Bill Belichick May Head to the College Ranks

He has reportedly interviewed at UNC, though some pundits are skeptical it will come to pass
By Jenn Gidman,  Newser Staff
Posted Dec 6, 2024 11:45 AM CST
Bill Belichick May Head to the College Ranks
Then-New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick talks with reporters after a football game against the Buffalo Bills on Oct. 22, 2023, in Foxborough, Massachusetts.   (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer, File)

The University of North Carolina's Tar Heels are on the hunt for a new head football coach after firing Mack Brown last month, and a surprising name has floated to the top of the list: Bill Belichick, six-time Super Bowl champ as the longtime head coach for the New England Patriots. Inside Carolina reports that the 72-year-old, who left the Patriots in January, interviewed this week for Brown's old job—the "first official known interest between Belichick and a college football program."

Since departing New England, Belichick has been popping up in sports media, including appearing as a regular on The Pat McAfee Show. He also has a new romantic interest, 24-year-old former college cheerleader Jordan Hudson. In September, ESPN reported that Belichick was considering a return to coaching in 2025 but was "expected to be choosy if and when he returns to the sideline." The outlet noted he turned down a chance to be a defensive coordinator or some other kind of "decorated assistant" for both the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams.

Yahoo Sports advises, however, to "temper your expectations" that Belichick will end up leading the Tar Heels, citing News & Observer reporter Andrew Carter. "Am told Belichick's interest is high, and genuine," Carter tweeted on Thursday. "But extremely unlikely to happen due to his age (72) and lack of college experience." Steve Buckley agrees, writing for the Athletic, "Could Belichick's latest Plan B (or Plan C) take him to North Carolina? Maybe. But I doubt it." (More Bill Belichick stories.)

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