Bill Belichick has a job offer from UNC

Former Patriots coach Bill Belichick, who won six Super Bowls during his time in New England, is considering an offer to become the next head coach at University of North Carolina, according to The Athletic.

“A deal has not been agreed to and terms are still being negotiated, the sources said,” the Athletic’s report reads. “While a deal may still come together quickly, sources cautioned that nothing is imminent and the sides remain apart on multiple key terms.”

The Guardian reported Tuesday afternoon that Belichick had agreed to a deal.

According to The Guardian, Belichick presented the school with a 400-page “organizational bible” which laid out his plans for running the program.

The document includes information on structure, payment plans, and staffing choices among other topics. It calls for “historic levels of investment” from UNC including a coaching staff, a recruiting staff, and salaries for players.

The school’s athletic director and chancellor would need to sign off on a potential Belichick deal, and there has already been pushback from school trustees, according to The Guardian. The outlet said the school is expected to notify Belichick of it’s decision within 24 hours.

Minutes after The Guardian’s report hit Twitter, Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz said there was no agreement in place and that the situation remained “very fluid” while the both sides continued to talk.

CBS Sports’s Jonathan Jones reported that there is a lot going on behind the scenes, but the ball appears to be in Belichick’s court.

During a recent episode of ESPN’s The Pat McAfee show, Belichick confirmed that he has had talks with UNC. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Belichick had a five-hour long meeting with UNC officials on Sunday.

“Let’s just leave it at that, Pat,” Belichick said when asked about the meeting. “I don’t want to give out too much information. I want to get my press conference aura back.” 

If Belichick were to run a college football program, he said, it would be a professional-style program aimed at preparing players for the NFL level with top-notch training, nutrition, playing scheme, and coaching techniques.

The Guardian had previously reported that Belichick asked UNC for a succession plan involving his son Steve Belichick as part of the deal. Steve Belichick is currently the defensive coordinator at Washington.

UNC, which is the alma mater of Patriots quarterback Drake Maye, fired Mack Brown last month. Maye told WEEI that he hated the way Brown’s situation played out but said that he’s sure Belichick would be able to help a college program.

Belichick, 72, has never coached at the college level. He began his career as an assistant with the Colts in 1975 after his father arranged a face-to-face meeting with Ted Marchibroda.

Once he got his foot in the NFL door, Belichick never looked back. He rose the coaching ranks while bouncing around several different franchises before winning a pair of Super Bowls as defensive coordinator of the New York Giants.

He became a head coach with the Browns in 1991 and began his 24-year stint with the Patriots in 2000.

Belichick is the second-winningest head coach in NFL history and he’s just 14 wins shy of tying Don Shula’s record for most wins by an NFL head coach.

Patriots owner Robert Kraft said he fired Belichick last January after several mediocre seasons in the post-Tom Brady era.

Since then, Belichick has taken on several media gigs including appearances on ESPN’s Manningcast and Pat McAfee show, as well as a podcast called “Coach” with Bill Belichick among other opportunities.

Khari A. Thompson

Sports Reporter

Khari Thompson covers professional sports for Boston.com. Before joining the team in 2022, Khari covered college football for The Clarion Ledger in Jackson, Miss.