Tag: Bill Belichick

Bill Belichick didn’t wait for a call that might not come from an NFL team.

With no certainty that another NFL opportunity would arise — the Atlanta Falcons were the only team to interview him last offseason — and unsure if he could find the right fit in the NFL, the 72-year-old Hall of Fame-bound coach decided to try something new: college football.

Belichick brought his eight Super Bowl rings to North Carolina, ready to build a college program in the same way he created two dynasties during his 24 years with the New England Patriots. It starts with doing things his way, and the “Patriot Way” is famous. Maybe it will work for the Tar Heel way.

We’ll have to wait and see, but Belichick is back doing what he loves: coaching. And he’s in charge, surrounded by his staff. An NFL team giving Belichick the same full control he had in New England seemed unlikely.

Success at North Carolina could change that view.

Right now, Belichick’s attempt to break Don Shula’s record for most NFL wins is on hold. He’s just 15 wins short, but his college contract has a buyout clause — it would cost $10 million if he leaves before June 2025, and $1 million after that — so there’s still a chance he could return to the NFL.

If Belichick stays in college or retires without returning to the NFL, his legacy is already secure. Winning at North Carolina would only boost his reputation. Losing won’t affect his NFL legacy.

“He’s one of the all-time great coaches. What he’s done for the NFL and the game, we all know where he’ll end up — in the Hall of Fame with a gold jacket,” said Dallas Cowboys executive Stephen Jones just before Belichick agreed to a five-year deal with North Carolina worth $10 million annually in salary, with up to $3.5 million in bonuses each year.

There are critics of Belichick. Some argue that he couldn’t win without Tom Brady. His record was 29-39 without Brady, and he didn’t win any playoff games in his final four seasons with the Patriots.

Some also accuse him of being a cheater because of the Spygate and Deflategate scandals. Others criticize him for overlooking Aaron Hernandez’s problems. He was tough on players, even pushing Brady out of New England, allowing him to join the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where Brady led the team to a Super Bowl victory in his first year.

But Belichick taught players the importance of doing their jobs and built an unmatched two-decade era of dominance, even with changes in free agency, salary caps, and more.

Brady has always credited Belichick for helping him become one of the greatest players in the sport.

Now, Belichick is in Chapel Hill, taking a surprising new step after spending most of the NFL season as an engaging analyst. While his football knowledge came through on TV, he also showed a fun side, joking with the Mannings and Pat McAfee.

“College kind of came to me this year,” Belichick said at his introductory press conference. “I didn’t necessarily go and seek it out. I had many coaches, probably a couple dozen, talk to me and say, ‘Can we come down and talk to you about these things?’ Let’s call it the salary cap of pro football relative to college football.

The headsets, the green dot, the two-minute warning, the tablets on the sideline. Those were all rules changes this year for college football that were either or the same or similar to what we had in the NFL.

These coaches said, ‘Hey coach, can we talk to you about how you did this? How you did that? How did you use this?’.

“As those conversations started and then the personnel conversations started about salary caps and how you spend your money, it made me more aware of it because the first thing I would have to do is learn about it. As you learn more about different programs, you begin to see common threads and variables.”

How well will Belichick do as a college coach? Nobody knows yet. Three of Belichick’s former players were uncertain about his decision.

“There’s a lot of things he can do, and obviously he’s tremendous, and even showing his personality. But getting out there on the recruiting trail and dealing with all these college kids, that would be …” Brady said, trailing off during a conversation on Fox’s NFL pregame show.

Former Patriots teammates Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edelman had similar concerns.

“Can you imagine NIL, and all that nonsense?” Gronkowski said. Edelman added: “Can you imagine Bill on a couch recruiting an 18-year-old?”

But Belichick won’t have to recruit kids in person. These are new times in college sports. NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) has completely changed things. Plus, Belichick’s name alone is a draw. It’s similar to how Deion Sanders is using his name at Colorado.

“I think it could be great for this game, honestly, if he can find a way to make college football more like this in terms of what’s being asked of the coaches, the recruiting staff, the personnel, the NIL, and all those different things,” said Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Liam Cohen.

“If he can make it a little bit less demanding on some of the coaches and create a great atmosphere and have success, I think it’s great for our game. It’s pretty cool to see, actually.” Now, it’s Belichick’s turn to do his job.

Bill Belichick spent some time talking with college coaches after leaving the NFL, offering his advice on handling new challenges at the college level that resemble pro football.

