The North Carolina Tar Heels have had discussions in recent days with legendary NFL coach Bill Belichick about their vacant job, sources confirm to Sports Illustrated on Thursday. Inside Carolina, a website devoted to covering UNC athletics, reported earlier Thursday that Belichick interviewed for the job.
Sources tell SI that Belichick, who won six Super Bowls as coach of the New England Patriots, definitely wants to coach again in 2025 after sitting out this season. His interest was believed to be centered on a return to the NFL—which still could be in play—but multiple sources say Belichick has been in discussions with North Carolina for several days and has a genuine interest in the college game.
Belichick would bring unparalleled credentials to a middle-of-the-road football program, but he also has no college experience in his nearly half-century in the sport. At age 72, it would be an interesting time to learn the evolving landscape of the college game, though the increasing professionalization at that level also could lend some familiarity to the job.
For North Carolina, it would mean turning the program over to a second straight coach in his 70s. Athletic director Bubba Cunningham fired 73-year-old Mack Brown last week after six seasons and a 44–33 record in his second stint on the job. Brown had expressed displeasure with the current state of college football, with the transfer portal and NIL compensation changing the way rosters are built and maintained.
The presumption was that Cunningham would look for a much younger successor to Brown, but Belichick’s accomplishments could be considered enough to transcend age concerns.
Belichick’s interest level in the nuts and bolts of recruiting would need to be answered, but his staff could handle most of that work—and Belichick’s name would sell itself to recruits, both at the high school and college transfer levels. Another recent unconventional college coach, Deion Sanders, has built a successful program with the Colorado Buffaloes without doing in-home recruiting visits.
Cunningham has been vetting other candidates for the job, including Tulane Green Wave coach Jon Sumrall, Liberty Flames coach Jamey Chadwell and Iowa State Cyclones coach Matt Campbell. Inside Carolina reported that Georgia Bulldogs defensive coordinator Glenn Schumann also is a candidate, though sources say Cunningham was putting emphasis on head coaching experience.
Sumrall could be available for formal discussions with UNC (and other suitors) after Friday night, when Tulane plays the Army Black Knights for the American Athletic Conference championship.
Sources describe the UNC search process as “very slow,” with Cunningham navigating the process with a board of trustees that has at times been critical of the athletic department. John Preyer, board chairman, said the manner in which Cunningham dismissed Brown was “shameful,” firing him while Cunningham was attending the Maui Classic with the men’s basketball team.
After a 6–6 season, North Carolina will learn its bowl destination Sunday. The interim coach, Freddie Kitchens, is a former longtime NFL coach who served as Brown’s run game coordinator and tight ends coach for three seasons.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Sources: Bill Belichick Interested in College Coaching After North Carolina Talks.
