Yes, Bill Belichick is taking a cue from Rodney Dangerfield and going back to school.

The University of North Carolina has announced that Belichick has accepted the head coaching job with the Tar Heels.

“I am excited about the opportunity at UNC-Chapel Hill” Belichick said in a statement released by the school. “I grew up around college football with my dad and really valued that time. I have always wanted to coach in college and now I am excited to build the football program at Chapel Hill.”

Belichick coached exclusively in the NFL for his entire career, from 1975 to 2023.

Many were surprised by the news a week ago that Belichick was talking to North Carolina. As reported during Football night in AmericaBelichick was “very surprised” by the previous lack of contact from potentially interested NFL teams. When his interest in North Carolina came to light, there was never a report that an NFL team (or any other college program) wanted to talk to him.

His choice became easy. Since there was no door #2, it was door #1 or bust.

The terms of the contract were not disclosed. Because North Carolina is a public entity, the contract cannot be kept secret in the same way its Patriots deal has always been. Although there is Ways to hide the extra income he receives The basic conditions are known from private institutions that support the program.

Aside from whether the deal will include a succession plan that would give his son Stephen the job at some point in the future, it will be interesting to see if the contract gives Belichick the opportunity to move on to an NFL job.

There’s no guarantee he’ll get one, especially since there isn’t much interest in his services at the moment. Still, whether the UNC contract allows him a quick and easy exit will shed significant light on whether he will continue to eye the NFL level.

The press release mentions that a press conference will be held at a later date. By then, Belichick will surely have transitioned from his 2024 media persona to his previous attitude toward the press, which largely consisted of grumbling, secrecy and periodic Shakespearean monologues on obscure football topics like the physics of long snapping and the development of the Wing T.