North Carolina has interviewed Bill Belichick, the former head coach of the New England Patriots and six-time Super Bowl champion, for its head coaching position, according to two people familiar with the situation. These individuals spoke on condition of anonymity because the school has not made a public statement about its search.
The interview with Belichick, first reported by Inside Carolina, comes one week after the school parted ways with its most successful coach, Mack Brown, who is a College Football Hall of Famer. The school announced on November 26 that Brown would not return for a seventh season in his second term. Brown remained with the team to coach during last weekend’s rivalry loss to N.C. State.
Freddie Kitchens, the former head coach of the Cleveland Browns, is currently serving as the interim coach for the upcoming bowl game as UNC continues its search for a new head coach.
Hiring the 72-year-old Belichick would be a significant change for UNC, as he has never coached at the college level but achieved tremendous success in the NFL, mostly working with quarterback Tom Brady during his 24 years with the Patriots, which ended last season.
Since then, Belichick has been connected to various NFL coaching roles, including a potential position with the Atlanta Falcons earlier this year.
UNC’s coaching search comes at a time when college athletics is rapidly changing, with more player movement through the transfer portal and players able to earn money through endorsements.
Additionally, a $2.8 billion antitrust settlement, which includes revenue sharing, is expected to be implemented soon. This settlement received preliminary approval from a judge in October.
After the loss to N.C. State, Brown mentioned, “I think it’s a great time for me to get out. This isn’t the game that I signed up for. It’s changed so much.”
In a podcast earlier this week, athletic director Bubba Cunningham said that all the coaches UNC is considering for the position are currently coaching, as college football is in the middle of its conference title games and preparing for the 12-team College Football Playoff and bowl assignments.
Cunningham emphasized that the most important factor in selecting a new coach is “fit.” He stated, “There’s a certain person that’s best suited at the right time, at the right place. And right now, that’s what we’re looking for: Where are we today, who can lead us in the next three, five, 10 years?”
