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Bill Belichick’s first season as a college football coach didn’t go as anticipated. The six-time Super Bowl winner entered the landscape with a lot of fireworks when he was hired by UNC last December. However, the coach ended his first season with the Tar Heels with a 4-8 record.
Before he arrived in Chapel Hill, Belichick hunted for jobs in the NFL. However, he settled for college football after none came his way. While a return has been muted in some quarters, Conor Orr of Sports Illustrated reports that no team is considering hiring the coach.
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Orr compiled a report on the top NFL head coaching candidate in the upcoming offseason. While he mentioned a host of top college football coaches who could be transitioning to the professional stage, the analyst was clear about the situation around Bill Belichick.
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“While I think college coaches, such as Matt Campbell, Marcus Freeman, Kalen DeBoer, Bret Bielema and Steve Sarkisian, offer some intrigue at the NFL level, the initial steam of college candidates has slowed drastically over the past few weeks.
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“Speaking of college coaches, I will save you the scrolling and note here that Bill Belichick is not on the list. I do not expect him to garner serious interest from the NFL after his debut season at UNC.”
Belichick ended his largely successful tenure with the New England Patriots on mutual consent in January 2024 and wasn’t able to get a job in the NFL for the following season. It was the first time in 49 years that the veteran coach wasn’t employed in the league.
Sean Payton is hopeful Bill Belichick will get an NFL job
Sean Payton is hoping Bill Belichick will make a return to the NFL this coming offseason. In his media availability on Dec. 3, the Denver Broncos coach disclosed his feelings on having the legendary coach back in the mix within the league.
“I’ll be honest with you, I miss him not being in the league,” Payton told reporters. “I miss him not being in the league, and I wouldn’t be surprised, and I would be somewhat hopeful that he ends up back in the league. We’d all be better for it. He’s something.”
Belichick’s buyout is a laughably small $1 million in his contract with the Tar Heels. The bigger question is whether anyone actually wants to hire him after the rough final chapter in New England. The series of controversies around his relationship with Jordon Hudson would also be a stumbling block for his return.
Edited by Farouk Yusuf
