by Kyle Golik
Very few coaches have a résumé that doesn’t leave much to question. When former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick filled out an application for the job at the University of North Carolina, or even if he didn’t and it was just a communication of some sort, I would pay my last penny to see athletic director Bubba Cunningham’s reaction.
This is, after all, Bill Belichick: winner of six Super Bowls as a head coach and two more as a coordinator, with Miami’s Don Shula being the only coach in NFL history with more wins.
From what has been reported, the discussions between Belichick’s group and UNC officials consisted of extended meetings. Multiple reports confirm a five-hour session with UNC officials, reflecting a deep consideration of a move to college football —something Belichick would need to convince the school of, given his age and NFL-centric career.
Belichick’s vision for the UNC football program would position it as a premier pipeline to the NFL, emphasizing a professional approach to college football. Belichick’s vision has legs, considering where the game is today with NIL, transfer portal, and with revenue sharing coming onboard in 2025. Belichick intends to teach players how to mold themselves into what the NFL wants, applying insights from nearly 50 years in the league to the professionalization of collegiate athletics..
With rumors swirling that Belichick’s involvement could depend on naming his son, Washington Huskies defensive coordinator Steve Belichick, as the head coach “in waiting,” negotiations and mutual interest between both sides are reportedly ongoing.
Many NFL insiders feel this is a move to show NFL owners that Belichick still wants to coach in the NFL. The detractors of Belichick feel the post-Tom Brady era in New England saw Belichick “lose his fastball” and his touch to the modern athlete. A legitimate question is does Belichick translate to the modern game well.
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With Belichick blitzing media appearances between Inside The NFL, The Pat McAfee Show, and the Manning Cast on Monday Night Football, the popular opinion is that Belichick is showing a different personality for NFL owners to consider extending him one last opportunity.
While that may be the truth, others point out Belichick’s desire to really teach the game and feels the best opportunity to do that and have meaningful impact is in the college game.
Belichick is a master deflector, many critics would point out his advanced age, Belichick will be 73 next season, and suggest that his age could be used against him in recruiting battles. However, Belichick would likely respond, “Isn’t that why they have the transfer portal? Why not come to the program, learn all you can from me, and let us sell you our vision to commit long term? If not, you are free to leave.”
You have to figure the most ardent Tar Heel boosters would line up to support Belichick. While they may want someone younger after the Mack Brown reboot, the thing Belichick can offer is that sort of Nick Saban genius level that very few coaches have. If Belichick can attract a group of talent, the sky’s the limit for North Carolina.
But if Belichick’s intentions are pure, what is the master plan? I honestly feel we have seen it in college football at Alabama under Nick Saban but I feel the twist is the NFL nuances that Saban wasn’t able to do at Alabama. I feel each power program has a flavor of NFL in it, with each trying to instill NFL preparation in it. Belichick, however, would aim to create the ultimate NFL preparation system—and in a fertile recruiting area like the Carolinas, it’s entirely possible.
Coupling that with Belichick’s ability to master the refinement of each athlete, along with ultimate endorsements from peers he coached with and against in the NFL, certainly adds credibility to the idea.
The question goes back to the age of Belichick and how long does he want to do this? Belichick might be the brightest football mind the game has ever had, but how much time does he have left in the tank? The college game, one could argue, is an all year grind because you constantly have to recruit to keep your own team. I am not sure Belichick has that in him, maybe he never did and that is no indictment on him. If Belichick has a way to make collegiate athletics better, he needs to serve the sport and not North Carolina if his intentions are pure. Personally, I think he just wants Shula’s record.
