The rumors of Bill Belichick's return to the NFL can be put to rest, at least for now. According to NFL Insider Jonathan Jones, the New England Patriots legend signed his deal with North Carolina on Wednesday and will serve as head coach beginning this year.
Update: Bill Belichick signed his full contract with UNC on Wednesday. Here's a link to the full contract provided by the school with screenshots of the buyout language, conditions surrounding potential future NFL interest and a redacted signature https://t.co/NON3oBHvc3 pic.twitter.com/e6wSkUPu00
— Jonathan Jones (@jjones9) January 23, 2025
Speculation of a potential NFL comeback for Belichick picked up in recent weeks. The six-time Super Bowl champion agreed to terms with North Carolina in December and even appeared in numerous capacities for the school, but rumors persisted that Belichick was technically still available, either due to the absence of his signature on the dotted line or the existence of multiple buyout options.
Those buyouts are particularly notable, if only because of their severity (or lack thereof). According to the terms shared by Jones, Belichick (or his employers) would be required to pay North Carolina $10 million in order to lure him away. That number could theoretically keep suitors away, but it drops to a significantly more palatable $1 million after June 1st, meaning Belichick could leave for the NFL relatively painlessly after this season.
Even though several intriguing head coaching options remain open, including the Dallas Cowboys, Las Vegas Raiders, and Jacksonville Jaguars, Belichick probably isn't going anywhere. It's very unlikely any NFL team would be willing to fork over $10 million just for the right to sign him to an extravagant deal. If he were that hot a commodity, he would have landed a job last offseason.
Ultimately, if Belichick even cares to make his way back to the NFL, he has to rehab his value. In his four seasons following the departure of fellow Patriots legend Tom Brady, his teams managed a subpar 29-38 record and scored an underwhelming 20.7 points per game. In fact, Belichick is 83-101 overall in games where he started any other quarterback. Simply put, Belichick has not demonstrated the ability to field consistently winning football teams without the GOAT on his roster.
Belichick's tenure at North Carolina will be a grand experiment. He has never coached at the college level, and the sport is facing intriguing new challenges due to the explosion of NIL deals and the expansion of the playoffs. Given his celebrity and the relative modesty of North Carolina's program, Belichick should be afforded the opportunity to win (or lose) on his own terms. Unless an NFL team makes him an offer he can't refuse next year, he should be content to stick with the Tarheels until he's willing to retire.
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