Legendary NFL coach Bill Belichick interviewed for the vacant North Carolina job this week, according to Inside Carolina. This is the first known formal contact between Belichick and a collegiate job since he left the New England Patriots in 2023.
Belichick has primarily worked in television since separating from the Patriots, but ESPN reported in September that Belichick hopes to get back into coaching in 2025. He previously turned down offers to join the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams as a defensive coordinator. He was a candidate for the Atlanta Falcons job, which ultimately went to Raheem Morris.
Attempts by CBS Sports to reach Belichick’s longtime agent have not been returned.
North Carolina is making only its second hire 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 as the winningest coach in program history. He turned 73 in August, making him the only coach in the sport in 2024 who was more than 70 years old.
Of course, that would make Belichick an odd choice for the role; he will also turn 73 in April. Belichick has also never worked in college football. His first job was as a special 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 power brokers at North Carolina want the program to target a big name to elevate the program, similar to Brown early in his tenure. In addition to Belichick, Inside Carolina reports that Tulane coach Jon Sumrall and Georgia defensive coordinator…
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