson. That will result in some other decorated coaches who have been waiting to be pushed down the list.
I’ve read that he was mad at Apple TV’s series during its 20-year run because it focused more on their cheating ways than winning or success, and Bill came across as a blunt jerk, shocking.
I haven’t seen the series, but it was an interesting insight.
I’m not a Pats or Belichick lover or hater, but I think this could work out well. BB, like his buddy Saban are all about teaching fundamentals, technique and implementing structure. This would be appealing to kids who want to learn what it takes to be NFL players.
Add to that, NIL UNC booster money can bring in a bunch of players right off the bat for a quick turn around like Colorado and Indiana has done.
If by “what it takes to be NFL players” you mean spying on opponents, bringing in gangstas, deflating footballs …
Don’t forget that Belichick is a career loser without a certain QB who’s now a double-dipping bigshot..
letters for you OCD
I love the hate towards BB and the Patriots, its like MAGA. No reason, just pure emotions.
BTW, the Patriots were up by double digits when they supposedly deflated the balls. So they deflated the balls to beat the Colts by 40? That is the rational?
Genius.
Let BB go, move on, you will be ok.
BB is in the news this week, so people are commenting on it. This has always been considered normal behavior. No need for your gratuitous cheap shot at the end. Unfortunately, that has become too common.
STFU
I’m with you.. It’s collusion at its best that keeps BB out of the NFL. The owners don’t want BB to be the winningest coach, they’d have to refer to his history in a positive light if they did – and quite often.
People are sheep, they act like sheep and they yammer like sheep that all follow the same media spins
If the coaching gig with UNC doesn’t workout, Bill could always put on boxing gloves and fight Mike Tyson in a special Netflix PPV event 🙂
Sounds so weird to hear there hiring college GM’s. I am a Michigan fan so the NIL isn’t exactly hurting the Wolverines lately, but I absolutely HATE IT! The transfer portal and NIL are going to end up killing college football. I mean you can sign on at Bama for $3M, transfer to Wisconsin for $5M, play a year then transfer back to Bama for $8M without a penalty? I mean what is that? It’s just not fun anymore to watch bc by the time you learn a players last name he transfers! I just miss the old days where you got somebody for atleast 3 or 4 years and they created a legacy. Now it’s all about who’s checkbook is bigger.
The current Wild West version of college football won’t last. It’s the result of the NCAA screwing up and the O’Bannon lawsuit forcing NIL. They’ll end up with some structured system with contracts and a CBA.
Saying that, people who want to pretend modern college sports are amateur or like it used to be forget that there weren’t multi billion dollar tv deals back in the day. The idea players don’t deserve a penny of it is laughable.
The BCS and conference realignment in 2008 was the beginning of the end of “college” football. I am a college professor. Got my terminal degrees at UT Austin, and have worked at small colleges and now UCF. I can tell you that “college” athletics have long since failed to be about anything other than money. And frankly, college football is what floats women’s sports in general.
I hope college sports die altogether and become a real minor league instead of one in hiding.
“ I mean you can sign on at Bama for $3M, transfer to Wisconsin for $5M, play a year then transfer back to Bama for $8M without a penalty? I mean what is that?”
That’s free agency, capitalism, and how every league from NFL to NBA to MLB to NHL operates.
Transfer portal and NIL money aren’t the issue
It’s no different than a free agent going from team to team on 1 year deals looking for the best opportunity and playing time.
Do adjustments need to be made? Sure. Programs should be allowed to offer more than 1 year worth of NIL money. They should be allowed to offer a contract 3-4 years in length like every other league does. There should probably be a cap on NIL spending like a salary cap.
If players had more security financially they’d be less likely to use the transfer portal to look for better opportunities for NIL money and/or playing time.
But NIL money and transfer portal aren’t the issue. Thats like saying free agency is a problem for the NFL.
‘It’s no different than a free agent going from team to team on 1 year deals looking for the best opportunity and playing time…’.
The old ‘prove it’ contract right there.
Colleges will get a wake up call soon. Higher Ed in general has become to full of their own BS and will be checked into place soon enough (that and the dwindling future enrollment projections show that the money WILL become less and they’ll yet again have to come down to earth).
How soon till Tar Heels football is being investigated for recruiting violations. Does love himself some cheating.
Hahaha, yeah, and follow suite with all the other big programs that have been overly nefarious over the years.. Singling him out is stupid with the track record of programs being shady through the years.. They ALL cheat the system whenever they can
I am not a fan of the NIL but it is here to stay. No putting that gorilla back in the box. It is scary my son said 15 states have NIL in place for HS. You are going to have millionaire Jrs in HS.
The transfer portal is the tragedy. You see players jump to 5 different teams maybe for money maybe for trophies who knows. You could see a kid earn 5 championship rings. Good for the kid bad for the fan. When the portal started from what I thought it was a way for a player to move that is stuck behind another and only do it once.
