According to several reports, Bill Belichick, the former head coach of the New England Patriots and six-time Super Bowl champion, is anticipated to be hired as the head coach of the North Carolina Tar Heels.
The story was initially reported by NFL Network and ESPN.
The Patriots were coached by Belichick, 72, from 2000 to 23. Before he and New England parted ways in January 2024, he won Super Bowls in 2001, 2003, 2004, 2014, 2016, and 2018.
With 333 coaching victories, Belichick is second on the NFL’s all-time tally. After the 1987 and 1990 seasons, he was the defensive coordinator for the New York Giants, where he won two Super Bowls.
On November 26, the Tar Heels fired head coach Mack Brown. The squad has been guided by Brown for the past six seasons. Brown was the coach at North Carolina from 1988 to 1997. During his second career, he won one bowl game and finished 43-33.
Since 1980, the Tar Heels have not taken home a conference title. In 2022, they played in the ACC Championship Game for the last time.
Belichick has no collegiate coaching experience. After serving as an assistant coach for the Baltimore Colts in 1975, he went on to coach the Detroit Lions for two years and the Denver Broncos for one.
Belichick began his career with the Giants in 1979 as a special teams coach before being elevated to defensive coordinator in 1985. Before taking the Cleveland Browns’ head coaching job in 1991, he won two titles under head coach Bill Parcells.
Belichick was 36-44 in his four seasons with the Browns, and he only made the playoffs once. Following his dismissal from Cleveland in 1996, Belichick reconnected with Parcells, initially serving as the Patriots’ defensive assistant before taking over as defensive coordinator for the New York Jets from 1997 to 1999.
Belichick shocked the franchise by stepping down prior to his scheduled debut press conference in 2000, after initially agreeing to take over as head coach of the Jets. Rather, he departed for New England, where he was required to coach as well as have the last word over player personnel.
Despite overseeing six Super Bowl victories, Belichick and Patriots owner Robert Kraft reportedly had a tense relationship in 2020. Belichick made the decision that year to cut ties with quarterback Tom Brady, who began all of New England’s Super Bowl victories and is destined to become one of the all-time great signal-callers and enter the Hall of Fame.
Belichick had a 29-38 record and only made the playoffs once in his final four seasons as head coach of the Patriots, all of which were spent without Brady.
Raheem Morris was hired by the Atlanta Falcons after Belichick interviewed for the head coaching vacancy in January.
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