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Bill Belichick reportedly has ‘no plans’ to leave UNC for NFL
“I’m told his sole focus is on coaching and recruiting for North Carolina."
Bill Belichick is reportedly content at Chapel Hill.
Despite an NFL Network report on Wednesday that detailed several NFL teams gauging Belichick’s interest in leaving UNC for another head-coaching gig, the future Hall of Famer is reportedly sticking with his new role in North Carolina.
“Bill Belichick has no plans to return to the NFL, per sources,” The Athletic’s Dianna Russini posted on X Wednesday afternoon. “I’m told his sole focus is on coaching and recruiting for North Carolina, as he continues building the Tar Heels’ future. He’s recruiting today in New Jersey.”
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Belichick surprised many by accepting a role as head coach at UNC in December, opting to avoid another shot at landing an NFL head-coaching gig after failing to get hired last offseason after his time in New England came to a close.
Belichick’s decision to join the collegiate ranks was influenced by a lack of interest from NFL teams entering this latest offseason, according to The Athletic.
“One NFL team with a coaching vacancy had already ruled out the idea of interviewing Belichick, according to a league source,” The Athletic’s Jeff Howe wrote. “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.”
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“Belichick, the most prepared figure in the NFL for so long, had to recognize a chilling reality: He’d once again be a long shot to get a job in the league’s upcoming hiring cycle,” Howe added, with an NFL team executive telling him: “If [Belichick] wanted to coach again, he almost had to take this job.”
Of course, Wednesday’s report from Tom Pelissero seems to paint a different picture of Belichick’s standing in the NFL.
“Multiple NFL teams have inquired about whether legendary coach Bill Belichick would reconsider his move to college football — including the Las Vegas Raiders, whose new minority owner Tom Brady spoke recently with his old coach about what it would take to make a reunion happen in Las Vegas, per sources,” Pelissero noted.
The Raiders would have presented an intriguing option for Belichick, given Las Vegas’ decision to move on from head coach Antonio Pierce and his evident ties to Brady.
“Brady and Belichick won six Super Bowls together with the Patriots, and sources say Brady believes the situation in Las Vegas requires a coach of Belichick’s expertise and stature to establish a sustainable winning program,” Pelissero added.
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Even if Belichick wanted to dive into a new challenge at UNC, the appeal of the NFL will be worth monitoring for the ex-Patriots coach moving forward.
Belichick still has one record that has eluded him in his standout career — sitting 15 wins away from surpassing Don Shula for the NFL’s all-time coaching wins record.
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