Bill Belichick, who has six Super Bowl rings from his tenure with the New England Patriots, hasn’t coached an NFL game in two years and is coming off a frustrating first season as head coach of the North Carolina Tar Heels.
Is there any chance that the 73-year-old Belichick would come back to the pro game for a last hurrah?
“Nothing’s changed,” Belichick said on the latest edition of “Let’s Go! with Matthew Stafford, Maxx Crosby, Peter King & Jim Gray” about a potential return to the NFL. “I’m where I was a month ago. I’m here at North Carolina. I really appreciate the love and support that we’ve gotten from the community down here, from the school.
“We’re building a good program, and I’m excited about the direction we’re headed.”
In Year 1 of the Belichick era in Chapel Hill, the Tar Heels went 4-8 overall and 2-6 in ACC play. It marked the first time since 2018 that North Carolina wasn’t bowl eligible.
Belichick was named North Carolina’s head coach in December 2024 after not coaching in the NFL that season. He and the Patriots parted ways after the 2023 season, ending Belichick’s 24-year stint in the position. He unsuccessfully interviewed for the Atlanta Falcons‘ coaching position shortly after leaving the Patriots.
Belichick ranks third among head coaches in NFL history with 302 regular-season wins, 16 behind George Halas (318) for second and 26 behind Don Shula (328) for first. Belichick boasts a career 302-165 record (64.7% winning percentage) across 29 seasons as an NFL head coach: 24 seasons with the Patriots (2000-23) and five seasons with the Cleveland Browns (1991-95).
At present, there are seven vacant NFL head-coaching positions: Falcons, Browns, Tennessee Titans, New York Giants, Las Vegas Raiders, Arizona Cardinals and Baltimore Ravens. As for potential connections, Belichick, of course, previously served as the Browns’ head coach for five seasons and was an assistant for the Giants from 1979-90, most notably serving as their defensive coordinator from 1985-90. New York won two Super Bowls during that span (1986 and 1990).
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