Legendary NFL coach Bill Belichick interviewed for the vacant North Carolina job this week, in accordance with Inside Carolina. This is the primary identified formal contact between Belichick and a collegiate job since he left the New England Patriots in 2023.
Belichick has primarily labored in tv since separating from the Patriots, however ESPN reported in September that Belichick hopes to get again into teaching in 2025. He beforehand turned down provides to affix the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams as a defensive coordinator. He was a candidate for the Atlanta Falcons job, which in the end went to Raheem Morris.
Attempts by CBS Sports to succeed in Belichick’s longtime agent haven’t been returned.
North Carolina is making solely its second rent since 2011 after firing championship-winning coach Mack Brown after six seasons. Brown went 113-79-1 over two tenures with the Tar Heels and left because the winningest coach in program historical past. He turned 73 in August, making him the one coach within the sport in 2024 who was greater than 70 years previous.
Of course, that will make Belichick an odd alternative for the function; he may even flip 73 in April. Belichick has additionally by no means labored in school soccer. His first job was as a particular assistant to Baltimore Colts coach Ted Marchibroda in 1975. However, his father was an assistant at Navy, and he was named after his godfather, Hall of Fame Wittenberg and Vanderbilt coach Bill Edwards. His son, Steve Belichick, joined Washington as a defensive coordinator in 2024.
But many energy brokers at North Carolina need this system to focus on an enormous identify to raise this system, much like Brown early in his tenure. In addition to Belichick, Inside Carolina reviews that Tulane coach Jon Sumrall and Georgia defensive coordinator Glenn Schumann have been among the many early interviews.
Belichick is arguably the best coach in NFL historical past, profitable six Super Bowls and clinching three AP NFL Coach of the Year awards throughout a legendary 24-year run with the Patriots. He holds the NFL information for many Super Bowls (6), Super Bowl appearances (9), playoff wins (19) and division championships (17) as a coach. He joins Don Shula and George Halas as the one coaches in NFL historical past to clear 300 wins.
CBS Sports ranks North Carolina because the prime open job in the marketplace. UCF, West Virginia and Purdue are the one different energy convention jobs to open in 2024.
MORE: Check out extra from Inside Carolina — the trade chief in Tar Heels protection — as UNC seems to make an enormous splash in changing Mack Brown.