Bill Belichick was officially introduced as the coach of the North Carolina Tar Heels on Thursday, completing a career move that was unthinkable just a few weeks ago. Before he made the move to coach college football for the first time, something he now calls "a dream come true," Belichick and his most trusted former assistants met up weekly to evaluate the NFL landscape and, namely, potential job openings for him to pursue ahead of the 2025 season.
Matt Patricia, Josh McDaniels and new UNC general manager Michael Lombardi were involved in the weekly meanings, outlined in a report by ESPN's Seth Wickersham. Belichick was often connected to franchises like the New York Giants—where he used to serve as defensive coordinator—and the Dallas Cowboys. Rumors about a potential fit with the Jacksonville Jaguars emerged more recently.
However, to Belichick & Co., it was the Chicago Bears that presented the most attractive opportunity, among the jobs that they expect to be open.
"According to sources with direct knowledge, the group deemed that the Chicago Bears were probably the most attractive job, but that team brass was unlikely to consider Belichick," Wickersham reports. "The group expects the same thing that most around the league do: that the Bears will go offense, hoping to give quarterback Caleb Williams chance at a career, probably targeting Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson."
There were no guarantees that the right job for Belichick would open, or that Belichick would fit the plans for those franchises that might take a chance on the 72-year-old.
Rather than take on a full rebuild at this point of his career or slide into a franchise with an existing front office structure, like Chicago or Dallas, Belichick opted to take a hard turn that, as Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer says, gives him full control over his football future.
And amid their own disappointing season, Bears fans can take some solace in the fact that the greatest coach in NFL history believes their job is the most attractive as they enter the NFL coaching carousel.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Bill Belichick's Brain Trust Identified One NFL Opening As the Best Job Available.
