Potential Bill Belichick ‘Hard Knocks’ deal falls apart

Last week, Front Office Sports reported that Bill Belichick’s UNC football program would be featured on “Hard Knocks,” the NFL Films-produced documentary series that typically follows NFL teams during the offseason.

According to CBS Sports, all sides felt they were close to a deal, but talks ended up breaking down before a contract was finalized.

Belichick’s UNC program will not be featured on the show, according to the outlet.

“NFL Films had discussions with Coach Belichick and UNC about appearing on Hard Knocks this offseason but couldn’t reach an agreement,” an NFL Media spokesperson told CBS Sports.

Citing unnamed sources, CBS Sports said that issues over creative control were “at the center” of why the sides were unable to finish the deal.

Belichick’s UNC program would have been the first college team to be featured on “Hard Knocks” if the deal had been finalized.

Some within the UNC Football program still have interest in doing an all-access, behind-the-scenes series, according to the CBS report.

UNC football general manager Michael Lombardi told ESPN’s Pat McAfee last week that Belichick had been having discussions about a potential project.

“There are a lot of conversations going on right now about (“Hard Knocks”),” Lombardi said, as transcribed by CBS Sports. “We’ve had offers. I don’t think anything’s yet been official or signed. When you’re dealing with the university and the brand that we have at North Carolina, which is incredible, you’ve got to make sure that everything’s done right, all the T’s are crossed.”

“Bill has been talking to different people that contacted all of us here and been sorting it out. I don’t think it’s official. If we do do it, the idea is to let people examine what we’re doing, take a look at the 33rd team in the NFL and see how we’re building this program and what we’re trying to accomplish. It’ll give an accurate portrayal.”

Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio floated the possibility of the story being leaked prematurely with hopes of killing the project. Multiple owners “weren’t happy” with Belichick being featured on an NFL Films platform, Florio said.

The story got out before the deal was made and it is unclear whether a deal would have been signed if the report hadn’t gotten out there.

But, for now, it appears that Belichick will continue his lengthy streak of avoiding the “Hard Knocks” series. The series began in 2001, a year after Belichick became head coach of the Patriots.

He spent more than two decades in the league and won six Super Bowls after that but never ended up on the show.

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.