These changes include the two-minute timeout, the transfer portal acting like free agency, collectives raising money through name, image, and likeness (NIL) deals for athletes, and the upcoming arrival of revenue sharing.

Belichick quickly saw how a college program could be shaped based on his NFL experience.

“I do think there are a lot of parallels,” Belichick said.

This is why the six-time Super Bowl-winning head coach is now taking over at North Carolina. Years of fast changes have made college football more like professional football, with schools adjusting their staff to handle tasks once considered typical for pro teams.

UNC is making one of the boldest moves, hiring a 72-year-old coach who has never worked in college football to build a system that’s like a mini-NFL front office. Other schools may follow suit.

“I really think there’s going to be some of those guys that maybe don’t have a job in the NFL anymore,” said Clint Brown, general manager of Kansas State. “Now that this is going to be structured in a way where there is a cap, that’s going to be something they’re interested in.”

Changes in college athletics, like players transferring and playing immediately and earning NIL money, have made the game feel more like professional sports. Now, recruiting focuses just as much on signing veteran talent from the portal as it does on high school recruits, similar to the NFL’s free agency and draft.

A bigger change is coming with revenue sharing. A $2.78 billion legal settlement over antitrust lawsuits will lead to a $21.5 million pool for athletes in the first year, with a final hearing on the matter set for April 2025. Schools will decide how to distribute this money, with football likely getting a major share, just like the salary cap in professional sports.

These changes are why coaches like Florida’s Billy Napier are interviewing candidates for the position of general manager to help manage these new responsibilities.

“We’re built to do it now,” Napier said. “We’re getting ready to be in a business model. We have a cap. We have contracts. We have negotiation. We have strategy about how we distribute those funds, and it’s a major math puzzle.”

This also explains why Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule, the former head coach of the NFL’s Carolina Panthers, said: “This job as a head coach is a juggernaut. There’s way more to do here than I had to do in the NFL.”

It also explains why North Carolina is betting on Belichick to succeed in this changing environment.

“If I was 16 or 17 years old, a coach who came at you and won how many Super Bowls? And he said, ‘Come play for me,’” said Joshua Ezeudu, an offensive lineman for the New York Giants and a former UNC player. “That’s pretty hard to turn down now, especially in this day and age, he’s telling you to come play for him and he’s offering you some money, too. I mean, you can’t go wrong with that choice.”

The timing worked for UNC to hire Belichick, who was passed over for some NFL jobs after leaving the New England Patriots last year. Instead, he spent months studying the college game. Conversations with coaches from major conferences made him realize that the changes in college football aligned with his experience in the NFL.

“College kind of came to me this year,” Belichick said. “I didn’t necessarily go and seek it out.”

His presence in Chapel Hill will make a difference, according to UNC’s athletic director Bubba Cunningham, who believes Belichick’s visibility will help raise advertising revenue, like sponsorships and signage. Belichick is also hiring Michael Lombardi, a former NFL general manager, as the team’s general manager.

But this approach comes with a high cost. Belichick’s contract will pay him $10 million per year in base and additional pay, with the first three years of his five-year deal guaranteed. This is nearly double what former coach Mack Brown was paid, with Brown’s salary totaling about $4.2 million before bonuses and other payments.

Belichick’s contract also includes $10 million for the assistant coaching salary pool and $5.3 million for support staff. These numbers have increased significantly from previous seasons.

UNC has already made big investments in its football facilities, including over $40 million spent on the football practice complex, with a new indoor facility and other upgrades.

Now, it’s up to Belichick to rethink how football should be approached at UNC in these changing times.

“We’re taking a risk,” Cunningham said. “We’re investing more in football with the hope and ambition that the return is going to significantly outweigh the investment.”

Shortly after the University of North Carolina announced Bill Belichick as its new head football coach, the Tar Heels’ Instagram account shared a picture of the famous NFL coach when he was no older than 3, sitting in the UNC bleachers.

“Welcome home, Coach,” the post says, bringing back memories of when young Belichick followed his father, Steve, who worked as a UNC assistant from 1953 to 1955.

As news spread about his hiring, reactions from the NFL were filled with excitement, surprise, and disbelief. Belichick, the most successful coach in NFL history with six Super Bowl wins as head coach of the New England Patriots and two more as a defensive coordinator for the New York Giants, is now stepping into the challenge of college football after agreeing to a five-year deal with UNC.

“I will have to see him on the sideline to believe that’s happening,” Washington Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury joked. “We’ll see how the NFL job search goes and all that. I will have to see him on the sideline coaching in Chapel Hill to believe that’s happening.”

