Former head coach of the New England Patriots, Bill Belichick, who has claimed six Super Bowl titles, shared on Monday that he has had “a couple of good conversations” with UNC Chancellor Lee Roberts in regards to the open head-coaching position for the Tar Heels.
During an appearance on ESPN’s “The Pat McAfee Show,” Belichick reflected on his past 11 months following his exit from the Patriots, mentioning that he has taken a more profound interest in college football throughout the recent season, rather than the usual spring draft preparations he engaged in as a pro coach.
“It’s been a good year for me. I’ve learned a lot,” he commented, mentioning his dialogue with Chancellor Roberts and expressing curiosity about how things might unfold next.
When pressed for additional details on his discussions with UNC, Belichick chose to maintain an air of mystery, jokingly acknowledging his legacy of short responses during press events while he coached the Patriots.
“Yeah, let’s just leave it at that, Pat,” he chuckled. “I mean, I don’t want to give out too much information. I want to get my press conference aura back.”
The news that Belichick had interviewed for the coaching role at UNC was initially reported by Inside Carolina last week, confirming earlier reports as the Tar Heels look for a new coach after firing Mack Brown, their most successful coach in history, on November 26. Brown will not be returning for another season after concluding his tenure with a loss to rival N.C. State on November 30.
If UNC moves forward with hiring the 72-year-old Belichick after parting ways with 73-year-old Brown, it would mark a significant shift, opting for a leader with a remarkable NFL career rather than a coach with collegiate experience. Belichick achieved great success with the Patriots, notably during most of his 24-year run with superstar quarterback Tom Brady.
Since his time with the Patriots ended, Belichick has been rumored for various NFL roles, most notably with the Atlanta Falcons earlier in January.
While he refrained from discussing specifics of his meetings with UNC, Belichick did share his vision of the similarities between managing an NFL team and the dynamics of college football, especially in light of current changes allowing student-athletes to benefit financially from endorsements as potential revenue sharing approaches.
“If I was in a college program, the college program would be a pipeline to the NFL for the players that had the ability to play in the NFL,” he stated. “It would be a professional program: training, nutrition, scheme, coaching, techniques that would transfer to the NFL.
“It would be an NFL program at a college level.”
Additionally, there is a personal connection for Belichick with UNC; his late father, Steve, served as an assistant coach for the Tar Heels from 1953 to 1955.
