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Bill Belichick

Bill Belichick Has Not Signed North Carolina Contract

January 16th, 2025 at 11:33pm CST by Sam Robinson

Opting out of a second ride on the NFL HC carousel, Bill Belichick made a preemptive strike by accepting an offer to coach at North Carolina in December. Despite connections to the Raiders and then Cowboys, Belichick is on the recruiting trail at the ACC school.

If an NFL team were to poach Belichick after he committed to the Tar Heels, a $10MM buyout would need to be paid to the university. Though, a gray area now exists with regards to the buyout. Belichick has not signed an official contract with the school, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones reports. Instead, he is working in Chapel Hill after agreeing to a term sheet December 11. The school confirmed this, via Jones.

That term sheet outlines Belichick’s $10MM-per-year salary and would be set to precede a signed contract at some point. It is not too uncommon at the college level for coaches to begin working without a fully signed deal, but Jones adds a notable wrinkle here by indicating the term sheet Belichick inked is not binding. This could introduce a potential complication if the buyout — $10MM before June 1, $1MM after that date — comes into play.

Earlier this week, a report surfaced indicating the North Carolina athletic director and the ACC commissioner were uneasy about Belichick’s status. Jones has also previously reported NFL teams have not been intimidated by the $10MM buyout number, and the reporter adds some within the UNC community are a bit nervous related to this component of Belichick’s agreement.

Working without a contract is not done in the NFL, where Belichick had only coached from 1975-2023. The league’s second-winningest coach trying his hand at the college game — at a time in which the transfer portal and NIL landscape have radically reshaped the sport — now remains a curious move, especially when four more coaching jobs opened up after Belichick and his lieutenants surveyed the NFL market during the season. The Cowboys, Jaguars and Raiders jobs have since opened, and Dallas connections persist.

Former Browns GM Michael Lombardi, who worked with Belichick in New England, is now the North Carolina football program’s GM. Lombardi denied any NFL interest exists, refuting the above-referenced report about Belichick’s thin staff creating some unease, and he responded to Jones’ report by indicating (via X) “the NFL isn’t an option” for the legendary HC. A report shortly after Belichick took the college job pegged him as being “disgusted” with a league that has been unwilling to grant him a third head coaching opportunity given the success he had in New England.

That said, Jonathan Jones notes that Belichick and Jerry Jones maintain a good relationship. Belichick was connected to monitoring the Cowboys job in 2024, and the Cowboys did backchannel work on him before deciding to retain Mike McCarthy last year. A report in the wake of McCarthy’s dismissal this week classified a Belichick-Cowboys partnership as one both sides would have been open to had the coach not jumped to the college ranks. Though, as we have mentioned many times, Belichick’s age (73 in April) poses a problem for him — as no HC older than 66 has ever been hired by an NFL team — and he ultimately opted to punt on a second carousel ride.

Bill Belichick also brought son Steve over from Washington to be his DC, a development that would further entrench the former in Chapel Hill, and ESPN.com’s Pete Thamel adds the Tar Heels have hired veteran NFL assistant Mike Priefer to be their special teams coordinator. Priefer had served as ST coordinator for the Chiefs, Broncos, Vikings and Browns from 2006-22. He last coached in college in 2001.

2025 NFL Head Coaching Search Tracker

January 15th, 2025 at 11:03pm CST by Sam Robinson

With the Cowboys and Mike McCarthy splitting up, seven teams have made coaching changes so far during this year’s cycle. Here are the candidates connected to each of the now-HC-needy franchises. If more teams make changes, they will be added to the list.

Updated 1-22-25 (10:10pm CT)

Chicago Bears

Dallas Cowboys

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Jets

Coaching Rumors: Belichick, McDaniels, Patriots, Packers, Cowboys

January 14th, 2025 at 5:29pm CST by Sam Robinson

Bill Belichick has come up in connection to the Raiders and Cowboys’ HC jobs. Though the ties have been loose to this point, the recently hired North Carolina coach’s staff may be causing some unrest in Chapel Hill. Belichick having only hired a few assistants — including retaining interim HC Freddie Kitchens as OC and adding son Steve as DC — despite having a $10MM staff budget has made multiple staffers nervous, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio writes. This report drew a rebuke from the Tar Heels’ new GM (Michael Lombardi), who indicated (via X) the team was being diligent and had hired three more staffers Sunday.