Back to Billicheat I am glad he was not even considered in Seattle. He is not the type of person most fans want in charge of our team. Yes I call it mine and our team. We are 12s and we are part of the team. If you don’t like it good. I will have a Least Coast attitude. Stick it we will call it our team if we want. Jodie Allen would agree so would Paul.
I am watching the Mike Schmidt show on MLB. The way fans treated him is a shame. No reason to treat anyone that way. He or she can play horrible and at some point maybe boo. If they aren’t giving it his all boo him. If he is struggling at the plate what does booing do? If they are lazy then boo not when they struggle. When they hit a HR then strike out next at bat. You don’t boo him. Call it what you want it is not fandom it is awful.
Millionaire, 73, early 20s girlfriend.
I’d be retired soooooooooooooooooooooooooo fast!
This might be the best argument for BB not to take the job.
Apparently you’ve never lived with a woman where you’re both home all of the time. Doesn’t matter the age, it gets old.
When you win people will accept anything. Once start losing Being a jerk to people not as acceptable.
Do you think Patriot fans are upset that BB is a jerk and got us 6 rings?
If you think the ends justify the means …
In a league where Matt Eberflus was recently employed, I can’t imagine Bill isn’t a desirable HC candidate.
He didn’t win without Tom so that likely hurt his appeal to teams. His coaching tree has been bad and he continues to keep them around. He is 72 years old too not sure how long of a leash you give him.
Tom never won a super bowl without a top 10 defense.
Bucs defense was not a top 10 that year. They only started looking good last 2-3 reg games then the playoffs. They were torched against good teams like Rams and KC but Stat padded by playing ATL, Car, Lions, Raiders. The only team with a winning record they beat was Gb.
Incorrect. Bucs were #8 in yards allowed and #6 in points allowed. Tom never won without a top 10 defense.
I hate the Tom vs Bill debate. Each needed each other. Bill isnt Bill without Tom and Tom isnt Tom without Bill. Doesnt have to be a 50/50 split but it was mutual.
Absolutely, 1000% agree.
Matt Emberflus did not win at all, so your point?
Regardless of all the noise, he would’ve never been the
Funny how he is disgusted by the current state of the NFL right around the time no one in the NFL wants him.
The key part of the article is:
Belichick is too old to start a new staff, his longtime OC/DC co-ordinators have disgraced themselves as NFL coaches and would have a hard time even functioning as co-ordinators. Belichick is too old to rebuild a pro coaching staff.
Time has run out. Nothing to do with ability.
To get those 14 wins, Belichick would have had to have had a break even final season with Mac Jones (six wins) and then get another season and break even again (nine wins). Once he left the Patriots, it was over.
This is the most correct reason. The other bits were all factors, of course, but at least a few teams would have swallowed that if Belichick had been, say 60. If a team could plausibly believe that he could be there for 6 years, they’d be more willing to take a slower approach. As many negatives that come with Belichick, coaches that have been there and done that are few and far between, no matter who his quarterback was.
Here’s my thoughts on the aggressivity. So many young and middle-aged men hate Bill Belichick because his girlfriend Jordan Hudson is younger and hotter than anyone they have ever dated.
My answer to these fellows – go and win yourself six Super Bowl rings. It will solve all your dating problems.
I really have no idea why people are so upset about this.
NFL owners do not want BB, right or wrong (personally I think they are stupid, but look at most NFL owners, err Jerry Jones is stupid).
Fans other than Patriots dont want him for their team.
So the guy wants to coach, gets a great job and opportunity and everyone hates him still.
Geez, so the guy cannot work any longer bc you are hurt he potentially deflated a ball in a win against the Colts by 30pts? That really gets you?
He will succeed at UNC bc UNC is a freaking monster bc of Hoops. This is Michael Jordan land, they have 5 or 6 rings, about 100 guys in the NBA history and they have unlimited amounts of NIKE money like Oregon.
The top QB prospects are already reconsidering bc their agents know, if they go with BB, they get in the NFL. BB will pay players, he will get top recruits and he will be a solid NCAA football team that gets UNC into the NCFL which is the only reason this is being done.
World is about to change and BB is perfect for the new NCFL that is coming.
BB will be quite happy in Chapel Hill. Ask Dean, Roy, Hubert, and Gut.
UNC is a backwater in football compared to Clemson, Miami, Florida State, or your favorite SEC school.
The Tar Heels’ most famous football player is Lawrence Taylor — his senior year at UNC was the year Ronadl Reagan was elected President.
Belichick might finish his career with the college equivalent of “4-13 Forever”.
UNC is a basketball school; football has always been second. Bringing in BB is a good marketing ploy for UNC, here you will a Colorado excitement but without all the cameras. Bill will bring in his anti-media interviews, short answers, shielding his players from the media. He will be a teacher of football, NFL way of life. Now never being in the college world, Bill will not be a recruiter of talent, he will have people for that, he will be in the player portal picking and choosing what players he will have to get to come to UNC. How will it work no one knows, it worked for Deion Sanders with the cameras, but Bill is not that type of personality that does well in front of the camera.