Bill Belichick said he “didn’t come here to leave” when he chose to take over the North Carolina head coaching job before the 2025 season. The contract his agent procured for him begs to differ.
Belichick has been working in media since he was, at least per Seth Wickersham of ESPN, fired by the New England Patriots in January. Belichick interviewed for the Atlanta Falcons job in the 2024 offseason, but the Falcons went in another and younger direction, hiring Raheem Morris.
Bill Belichick wanted another NFL job
Belichick and a group of his former assistants scoped potential NFL destinations for 2025 and decided the Chicken Bears were the most attractive destination for the 72-year-old coach. One problem: they concluded the Bears would go for an offensive-minded hire. With Belichick not thinking an NFL job was in the cards for next season, he took a job with North Carolina.
Belichick signed a five-year deal with the Tar Heels, but, really, it’s a weak contract to make the school incapable of keeping their head coach if he wants to leave after one season.
And he might want to leave.
With 302 wins, Belichick is 16 wins behind George Halas for the second-most wins all time as an NFL head coach. He’s 26 wins behind Don Shula’s 328 wins, the most ever by a head coach.
Oh, by the way, Andy Reid is catching up to Belichick quickly with 270 wins, which puts the Kansas City Chiefs head coach at No. 4.
North Carolina football gave Belichick a cheap buyout after June
Per Brad Crawford of 247 Sports, Belichick’s buyout is currently at $10 million. However, that number drops to $1 million on June 1, 2025.
“Bill Belichick’s buyout at UNC drops from $10M to $1M after June 1, 2025,” Crawford wrote. “I read it again to make sure. He could leave for an NFL job at minimal cost before he evens coaches his first game with the Tar Heels.”
Bill Belichick's buyout at UNC drops from $10M to $1M after June 1, 2025.
I read it again to make sure.
He could leave for an NFL job at minimal cost before he evens coaches his first game with the Tar Heels.
— Brad Crawford (@BCrawford247) December 12, 2024
A $10 million buyout might stop teams like the Bears or Dallas Cowboys from hiring Belichick this offseason. However, $1 million wouldn’t stop an NFL team from hiring him before the 2026 season. If Belichick has a successful season with the Tar Heels in 2025, he could be back in the NFL sooner rather than later.
Belichick and North Carolina sold the hire as a long-term proposition, but the contract doesn’t read that way. Belichick’s agent gave the six-time Super Bowl-winning head coach an easy way out for a reason.
As Chris Vannini of The Athletic notes, Belichick’s contract is rather unusual for a college coach.
“Never seen a college coaching contract like this, Vannini wrote. “It basically is a three-year deal, without a clear explanation on who picks up the option on an extra two years.”
Will Belichick make it to year three?
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