When the Cowboys separated from Mike McCarthy on Monday, Belichick came up. Reports described a situation where mutual interest would have existed, were Belichick truly available. When Belichick-Raiders tie emerged, the prospect of a quick North Carolina departure was quickly shot down. Though, Belichick’s $10MM buyout — which drops to $1MM after June 1, impacting a potential 2026 jump (albeit at age 73 by that point) — has not spooked NFL teams thus far. The coach who once famously resigned as Jets HC in early 2000 may still be caught in NFL rumors until the Cowboys fill their post, as the rookie college HC was connected as a potential 2025 option at multiple points in 2024. Jerry Jones‘ willingness to pay Belichick’s $10MM buyout has also drawn skepticism.

For now, Belichick appears to be sticking with the Tar Heels despite having immense NFL interest last year. Here is the latest on the Dallas situation and other coaching matters:

  • One of Mike Vrabel‘s rumored options for the Patriots‘ OC job came off the board today, as the Browns promoted Tommy Rees to replace Ken Dorsey. Vrabel said Tuesday (during an appearance on WEEI’s The Greg Hill Show) he would conduct an expansive search to replace OC Alex Van Pelt, and he confirmed Josh McDaniels will be a candidate. Vrabel-McDaniels rumors have circulated for weeks now, and the underwhelming HC returning to the place where he won three Super Bowl rings as a coordinator would make sense. McDaniels has not been tied to North Carolina, despite helping Belichick as he searched for his 2025 landing spot, and has not coached since the Raiders fired him hours after the 2023 trade deadline. McDaniels and Vrabel overlapped on the Patriots from 2001-08 and have maintained a good relationship. With a possible third Pats OC stint in play, McDaniels has not been connected to any other team.
  • The Packers previously lured Tom Clements out of retirement, but their quarterbacks coach is again calling it quits, ESPN.com’s Rob Demovsky notes. Having coached Brett Favre, Aaron Rodgers and Jordan Love, Clements has been an NFL staffer since 1997. The 71-year-old assistant was with the Packers from 2006-16 under McCarthy, unretired to be the Cardinals’ QBs coach from 2019-20 and then rejoined the Pack in 2022 as QBs coach. Collecting a Super Bowl ring and being on staff for two of Rodgers’ four MVP awards, Clements was the Packers’ OC from 2012-14 and Bills OC from 2004-05.
  • In Deion Sanders, the Cowboys already looked toward an off-grid name to start their search to replace McCarthy; it is possible another will surface soon. Although Jason Witten has no coaching experience beyond the high school level, Florio names names him as a candidate to watch to rise all the way to the Cowboys’ HC post. Some in the organization believe the Dallas tight end great will ascend to the team’s HC job at some point, though Florio does not indicate he will definitively be a 2025 option. With Witten coaching at Liberty Christian School in Texas for four years, it would stand to reason the Cowboys would want him to gain some seasoning at the pro or college levels before he becomes a true consideration for the job.

Mike McCarthy Will Not Return As Cowboys’ Head Coach

January 13th, 2025 at 10:20pm CST by Adam La Rose

After talks on a new deal failed to result in an agreement, Mike McCarthy is set to depart the Cowboys. Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports Dallas and the former Super Bowl winner will go their separate ways this offseason. A team announcement has since confirmed the news.

Several signs have pointed throughout the year to McCarthy remaining in Dallas despite the fact he spent the season on an expiring contract. He and owner Jerry Jones communicated with one another once the campaign ended, a point at which the Bears and Saints emerged as teams which could be interested in the event McCarthy became a free agent. Tomorrow night looms as the expiration date of his current pact, although Pelissero’s colleague Ian Rapoport notes he is free to speak with teams immediately.