While Belichick’s expertise and success in football are unquestioned, some debate whether his coaching style will be effective in the college game. Some of his former players believe his approach can work at any level.

One such player is Tom Brady, the quarterback who helped Belichick win all six of his Super Bowls with New England.

“Congrats, coach. The Tar Heel way is about to become a thing,” Brady posted on Instagram Thursday, referring to “The Patriot Way” he helped popularize in New England.

Some people warned that the players Belichick brings to the UNC program should be ready to face tough challenges like never before.

“I think he’s going to do good,” said Patriots receiver Kendrick Bourne, who played under Belichick for his final three years in New England. “Bill does a good job of developing players, developing young men. I think it will be a challenge for the young man. He’s a tough coach, which we all know. But I think it will be good for certain players that have the right mindset.”

Bourne’s advice? Always stay mentally focused.

“Just stay tough,” Bourne said. “Have a gritty mindset because it’s not going to be easy, but in the end, it’s going to be worth it.”

While some questioned why UNC would hire Belichick after parting ways with 73-year-old Mack Brown this season, current Patriots coach Jerod Mayo believes that good coaching has no age limit.

“To me, it doesn’t matter if you’re a young man or a 10-year vet in the league, he’s a great teacher,” said Mayo, who played under Belichick for eight seasons, winning a Super Bowl during the 2014 season, and succeeded him as head coach after last season. “I wish him nothing but the best. It doesn’t really matter what level, I think he’ll be successful.”

NFL Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, who is new to the college game after coaching at Jackson State for three seasons before moving to Colorado in 2023, welcomed Belichick as a competitor.

“Coach Bill Belichick is a coaches coach to all us Coaches along with my man coach (Nick) Saban,” Sanders posted on X. “They’re game changers and they know how to move people forward. I know this is a great thing for College Football & for North Carolina. God bless u Coach, if you’re happy I am 2.”

But former Patriots defensive back Je’Rod Cherry wonders how Belichick’s old-school coaching methods will be received today, as hard coaching is not always accepted as it once was.

“You can’t coach hard anymore,” Cherry said on ESPN GameNight. “You can’t yell at guys, curse at guys and that’s what he does. You are going to have to find guys who are going to accept that brand of coaching and will accept someone constantly getting on them.”

New York Jets safety Jalen Mills, who played for Belichick with the Patriots from 2021 to 2023, said he was surprised by the move.

“I thought he definitely was going to try to wait it out until after the season and come back to the NFL,” Mills said. “But I think it’s gonna be a good thing for him because now you get a guy who has won and, of course, he’s going to try to turn that program around.

But he also gets to connect with the younger generation and kind of modify and adjust to this younger generation of football on top of what he already knows. So I think that’ll just help him as far as coaching. And then, of course, he’ll give those guys, those young guys, structure as far as what the NFL looks like, too.”

It’s still unclear how much Belichick’s coaching style will differ in college, but he suggested that it would be quite similar to his NFL approach.

Before agreeing to the UNC job, Belichick discussed his potential approach to coaching at the college level during an appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show” on ESPN.

“The program would be a pipeline to the NFL for the players that have the ability to play in the NFL,” Belichick said. “It would be a professional program — training, nutrition, scheme, coaching, techniques — that would transfer to the NFL. It would be an NFL program at a college level.”

New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick departed from his customary stance of avoiding contract discussions amidst ongoing speculation about his future within the organization. During his video conference on Monday to conclude the regular season, Belichick addressed the team’s “disappointing” 4-13 performance, emphasizing his contractual commitment and commitment to his daily work routine.

In his 24th season with the team, Belichick, known for keeping contract details private, revealed his intention to meet with team ownership, led by Robert Kraft. This forthcoming meeting aligns with a tradition of post-season discussions that have occurred in previous years.

When queried about the possibility of relinquishing personnel authority, Belichick expressed openness to decisions made collectively by the organization for the betterment of the football team. He highlighted his multifaceted roles and emphasized the collaborative nature of the decision-making process.

Regarding the status of his job, Belichick neither confirmed nor denied any indications from Kraft about potential changes. Drawing from a lesson learned from his father, he emphasized his dedication to the team and commitment to doing his best until instructed otherwise.

Despite the disappointing season, Belichick conveyed his deep investment in the Patriots organization. He maintained a business-as-usual demeanor on Monday, including a final meeting with players at 9 a.m. ET. Recognizing the need for improvement, he acknowledged the season’s shortcomings and outlined plans to initiate a thorough analysis and reconstruction process to address the issues and elevate the team back to its established standards and expectations.

