Former New England Patriots linebacker Jamie Collins is set to join Bill Belichick’s staff at North Carolina. The former All-Pro defender confirmed the news with TMZ Sports on Friday.
“I’m trying to step into another lane that I think I’d be great at and that’s coaching. Blessed for the opportunity,” said Collins. “My guy [Belichick], I love that dude. He love me, obviously. You know, he can’t get rid of me. So we’ll see how that work out. I’m grateful, man. I’m shocked, but I’m grateful.”
Collins is unsure of his role on Belichick’s staff, but he hopes to work extensively with North Carolina’s linebackers. This would be his first coaching opportunity at the collegiate level, and he’ll be doing it under one of the greatest coaches of all time.
Belichick drafted Collins in 2012 with a second-round pick. After four years together, Collins was traded to the Cleveland Browns. He returned to New England for the 2019 season, before signing a three-year deal with the Detroit Lions.
However, he ended up back in New England for a third and final time to finish out his career from 2021-2022. He’ll now be working to pass on some of the knowledge he learned from Belichick as a player to the next generation of NFL stars.
