Six-time Super Bowl champion Bill Belichick and his closest advisors considered the Bears’ vacancy to be the most attractive one but doubted that team executives would consider him to be their next coach, according to a report Thursday.
An ESPN story that detailed Beli-chick’s thinking in taking the North Carolina coaching job said the group of advisors around Belichick — many of whom will follow him to UNC — figured the Bears would focus on an offensive-minded coach to pair with quarterback Caleb Williams. Among those candidates, they figured, would be Lions coordinator Ben Johnson.
When the 72-year-old was introduced Thursday at UNC, he was asked if he’d consider leaving after a year or two to return to the NFL.
“I didn’t come here to leave,” he said to a round of applause.
The story painted Belichick as frustrated with a league whose teams granted him just one interview last cycle. The Falcons eventually chose Raheem Morris instead.
After sitting out two practices last week because of a quad injury, Bears running back D’Andre Swift has a groin injury. The team held a walkthrough Thursday but submitted an injury report that estimated whether players could have participated in a full practice. Those who would have sat out were guard Ryan Bates (concussion), defensive tackle Gervon Dexter (knee), cornerback Josh Blackwell (shoulder) and running backs Roschon Johnson (concussion) and Swift. Safety Elijah Hicks would have been limited because of an ankle injury.
• Vikings cornerback Stephon Gilmore (hamstring) would have missed a full practice, while running back Aaron Jones (back), outside linebackers Andrew Van Ginkel (hip) and Patrick Jones (knee) would have been limited.