During Sunday’s 27-17 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick revealed that the kicking footballs employed in the first half were “underinflated by 2 2½ pounds.” Belichick deferred to the NFL to investigate the reason for this discrepancy for both teams, emphasizing that the team had no influence over it.

“We don’t have anything to do with it. Were we aware of it? Yeah, definitely,” said Belichick. “As I understand it, they were all the same. I don’t know what the explanation is. It was the same for both teams. You’d have to talk to the league about what happened on that. That part of it, they control all that.”

The initial report on the underinflated kicking footballs came from MassLive.com. According to league regulations, kicking footballs should be between 12.5 and 13.5 pounds per square inch, with officials responsible for ensuring compliance leading up to the game.

Referee Shawn Hochuli’s crew officiated the Chiefs-Patriots game, and a spokesperson for the NFL declined to comment on the underinflated footballs.

Belichick highlighted the impact of the underinflated footballs on missed field goals and kickoffs in the first half, stating, “You could see” how it affected the game.

While Patriots players privately expressed disappointment about the issue, they acknowledged that it was the same for both teams. Rookie kicker Chad Ryland, enduring a challenging season, appeared visibly frustrated in the locker room after the game.

Kansas City’s Harrison Butker, who had a 39-yard miss, attributed it to technique rather than the air pressure in the football. He mentioned that officials informed him at halftime about the underinflation and described the process of pumping them up as “nothing new” and “kind of routine.”

Butker, in his seventh NFL season, noted that he couldn’t tell the footballs were underinflated during the game. He emphasized that variations in ball feel, even due to weather conditions, are not uncommon, and players adapt to such situations.

The article also recalled the previous controversy involving the New England Patriots in 2015 when they were fined $1 million, docked two draft picks, and quarterback Tom Brady was suspended for four games over improperly inflated footballs in the AFC Championship Game against the Indianapolis Colts. This incident led to the implementation of strict protocols by the NFL to ensure proper inflation of footballs used in games.

New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick evaded numerous inquiries regarding his job status on Wednesday, consistently offering the same response: “I’m preparing for Kansas City.” The struggling 3-10 Patriots are set to face the Chiefs on Sunday, a game that was rescheduled from ESPN’s “Monday Night Football” due to the team’s ongoing challenges.

Speculation surrounding Belichick’s future has intensified, partly due to owner Robert Kraft’s explicit expectations. In March, Kraft, who has been vocal about the importance of making the playoffs, emphasized the significance of a postseason appearance as the team entered its fourth season after Tom Brady’s departure in free agency.

The Patriots were officially eliminated from playoff contention after the Cincinnati Bengals defeated the Indianapolis Colts last Sunday, marking their earliest postseason exit since Belichick’s inaugural season in 2000. Additionally, the team has secured its third losing season in the four years since Brady joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as a free agent, with their last playoff victory occurring in Super Bowl LIII on Feb. 3, 2019.

While Kraft hasn’t addressed Belichick’s future publicly during the current season, he spoke broadly on ESPN’s “College GameDay” on Saturday, emphasizing the importance of assembling a team of good people with loyalty and character. Kraft expressed his happiness with the longevity of key individuals within the organization and acknowledged the desire to return to a winning trajectory.

Despite the challenging season, Kraft shared his relief after the team ended a five-game losing streak with a Dec. 7 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers during an interview with “Patriots All-Access.”

On Monday, NBC Sports Boston reported, based on anonymous sources, that the Patriots and Belichick would part ways after the 2023 season—a decision allegedly made following the team’s 10-6 loss to the Colts in Frankfurt, Germany, on Nov. 12. When confronted with questions about this report on Wednesday, Belichick maintained focus on the upcoming game against Kansas City.

Belichick’s tenure as head coach, spanning 24 years, is the NFL’s longest, and overall, it ranks as the fifth-longest by a head coach with one team. His six Super Bowl championships tie him with George Halas and Curly Lambeau, who are the only NFL coaches with six championships since postseason play began in 1933. With 332 total victories (regular season and playoffs), Belichick is second only to Don Shula (347) in all-time coaching wins.

In March, Kraft, when asked about Belichick’s coaching future, expressed a desire for him to break Shula’s record but emphasized the organization’s primary focus on winning rather than individual statistics.