[RELATED: Fallout From Cowboys-McCarthy Separation]

A report from last week stated McCarthy and the Cowboys were set to begin negotiating the terms of a new contract. A window of opportunity therefore existed for the parties to reach an agreement before tomorrow’s deadline, but that will no longer be the case. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported earlier on Monday there had not, in fact, been substantive talks on a new contract up to this point. Now, this latest update on the situation confirms Dallas will be in the market for a new head coach after McCarthy held the role for five seasons.

The first year of that tenure produced a 6-10 season, but McCarthy managed to deliver sustained regular season success after that point. The 61-year-old helped lead Dallas to a 12-5 record every year from 2021-23. This past campaign, a Cowboys roster which lost several key players in the offseason was hit hard by injuries. Dallas fell out of playoff contention early, although a turnaround late in the year seemed to help McCarthy’s stock.

Of course, the veteran’s tenure in Dallas will best be remembered for his playoff outings. Of the four postseason games McCarthy coached with the Cowboys, the team only ended up winning one. Jones cited last year’s home wild-card defeat against the Packers as a main reason why he made the decision to retain McCarthy without offering him an extension. After making it clear no in-season firing would take place (as was the case when his Green Bay tenure ended), questions were raised about how negotiations would proceed.

As Pelissero and CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones note, one of the main sticking points between Jones and McCarthy was the length of a potential new contract. Given the former’s hesitance to make a new commitment last offseason, it would of come as something of a surprise if a long-term offer has been made over the weekend. As the latter prepares to seek out his market, meanwhile, his assistants are also set to become free agents.

The Bears requested permission to interview McCarthy last week, when his Dallas future remained uncertain. The Cowboys blocked it, a move which has now proven to be a moot point. Chicago has conducted a wide-ranging search with interest being shown in NFL and college staffers. Longtime Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll – who is now joined by McCarthy as a 2025 candidate with a lengthy resume and a Super Bowl title – already interviewed with the Bears. It will be interesting to see if McCarthy does the same.

It was also learned last week that the Saints could be a team to watch in the event McCarthy reached the market. Since that is now the case, New Orleans will be free to set up an interview. Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn is seen as the top candidate for the job at this point, but plenty could change on that front over the coming days and weeks.

Former DC Dan Quinn could have represented a candidate to take over from McCarthy had a change been made last year. Quinn took the Commanders’ coaching gig, however, leaving Dallas in need of a different defensive coordinator. Mike Zimmer was brought in after previously leading the team’s defense over a seven-year period. The former Vikings head coach has expressed a desire to land another HC gig, and it will be interesting to see if Jones considers promoting him to the role. Meanwhile, Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz reports Bill Belichick would have had interest in Dallas’ opening had it existed before his decision to take charge of North Carolina. He adds that feeling likely would have been mutual, but now the Cowboys will need to move in another direction.

McCarthy sports an all-time winning percentage of .608, making him one of the most accomplished staffers available for the 2025 hiring cycle. He is a somewhat late addition to the list of options for the winter, but with the Patriots representing the only team to make a head coaching hire so far he could have several suitors in the near future.

Mike McCarthy Fallout: Failed Negotiations, Cowboys Candidates, McCarthy Suitors

January 13th, 2025 at 9:45pm CST by Ben Levine

The Mike McCarthy era in Dallas finally came to an end today, as the team announced that they wouldn’t be re-signing their head coach. With McCarthy’s contract set to expire tomorrow, the two sides were reportedly negotiating the terms of a new deal. However, it sounds like true contract talks never took place.

[RELATED: Cowboys Considering Deion Sanders For Head Coaching Job]

In a statement, owner Jerry Jones clearly stated that he made the determination to move on from McCarthy before any contract talks could commence.

“Over the past week, Mike [McCarthy] and I had the opportunity to conduct a joint review of all aspects of the past season, our players and staff, and also spent considerable time discussing the road forward for the team,” Jones said (via Jon Machota of The Athletic). “These discussions were thorough and received an appropriate amount of time and depth to cover. Prior to reaching the point of contract negotiations, though, it became mutually clear that it would be better for each of us to head in a different direction.”

