Bill Belichick is 15 wins away from breaking Don Shula’s all-time wins record. It was believed the 72-year-old wanted to return to the NFL in order to make the record his, but a report surfaced over the weekend that connected Belichick to UNC.
Should Belichick become the Tar Heels’ next coach, that of course would only keep him from reaching the record. But during a recent episode of the “Let’s Go!” podcast, Belichick didn’t seem too hung up on it.
“I don’t have any set goals,” Belichick said. “I’m open to different opportunities going forward and I’ll just evaluate them as they come.”
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Belichick confirmed on “The Pat McAfee Show” that he he’s had conversations with UNC. He wouldn’t elaborate on how lengthy the talks were, but ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported they were for five hours.
A new report surfaced on Tuesday that Belichick is indeed considering the job at UNC, but ESPN reported there were some key issues including “the potential role of his son Stephen Belichick, UNC’s NIL resources, Belichick’s salary and resources for the staff.”
The reports have drawn mixed reaction from those who know Belichick best. Tom Brady said emphatically on Sunday that he can’t see Belichick coaching at the college level due to the recruiting process. Nick Saban, meanwhile, believes Belichick would be a good fit and that the recruiting isn’t as big a process due to NIL as it once was.
Even though Belichick was shut out of the 2024 coaching cycle after parting ways with the New England Patriots in January, it was believed he’d be back on the sidelines in 2025. And while there are several teams already in need of a new coach, Schefter said to McAfee that Belichick doesn’t want to wait around for something that isn’t a sure thing.
Belichick — who’s been working a slew of media gigs this season — is still open to working in the NFL, though.
“I’m open to a number of thoughts. I’ve had an interesting year this year working in somewhat of an analytical and media role,” he said on “Let’s Go!.” “Football, at either the college or the professional level, does interest me and I would explore those opportunities as well and ultimately see what everybody has to offer and what would be the best fit for me and potentially another organization. Or it could be in the media.”
Belichick has never coached at the college level. But it’s clear Belichick — an eight-time Super Bowl champion — is confident in his ability to coach football regardless of the level.
