The NFL landscape has changed many different times over the years, but Bill Belichick was a staple of that landscape, coaching in the league from 1975 with the Baltimore Colts to leaving as head coach of the New England Patriots in 2023. Now, he is pursuing a new career in college football, as he will be moving on to become the head coach at North Carolina.
This is a completely different position from where he was in the NFL, as college has become a completely new landscape under the new regulations, NIL additions, and transfer portal capabilities in recent years, which makes this signing an intriguing one.
The New Orleans Saints are one of the teams who will be looking for a new head coach at the end of the season, and despite Darren Rizzi having a 3-1 start so far, who knows what the front office will do come off-season time? Bill Belichick was likely not one of those candidates, however, as Seth Wickersham of ESPN listed several teams that may have been potential options before:
“Belichick insisted to the Falcons and made clear to other teams with openings last year that he wasn’t seeking the total control of football operations he enjoyed for most of his head coaching career, both in Cleveland and in New England. He was willing to work with existing staff, whether it was Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot or Commanders general manager Adam Peters or Jerry Jones or Howie Roseman, if the Cowboys or Eagles, respectively, had decided to change coaches.”
Instead, one more experienced head coaching candidates comes off the board, which leaves the NFL with less options, and therefore the Saints with fewer targets as teams will begin their yearly scramble to hire the best ones as soon as possible.
We will find out who the Saints end up with eventually, whether than be Rizzi, a different internal candidate, or an external candidate, but whoever they choose, it will not be Bill Belichick.
