Bill Belichick is make a deal to become the head coach at the University of North Carolina.

This makes him eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame class of 2026, a spokesman for the Hall of Fame confirmed.

The Hall of Fame some rules changed this year, including the amount of time coaches must be out of professional football before being considered for inclusion. (Yes, college football has become professional football, but the Pro Football Hall of Fame still doesn’t count it.)

Previously, coaches had to sit out for five seasons before taking the job. Now coaches only have one more season to wait.

Since Belichick did not coach in 2024, he is eligible for the next class.

Mike Holmgren is a coaching finalist for the Class of 2025.

Belichick seems like a natural first-ballot candidate, but Bill Parcells wasn’t elected in his first year on the ballot. Parcells was not elected to the class of 2012 under previous rules that did not have a separate coaching category.

Some voters expressed skepticism that Parcells would remain retired, but he did so and was elected a year later. Selectors might have the same reservations about Belichick.

Current rules only allow one coach finalist per year. So if Belichick is selected in the 2026 class, it will push back the potential inclusion of Mike Shanahan and Tom Coughlin.