Bill Belichick is set to become North Carolina's football coach

Bill Belichick’s return to coaching won’t be on an NFL sideline.

The six-time Super Bowl-winning head coach and the University of North Carolina have reached a deal to become the school’s next head football coach, according to ESPN and multiple reports. Inside Carolina first reported the deal.

Belichick’s 333 career wins (including the postseason) are 14 shy of Don Shula’s record for wins by an NFL head coach. The former New England Patriots head coach was not brought back for the 2024 season after 23 years with the team, and he did not land any other coaching positions in the offseason after being a finalist for the Atlanta Falcons job.

The mutual interest between UNC and Belichick was first reported last week. During his weekly appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show” on Monday, Belichick said – in his classic hawkish fashion – that he had “a few good conversations” with Chancellor Lee H. Roberts, while adding that he didn’t want to give away either Lots of information about the specific nature of the conversations.

Belichick has explained his vision for a college program, saying it would be a professional outfit in terms of nutrition, strength and conditioning and player development.

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“I think there are a lot of (college) football programs that are similar to the pro programs,” Belichick said.

After parting ways with the Patriots, Belichick became active in the NFL media space this season. In addition to his weekly spots with McAfee, he is also a guest on every “Manningcast” for “Monday Night Football.” He hosts a preview show with Peyton Manning for ESPN and is a weekly cast member on “Inside the NFL.”

Belichick has never coached in college. His coaching career began as a special assistant with the Baltimore Colts in 1974 and spent time with the Denver Broncos before landing with the New York Giants in 1980. The first of his eight career Super Bowl victories came as defensive coordinator under Bill Parcells with the Giants and his first head coaching gig came with the Cleveland Browns before his 40th birthday in 1991.

Belichick’s father, Steve Belichick, was a longtime coach at the United States Naval Academy during Bill Belichick’s youth. Previously, Steve Belichick coached at UNC, and the McAfee show featured a photo of Bill Belichick as a child sitting in the stands at Kenan Stadium.

Belichick’s son, also named Steve Belichick, is currently the defensive coordinator at the University of Washington and rejoined his father’s staff (he and his brother Brian worked for Belichick with the Patriots). Multiple reports over the past week have indicated that Steve Belichick is likely waiting to coach.

At 72, Belichick is the oldest coach in college football. The previous oldest coach is the man Belichick replaced at UNC, Mack Brown, who coached the Tar Heels in two separate stints and won the 2006 national title at Texas. Brown was dismissed from school on November 26th.

Over the weekend, a trio of Belichick’s former players in New England – Brady, Julian Edelman and Rob Gronkowski – floated the idea that Belichick wanted to coach in college. However, with names, image and likeness funding, and the transfer portal, college programs seem more like NFL organizations.

Belichick’s sixth Super Bowl victory came after the 2018 season. After Tom Brady’s departure in 2020, the Patriots made the postseason once. After a 4-13 season in 2023, the Patriots replaced Belichick with Jerod Mayo. New England is 3-10 this year.

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Bill Belichick is set to become North Carolina’s football coach

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