While Jones’ statement was pretty clear, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero slightly pushes back at the notion that the two sides never discussed a new contract. Pelissero somewhat points to semantics, noting that “contract negotiations” would signal a definitive exchange of proposals (vs. the informal “talks”). Either way, the reporter believes the two sides did indeed discuss a path forward but ultimately couldn’t agree on contract length.

It didn’t take long for the Cowboys to start preparing for their impending head coaching search. According to Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports, the team’s decision makers took part in “inclusive hiring training” this afternoon, only hours after news broke of the McCarthy divorce. Soon, we’ll start hearing of some definitive candidates, but the rumor mill is already churning with potential names. Deion Sanders has already been linked to the Cowboys, and there are some initial rumblings surrounding other big names.

Predictably, the biggest name on the market will be connected to the offseason’s biggest vacancy. Sources told Jonathan Jones that Bill Belichick could be towards the top of the organization’s list of candidates, and sources also told the reporter that the iconic HC would have interest in the Dallas gig if it became available. While Belichick’s UNC contract includes a $10MM buyout, sources believe that penalty wouldn’t stop owners from pursuing the future Hall of Famer. Still, many reporters (including Charean Williams of ProFootballTalk.com) are skeptical that Jones would be willing to pay for a buyout…a relevant note in their potential pursuits of Belichick and Sanders.

Jonathan Jones also suggests that the Cowboys could look to the college ranks for another candidate: Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian. The long-time college coach has never held the HC role in the NFL, although he did have a stint as the Falcons offensive coordinator. Sarkisian would also require a buyout. Among current NFL coaches, two popular names are also expected to be on the team’s list of candidates. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport says Eagles OC Kellen Moore is a name to watch. Moore, of course, finished his playing career with the Cowboys before moving to the sideline, where he worked his way up from QBs coach to offensive coordinator.

The Cowboys will presumably also have interest in Lions Ben Johnson, but the team missed their window to interview the popular HC candidate. As Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz notes, the Cowboys will now have to wait until Detroit is knocked out of the playoffs until they can talk to Johnson about their vacancy. Fortunately, Jonathan Jones notes that Johnson shut down communication with teams following the first round of interviews, as the coordinator is now solely focused on Detroit’s playoff run. So, if the Cowboys do truly have interest in Johnson, it shouldn’t take a whole lot for the team to make up ground on their competition.

As for McCarthy, the veteran head coach has reportedly already scheduled an interview with the Bears, and NFL Network’s Jane Slater says Chicago’s interest is “very real.” ESPN’s Adam Schefter says the Saints are also expected to show interest in McCarthy; New Orleans was listed as a potential landing spot for the coach before his ouster in Dallas.

The rest of McCarthy’s staff is also free to speak with teams starting today, per Albert Breer of SI.com. Practically the entire Cowboys staff had expiring contracts, and Slater notes that there were some assistants who grew tired of the lack of uncertainty over their futures. It sounds like that includes Mike Zimmer, as the defensive coordinator has contemplated retirement, per ESPN’s Jeff Darlington. Zimmer just joined the Cowboys last offseason, and it was believed that his status with the organization would be tied to McCarthy’s status.

Raiders To Interview Pete Carroll For HC Job

January 9th, 2025 at 8:38pm CST by Ben Levine

After failing in their (potential) Hail Mary attempt to lure Bill Belichick to Las Vegas, the Raiders will now take a look at another long-time NFL coach. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Raiders are set to interview Pete Carroll for their coaching vacancy next week.

Carroll spent this past year out of the NFL following his divorce with the Seahawks last offseason. It didn’t take long for the former Super Bowl winner to reemerge in this year’s hiring cycle. The 73-year-old met with the Bears about their head coaching vacancy earlier today.

