Talk about something coming out of left field.
Bill Belichick — arguably the most decorated NFL head coach of all time — is seemingly seeking a move back into the ranks of coaching. However, it’s at a spot few saw coming.
Inside Carolina reported that Belichick has had talks with North Carolina about its head coaching vacancy. The UNC-based site also reported that Belichick has formally interviewed for the position in the wake of Mack Brown being fired close to two weeks ago.
The 6-time Super Bowl Champion could be up against Tulane HC Jon Sumrall and Georgia DC Glenn Schumann.
Belichick has never coached in college. His first coaching job period came in 1975 with the Baltimore Colts. The decision to interview for a college head coaching position has raised more than a few eyebrows.
Last year, Belichick interviewed for the Atlanta Falcons job before it was given to Raheem Morris. A host of other jobs could soon open up a couple of months from now. Chief among them (from a speculation standpoint) include the Chicago Bears, New Orleans Saints, Cincinnati Bengals, New York Giants, and perhaps the Dallas Cowboys.
Belichick, 72, has most recently been featured on several programs as a media pundit. While known as a gruff, somewhat standoffish guy in press conferences with the Patriots, the football world has seen a new side to him — one that’s more jovial and engaging. The media circuit may have been done to improve the perception of Belichick, and his appearance on Tom Brady’s infamous roast certainly did just that.
As it pertains to North Carolina, one has to wonder whether hiring another older coach is the prudent thing to do. One can’t imagine Belichick opting to coach more than a handful of years. At the same time, he’s also never dealt with the world of recruiting and its constant evolution with NIL funding.
Sumrall has proven he can build a program quite well, whereas Schumann comes from the most successful program this past decade. One can imagine he’d be chomping at the bit to get his own program to run.
