Well, that freaking stinks.
Bill Belichick will become the head coach of the North Carolina Tar Heels, as reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter and NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport. The finalizing of the three-year, $30 million deal Wednesday evening came after days of conflicting reports, which started last week because the partnership was so difficult to believe.
It still is difficult to believe.
Belichick will patrol the sidelines in the basketball-first community of Chapel Hill, N.C. The Tar Heels finished 13th in the ACC in 2024. It’s a stark contrast to Belichick leading one of the premier NFL organizations like the Chicago Bears, Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles, or New York Giants — all of whom were rumored to be a potential landing spot at one time or another.
Nope. Belichick instead will wear a headset on arguably the third-most popular day for American football (Sunday, Monday, Saturday?)
There’s frustration to go around.
Thirty-two franchises don’t seem to believe Belichick, the head coach who has won six Super Bowls, is worth hiring to be one of 32 head coaches. This despite the fact the 2024 season started with the likes of Robert Saleh, Dennis Allen and Matt Eberflus at the front of the room.
Belichick is partly responsible, too, of course. Because while he reportedly was willing to give up personnel control during his final year with the New England Patriots, and while it was reported he would work with the Atlanta Falcons personnel department, the overwhelming majority thought that was difficult to believe. Everyone knew Belichick wanted control.
That mindset surely led the 72-year-old to opt for the college route. Belichick will all but certainly have the lion’s share of say in football operations at North Carolina.
Sure, there’s the chance Belichick completely overhauls the Tar Heels. There’s a chance he’s competing in the ACC Championship against Dabo Sweeney’s Clemson Tigers in 2025. Hell, maybe the UNC program he plans to run like a professional organization even changes the landscape of college football. That would allow Belichick to add to his legacy in a different way.
But Don Shula’s wins record? It’s never looked further away. Belichick coaching against Robert Kraft’s Patriots? Don’t count on it. Is Belichick hoisting a non-Patriots Lombardi Trophy like Tom Brady? That’s a negative. And, selfishly, Belichick in North Carolina probably won’t be nearly as attention-grabbing to the Boston sports fan.
All things considered, after a year of daydreaming about Belichick’s next landing spot, the outcome feels like a major letdown.
