Is the decision between Belichick and UNC imminent? Breer shares the latest negotiations originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Bill Belichick may not have to wait until the NFL offseason to land his next head coaching job.

The legendary New England Patriots coach recently interviewed for the vacant head coaching position at the University of North Carolina and is reportedly serious about his search for the position. That’s a huge surprise, especially considering there will only be a handful of NFL openings and Belichick is just 15 wins away from breaking Don Shula’s record.

Still, Belichick could soon bring his talents to Chapel Hill. Tuesdays Early editionSports Illustrated’s Albert Breer sheds light on why the UNC job appeals to the 72-year-old, adding that he could be hired sooner rather than later.

“First of all, I think he was pretty taken aback by the lack of interest from the entire league last year,” Breer said Early edition Hosts Trenni Casey and Andrew Callahan of the Boston Herald. “Secondly, he looks at the (NFL) positions that are open now and maybe thinks, ‘I don’t know if I would like any of them.’ And then it’s like, “Okay, how many more are going to open?” And in a way he realizes that in a month there might not be a copy available that he’s really willing to accept.

“And if North Carolina is willing to overcome whatever hurdles he expects them to overcome — he’s studied the college game and I think he believes he can probably put together a winner quicker now at the college level because of NIL and… “So there are still some things to sort out, but I think it’s not out of the question that he could be the coach of North Carolina – or maybe not – by the end of the night.”

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Breer explained why Belichick and UNC may want to complete their deal as quickly as possible.

“The transfer portal is a big game of musical chairs,” he added. “Players can’t sit out there and wait a week or two. There are only so many spots in the country for these guys who are third-, fourth-, and fifth-year players and are looking for opportunities to prove themselves, to get shots in the NFL, after all.

“The longer this drags on, the more of these players will be taken off the board. And I think if Bill were to go to North Carolina, an important part of his strategy would be to build a veteran team through the transfer portal.”

NBC Sports Boston’s Patriots insider Tom E. Curran stated that the odds of Belichick taking the UNC job are “more than 50-50.” Callahan asked Breer to give his opinion on whether Belichick will wear Carolina blue.

“Yes, he’s the next head coach at North Carolina,” Breer predicted. “As far as I know, he already has an idea who will accompany him. So I say yes, but I think the negotiations are still in a difficult phase and we will see what they come up with financially.”

Belichick has never led a team at the college level, so UNC would be a whole new challenge for the six-time Super Bowl champion. While it’s a mystery, there’s little doubt that Belichick would bring plenty of allure to a football program that has taken a back seat to basketball throughout its history.