In New England, the situation has deteriorated significantly, as the Patriots now find themselves at the bottom of the AFC standings. This downturn has naturally sparked discussions about Bill Belichick’s job security and his future with the organization. Additionally, the Patriots’ poor record has led some NFL insiders to speculate about the possibility of Belichick seeking employment elsewhere next season.

According to Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com, there is some “talk within certain league circles” suggesting that the Commanders might make a bid for Belichick in the upcoming offseason. While Florio cautions that this is not a confirmed report, it is an idea currently circulating in the league.

While the pairing of Belichick and the Commanders may appear unconventional, Florio explains that there is some rationale behind it. The Commanders indicated at the trade deadline that they are looking to start fresh under new owner Josh Harris, possibly resulting in changes among coaches and executives. Who better to lead the next chapter of Washington football than one of the greatest coaches in NFL history?

For the Patriots, such a move could help them avoid the complications and financial implications of either firing Belichick or parting ways by mutual agreement. Additionally, if Belichick is still under contract for the 2024 season, the Commanders would need to provide compensation to the Patriots. This extra draft capital could be valuable for a team that is lacking in future assets and is considering a significant rebuild.

Nonetheless, there are challenges associated with this potential pursuit, and neither side is likely to publicly acknowledge these rumors. Firstly, the Commanders must adhere to the Rooney Rule, necessitating proper interviews for head coach and GM candidates. The second challenge is Belichick’s contract, which may be subject to interpretation. If it indeed lasts only through the 2024 season, it could lead to a situation similar to how the Patriots handled Tom Brady’s departure.

Albert Breer of SI.com believes that Patriots owner Robert Kraft faces a difficult decision regarding Belichick’s future this offseason. If Belichick’s contract does extend through 2024, the organization is unlikely to let him enter the next season with a lame-duck status.

Florio also questioned the recent reports of Belichick’s contract extension, speculating whether they may have been leaked by the Patriots to signal that they will determine Belichick’s future destination.

Not long ago, the idea of Belichick being fired seemed far-fetched. Over his more than 23 years with the Patriots, he built two dynasty squads, won six Super Bowl rings, and climbed the all-time wins list for coaches. However, since Tom Brady’s departure, the team’s performance has declined. The Patriots went 7-9 in their first season without Brady, but they showed improvement with rookie Mac Jones in 2021, reaching the playoffs with a 10-7 record.

Nevertheless, in recent years, the team has taken significant steps backward. Despite last season’s 8-9 showing, the 2023 season has begun with a dismal 2-6 start, and Belichick has faced criticism for questionable coaching decisions, his handling of Jones and the quarterback position, and his recent subpar draft selections.

Bill Belichick’s future with the New England Patriots has been the subject of recent speculation, given the team’s challenging start to the season at 1-5 heading into Week 7. However, the 71-year-old head coach seems to be more secure in his position than initially believed, as he signed a lucrative multiyear contract extension with the Patriots during the offseason, as reported by NFL Media.

Belichick’s contractual details have always been shrouded in mystery. With no salary cap constraints for the coaching staff, the exact terms of his deal have remained undisclosed, although there has been widespread speculation that he is one of the highest-paid coaches in the league, if not the highest.

Bill Belichick has held the position of the Patriots’ head coach and de facto general manager since 2000. During his tenure, he has played a pivotal role in leading the franchise to all six of its Super Bowl championships and is credited with orchestrating one of the most dominant two-decade runs in NFL history. Belichick stands on the cusp of reaching his 300th regular-season victory, a milestone that would make him only the third head coach in history to achieve such a feat.

Nonetheless, the glow surrounding Belichick’s legacy has dimmed in recent seasons. The Patriots missed the playoffs in two of the last three years, and they are currently one of the league’s struggling teams with a 1-5 record. This represents the worst start to a season in Bill Belichick’s illustrious head-coaching career, characterized by a series of notably uncompetitive games, particularly during their ongoing three-game losing streak where they have been outscored by a combined 73 points.

With the Patriots’ lackluster start this season, calls for a change in head coach from the fanbase have grown louder. Multiple reports have suggested that Patriots owner Robert Kraft is contemplating the possibility of parting ways with Belichick if the team doesn’t turn its fortunes around this season. It is crucial to note that Bill Belichick signed the extension during the offseason, predating this season’s underwhelming performance and the reports of Kraft’s deliberation over Belichick’s future.

Head coaches’ salaries are typically fully guaranteed, meaning that if Kraft decides that the best course of action for the Patriots is to move on from Belichick, he would be obligated to fulfill the terms of the extension agreement reached between the two parties (barring a potential settlement).