Bill Belichick has a new job. The longtime New England Patriots head coach has agreed to take the same position at the University of North Carolina, making the move to the collegiate ranks for the first time in his nearly half-century career.

Belichick’s decision to join the Tar Heels as their 35th head coach will send shockwaves across the football landscape, both at the college and professional levels. And while time will tell what the hiring actually means for those involved, let’s take a quick look at it from the only perspective we know: that of Belichick’s former team, the Patriots.

No Tom Brady-esque return

When Belichick left the Patriots by “mutual agreement” in January, there was some speculation that he would become a popular free agent in the NFL head coaching market. Although his recent track record has been disappointing, his overall resume was still legendary and potentially attractive to owners across the league.

However, he only interviewed with one team in 2024 – the Atlanta Falcons – and was also apparently uncertain about his prospects for the 2025 recruiting cycle. Whether this was a deciding factor in his decision to move to Chapel Hill is unknown, but the bottom line is still the same: Belichick won’t be coaching in the NFL for the foreseeable future.

This also means he won’t have the opportunity to return to Gillette Stadium in 2021 à la longtime Patriots quarterback Tom Brady. The next thing he’s currently planning would be North Carolina’s trip to UConn, scheduled for the 2027 season.

Uncertainty among staff

One of Belichick’s first tasks at North Carolina will be building a coaching staff. There is some speculation that he will be joined by longtime colleagues like Matt Patricia and that his son Steve – a former Patriots assistant and current Washington defensive coordinator – as well as a potential heir apparent will be brought on board behind the 72-year-old. old.

Of course, the Patriots could also be a destination for Belichick. After all, much of the team’s current coaching and scouting staff was hired by him, and bringing some of them to Chapel Hill certainly seems within the realm of possibility.

In this regard, one name stands out from the crowd: Brian Belichick. Bill’s youngest son works as the Patriots’ safeties coach after deciding to stay with the organization following the departure of his father and brother, but there are no guarantees next year.

Speaking in September about the changes his family had undergone in recent months, the youngest Belichick said he was “obviously enjoying being here” and that he “loves working with these guys.” However, he also pointed out that “change is one of the inevitabilities of life.” Does this mean anything for his future? The coming months will decide this.

UNC-Foxboro pipeline design

As mentioned above, Belichick hired a significant portion of the Patriots’ current scouting staff. And while the potential for change exists under new general manager Eliot Wolf — himself a former Belichick staffer — the principles of player evaluation when comparing Chapel Hill and Foxboro could be quite similar in the future.

At the very least, the Patriots staff should have a direct connection to Belichick and his program at UNC. And when it comes to the design process, every available piece of information matters.

A Hall of Fame lock in 2026

The Pro Football Hall of Fame changed several of its selection rules earlier this year, including eligibility criteria for coaches. Under previous rules, coaches had to stay away from the NFL for five seasons before they could be inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Nowadays, however, coaches only have to be removed for one season. Therefore, Belichick not returning to the NFL in 2025 means he will be eligible to earn the famed gold jacket in the next voting cycle for the class of 2026.

Considering he’s one of the best coaches in NFL history and the architect behind the winningest run in professional football history, Belichick has as strong a Hall of Fame reputation as anyone. Unless voters make their most confusing decision yet, that means the ex-Patriots coach is virtually certain to move to Canton in just over a year.

And if he succeeds, it will be a credit to his work over 24 seasons as the Patriots’ head coach.