The long-time coach would bring 18 years of HC experience to Las Vegas. He most recently spent more than a decade in Seattle, where he helped guide the Seahawks to 10 playoff berths, including two Super Bowl appearances. However, the organization decided to move on after Carroll and the Seahawks went 25-26 with a single one-and-done playoff appearance between 2021 and 2023.

Even before Carroll was ousted, there were rumblings that the coach was considering retirement or a transition to the front office. Shortly thereafter, we heard that Carroll always intended to stick around as Seattle’s HC for at least one more year, and his recent appearance in the interview circuit clearly indicates that he’s not ready to step away from the NFL.

While Carroll was tasked with guiding competitive teams in his time with Seattle and New England, he’ll be eyeing a rebuilding situation in Las Vegas. The Raiders are armed with the sixth-overall pick and will be one of the main suitors for the draft’s top QB prospects. Carroll once guided the Seahawks to contention with third-round pick Russell Wilson, and his defensive pedigree could help speed up the franchise’s turnaround.

The Raiders are now seeking their fourth full-time HC since the 2021 campaign. While Antonio Pierce avoided a Black Monday firing, he was handed his pink slip the following day. Carroll represents the sixth definitive candidate for the job. We heard earlier today that former Jets head coach Robert Saleh had joined the list with Lions coordinators Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn, Ravens OC Todd Monken, and Chiefs DC Steve Spagnuolo. Mike Vrabel and Brian Flores have also been mentioned as potential options for the organization, but neither candidate has scheduled a reported interview.

As for Belichick, we heard that Tom Brady — who is playing a central role in the Las Vegas HC search — recently contacted his former coach to see about a reunion. It was quickly reported that Belichick didn’t have any interest in reneging on his UNC commitment. Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal believes that Brady was merely picking his former coach’s brain as he prepares for a HC move, and Mark Maske The Washington Post says the Raiders haven’t given “serious consideration in recent days” to a Belichick pursuit.

It’s already been a busy day in Las Vegas. The Raiders kicked off a GM search after moving on from Tom Telesco.

More On Jerod Mayo’s Firing: Succession Plan, Hiring Process, Stevenson Benching

January 9th, 2025 at 6:02pm CST by Ben Levine

The Patriots’ succession plan for Bill Belichick clearly didn’t go as planned, as Jerod Mayo was let go after only one ugly season at the helm. However, there were cracks in the organization’s overall plan before Robert Kraft even named Mayo as his head coach.

[RELATED: Patriots Fire Jerod Mayo]

According to Chad Graff of The Athletic, Kraft’s literal succession timeline intended for Mayo to take over in 2025. When Kraft instituted his plan in 2023, he planned to give Belichick two more seasons (allowing the coach to break the all-time wins record) before Mayo would take over the gig.

That obviously didn’t come to fruition, as Belichick’s fractured relationship with the Patriots led to his ouster after that 2023 campaign. Before that, Belichick failed to mentor his successor like the organization expected (Graff notes that Belichick cut off communication with a number of coaches during his final season in New England). So, when Mayo was suddenly thrust into the HC role, he didn’t have the prerequisite mentorship that ownership had hoped for.

That could partly explain Mayo’s unusual approach to his head coaching role. The newly-named head coach first struggled to fill his coaching staff, although he curiously avoided one solution by offering incumbent defensive play-caller Steve Belichick a demotion (which the younger Belichick refused, leading to him taking a DC job at Washington). Andrew Callahan and Doug Kyed of The Boston Herald report that some OC candidates were left unimpressed with Mayo’s approach during the interview process, leading to the team opting for their last interviewee in Alex Van Pelt.

Then, once the season began, Mayo reportedly struggled to discipline his players, and Graff passes along an anecdote where Mayo played cards with the players during a plane ride following a loss. Mayo also struggled with some of the seemingly simple tasks that are required from a head coach. For instance, The Boston Herald duo point to Rhamondre Stevenson‘s uncertain status in Week 17. Mayo intended to bench the RB for fumbling issues, and he communicated the lineup change to Van Pelt. The OC never relayed the message to running backs coach Taylor Embree, leading to Stevenson taking the field with the starting offense. Mayo later covered for his coordinator, but there were clear cracks in communication.

