Former New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick addressed the rumors that he had interviewed for the head coaching job at North Carolina for the first time on “The Pat McAfee Show” Monday.
Belichick didn’t give away key details of his interactions with North Carolina, but he did confirm conversations with the college program. He also made sure to highlight the word “if” when discussing the possibility of him joining the program.
“I did grow up that way,” said Belichick. “I mean, my dad was a college coach at North Carolina for three years, Vanderbilt for a year and then Navy for 50. It seems like college football is more like pro football. I’ve talked to a lot of college coaches about things like the salary cap and putting value on players and negotiating, kind of mixing all of that together.
“…I’ve had a chance this year to take a longer look at college football during the college season, as opposed to in the spring from the draft perspective, and it’s been interesting, as well as staying up with pro football. It’s been a good year for me. I’ve learned a lot. I’ve had an opportunity to talk to [UNC] Chancellor (Lee) Roberts. We’ve had a couple of good conversations. So we’ll see how it goes.”
Many have pondered the seriousness of the discussions given the expectations that Belichick would return to coaching at the NFL level.
One would also have to consider the financial aspects of a move of this magnitude on North Carolina’s side. There are so many moving parts right now, but given Belichick’s comments, it seems like both sides are at least considering the possibility.