Bill Belichick has emerged as a surprise candidate for the head coach role at North Carolina.
Belichick, 72, hasn’t worked as a head coach since leaving the New England Patriots at the start of this year. He’s widely regarded as one of the greatest head coaches in NFL history, having won six Super Bowls with the Patriots during a 24-season spell.
The experienced football figure is enjoying a flourishing media career, having regularly appeared on ‘Manningcast’ – ESPN’s alternative broadcast of ‘Monday Night Football’ – and ‘The Pat MacAfee Show’ throughout the 2024 NFL season. Yet a return to coaching in college football could be on the horizon for Belichick ahead of the 2025 campaign.
According to Inside Carolina via On3, Belichick has interviewed for the North Carolina role. The Tar Heels are on the lookout for a new head coach after firing Mack Brown last month, with Freddie Kitchens – a former NFL coach – taking the job on an interim basis.
It’s unclear whether Belichick will actually linkup with the Tar Heels. North Carolina has a modest 6-6 record this season and is currently on a two-game losing streak.
Belichick boasts one of the finest CVs in coaching. As well as winning six Super Bowls with the Patriots, he helped the New York Giants win Super Bowl XXI and Super Bowl XXV as their defensive coordinator. He’s also worked as a coach for the Baltimore (now Indianapolis) Colts, Detroit Lions, Denver Broncos, Cleveland Browns, and New York Jets.
Although Belichick has little experience in college football, his son Steve does. The 37-year-old is currently Washington’s defensive coordinator after spending more than a decade working alongside his dad at the Patriots, contributing to three Super Bowl wins.
Bill has been to watch the Huskies in practice, and that experience may have set him in good stead for the North Carolina role. Jedd Fisch, who worked alongside Bill and Steve during a coaching spell with the Patriots, is Washington’s head coach.
“They do a great job here at this program,” the veteran coach told Pat McAfee in August when asked about Washington. “Its just fun to see whats going on, sit in on some meetings, and watch the players work. Its a good spot out here and a great environment.”
Belichick added: “Jedds got the whistle, Im just here to watch, and sometimes they ask me to look at something or what I think about this or that. Its really great to see these guys and Jedds got a great staff and is doing a great job with this program.”
Want to watch more live sports? Peacock has your favorite sports, shows, and more all in one place. Peacock offers plans starting at $7.99 so you can stream live sports like NFL, Premier League, and Big Ten Football.
Leave a Reply