While Mayo has been the only Patriots leader to lose their job, executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf has also drawn his fair share of criticism. The front office leader took some accountability for the team’s disappointing 2024 showing while admitting that some of the Patriots’ younger players didn’t develop as expected (specifically WRs Ja’Lynn Polk and Javon Baker).

“I would say that I guess personally, what I was expecting is maybe a little bit more internal development, which is a good lesson certainly heading into next year. And that you can’t always rely on that,” Wolf said (via The Herald). “The rookie receivers didn’t have it really that much for us.”

Raiders Interested In Bill Belichick; North Carolina HC Not Planning NFL Return

January 8th, 2025 at 11:27pm CST by Sam Robinson

11:27pm: This newfound interest notwithstanding, Belichick is prepared to pass. The North Carolina leader is not interested in coming back to the NFL, The Athletic’s Diann Russini reports. Belichick is attempting to focus on recruiting presently, with Russini adding the HC icon’s “sole focus” is building the Tar Heels’ program. This may still be a coaching subplot to follow, but as of now, it does not look like Belichick will be aggressively pursuing a quick Chapel Hill exit.

11:10am: While it looked like Bill Belichick made a preemptive move to pass on the 2025 HC carousel, teams are interested in seeing if he would hop back on for what would be a second straight year. Belichick took the North Carolina top job last month, but he is now being connected to NFL vacancies once again.

The Raiders are among them, according to NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero, who reports Tom Brady — who is playing a central role in the Las Vegas HC search — recently contacted his former coach to see about a reunion. A notable buyout number exists in Belichick’s Tar Heels contract, but it would not be a dealbreaker for an NFL team considering what Belichick was earning with the Patriots. At least one other team has inquired as well.

Before June 1, it would cost an NFL team $10MM in a buyout scenario with the ACC school. After that date, the buyout drops to $1MM. The $10MM payment would be due within 180 days, The Athletic’s Tashan Reed adds. This was essentially designed to ensure a Belichick commitment this year, and at his age (73 in April), it is unrealistic to expect too many more connections to NFL jobs beyond this year. That made his Tar Heels decision so surprising, considering the eight-time Super Bowl winner (counting two DC rings) has only coached in the NFL prior to the December decision.

Some at North Carolina are concerned about the buyout scenario, per CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones, who indicates that $10MM figure has not bothered NFL folk. Belichick was earning more than $20MM per year with the Patriots. The North Carolina gig now gives Belichick a true safety school, so to speak, as it would stand to reason he would be interested in an NFL opportunity — were it to come along after a befuddling 2024.

The Raiders fired Antonio Pierce on Tuesday, and veteran NFL insider Josina Anderson reported part of the reason for the delay pertained to two unnamed candidates’ availability. It is possible a feeler to Belichick indicated intrigue, though no interview is scheduled as of yet. The Raiders have thus far sent invites to Aaron Glenn and Ben Johnson, with ex-Belichick assistant Brian Flores also on the radar. Considering Belichick’s past with Josh McDaniels, this would certainly be an interesting pursuit.

Indeed, Pelissero adds Brady spoke with Belichick while the Raiders were determining Pierce’s future. It would stand to reason the quarterback-turned-announcer/minority owner’s former boss gave an indication he was interested. Mark Davis turning back to the Patriot Way would be strange given how quickly the McDaniels-Dave Ziegler regime unraveled. But Davis has given Brady considerable authority, certainly signaling he is fine with certain members of the former dynasty.

The college game has changed substantially this decade, with the NIL landscape and transfer portal reshaping all sports — football chief among them. Belichick signing on during this time always made for a strange fit, even with his extensive background running an NFL team. Belichick, however, was believed to be studying the college game as he determined potential NFL fits — notably doing so with McDaniels. No major interest was believed to have come the legendary coach’s way from the league, after the Falcons interviewed him twice last year — being the only team to meet with him about a top job — only to pass on him for Raheem Morris. Belichick was then reported to be “disgusted” with the NFL, setting his sights on the college game.

While the other NFL Belichick suitors are not known, Pelissero mentions the Jaguars as a potential fit. Belichick has a relationship with Tony Khan, the son of Jaguars owner Shad Khan, and was loosely tied to that job earlier this season. A Belichick-Trent Baalke partnership was believed to be a non-starter, but the Jags may well be open to an arrangement in which Baalke slides to a different role in the organization after a four-year run as GM. Jacksonville, however, is also highly interested in Johnson.

The Jets also came up just before Belichick’s Tar Heels commitment. Former Belichick Browns coworker Mike Tannenbaum attempted to set up a meeting between Belichick and ex-rival Woody Johnson. The meeting did not occur. While not much love has been lost between Belichick and his late-1990s employer, now that the coach may be back in play in the NFL a New York meeting would at least be on the radar.

Given how high Davis has been on Brady’s input since his official arrival as a part-owner, the new organizational voice stumping for Belichick would make this a situation to closely monitor. While it would put North Carolina in a bad spot, Belichick saw how other teams viewed him during the 2024 offseason, as the age issue proved significant. This could be his last chance at an NFL gig, so it would be logical if this Raiders avenue would generate appeal.

Jets Attempted To Set Up Meeting Between Bill Belichick, Woody Johnson

December 16th, 2024 at 3:30pm CST by Sam Robinson

Taking the job at North Carolina, Bill Belichick is now navigating college football’s transfer portal/NIL landscape that has caused so much instability within the sport. The Tar Heels are pitching to recruits and transfers the prospect of learning an NFL-style program, doing so after Belichick expressed considerable dissatisfaction with his standing within the league as a coaching free agent.

Rather than take another spin on the NFL’s HC carousel, Belichick accepted what amounts to a three-year, $30MM offer from the ACC school. An interesting buyout structure exists in Belichick’s North Carolina contract, dropping a payout from $10MM to $1MM after June 1, 2025. That would open the door to a potential NFL return.

While that buyout structure could conceivably affect players’ interest in coming to Chapel Hill, an NFL door is technically open. Though, Belichick’s age (73 in April) will offer a potential dealbreaker for teams looking to arrange longer-term plans. The 2026 HC carousel figures to produce Belichick rumors, depending on how his first Tar Heels season unfolds, but the 49-year NFL coach did contact at least one team about a 2025 job. Despite Belichick’s issues with the Jets, he reached out to Mike Tannenbaum — his coworker in Cleveland and with the Jets in the 1990s — about the job.

Running the Jets’ search, the former GM took this to the team, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer notes. This led to the Jets giving it consideration, to the point Breer adds the team attempted to set up a Belichick meeting with owner Woody Johnson. Belichick and Johnson have a frosty history, as it had been long reported the six-time Super Bowl-winning HC would not consider the Jets. Beyond Belichick’s 2000 resignation — which led to a trade agreement with the Patriots — along with the Jets being the team that triggered the NFL’s Spygate investigation (and eventual punishment) and Belichick recently criticizing Johnson’s ownership approach on the Manningcast, this effort reaching the stage it did is rather interesting.

Johnson has taken on an increased role in Jets personnel matters this year, impeding Joe Douglas on a potential Jerry Jeudy trade and Bryce Huff offer while later impacting the team’s situation with Haason Reddick. Belichick being open to working with the owner, who did not yet own the team when Belichick served as Bill Parcells‘ DC in the late 1990s, effectively speaks to his view of the Jets’ roster. The timelines did not matchup, however, as the Jets are at the beginning of what is expected to be a thorough search. With North Carolina needing an answer quickly, Belichick jumped and is skipping the 2025 HC carousel.

Belichick had done increased research on the evolving college game, which has changed significantly during the 2020s. He appears to be in the college ranks due to the control North Carolina has offered and a befuddlement at the NFL’s lack of interest. The league not showing more interest has “perplexed” the legendary coach’s inner circle, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio notes.

“I think there would’ve been some interest, but in the end, really, it’s not about what could’ve been or would’ve been, it’s about the opportunity at North Carolina,” Belichick said during an appearance on Sirius XM Radio’s Let’s Go! (video link). “I think this program is in the right spot now to take off.”

During his months-long media tour, Belichick and his agent did conduct backchannel communication with NFL owners to gauge interest, per Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz. This occurred during the 2024 HC hiring period as well. Breer adds Belichick did not reach out to every team with a current HC vacancy, meaning either the Saints or Bears — potentially both — were not contacted. Belichick’s camp had viewed Chicago as an interesting destination but expects the NFC North team to hire an offense-oriented HC. At North Carolina, Belichick will oversee the football operation in a way he would not have been allowed to had he returned to the NFL.

The Jets are looking for a new HC-GM combination. Belichick had coached against numerous Jets power structures, working as the Patriots’ de facto GM. The NFL still has coaches operating with final say, but not many. Teams were skeptical Belichick would be able to cede power, even though he had attempted to convince Arthur Blank he was not asking for personnel power. He will have it at North Carolina and try to execute the Patriot Way, or a modified version of it, there in 2025.

Bill Belichick Showed Interest In Jets HC Job

December 14th, 2024 at 10:05pm CST by Ben Levine

Before Bill Belichick officially joined the University of North Carolina, the iconic head coach did his due diligence on the impending NFL hiring cycle. Over the past year, reporters and pundits tried to connect Belichick to a number of NFL coaching gigs, and through it all, there seemed to be one consistent sentiment: he would never return to the Jets.

[RELATED: Bill Belichick To Become UNC Head Coach]

Not so fast, according to Dianna Russini. According to The Athletic reporter, Belichick recently reached out to the Jets organization to express interest in their head coaching job. Brian Costello of the New York Post has confirmed the report, noting that it was Belichick himself who reached out to the Jets.

There were never any formal conversations between the two sides considering the rapid developments with the Tar Heels. Belichick did not speak with Woody Johnson, per Fox Sports’ Peter Schrager, but rather with search committee head (and ex-Jets GM) Mike Tannenbaum. But while Belichick’s camp tested the NFL waters in search for his next coaching gig, it’s shocking that he gave the Jets more than a cursory look.

There’s been tension between the two sides for nearly three decades. Belichick was famously chosen to replace Bill Parcells as the Jets sideline leader, but after only one day in the role, he shocked the NFL world by resigning as “HC of the NYJ.” Belichick was quickly scooped up by the Patriots (who ultimately had to send the Jets a first-round pick), and the head coach proceeded to torment his former franchise over the following years.

Belichick dropped three straight games to the Jets to begin his tenure in New England. After that, the Patriots proceeded to go 38-9 against their division rival (including playoffs), with Belichick earning six Super Bowl rings during that span. The coach has also been publicly critical of Johnson, and he’s carried that rhetoric into his 2024 media role. The Jets were also responsible for launching the 2007 Spygate investigation, a factor that Belichick has always held against the rival (and former protege Eric Mangini). In other words, it would have been a shocking development for the coach to suddenly go crawling back to the organization.

Belichick’s 2000 Jets resignation occurred shortly before Johnson bought the team, with the looming ownership change factoring into Belichick’s desire not to succeed Parcells. Belichick had been Jets DC under Parcells prior to the latter’s succession plan combusting not long after it became official.

On the flip side, if Belichick did return to the NFL, it was assumed he’d be interested in a win-now squad. The Jets were built to contend for a Super Bowl in 2024 before things went off the rail. Belichick has also shown a deep respect for Aaron Rodgers, and with other foundational pieces on both sides of the ball, you could see why any coach would be interested in the Jets job for 2025.

Belichick appears to be committed to UNC for the long haul, so his reported interest in the Jets job would merely be a footnote in his football story. Still, there’s no denying that the pairing would have shocked the NFL world and commanded headlines for much of the offseason.

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