Bill Belichick has done just about everything a football coach can do at the professional level: Eight Super Bowl rings, 333 career regular-season and postseason victories, and building the New England Patriots dynasty.
However, following his surprising departure from the Patriots following the 2023 season, Belichick ultimately didn’t land another NFL job. Instead, his landing spot was a source of considerable surprise and debate.
Stephen A. Smith Defends Belichick’s Legacy
When news broke on December 11, 2024, that the legendary coach would be taking over the University of North Carolina football program, critics immediately questioned why the NFL had passed him by. ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith wasted no time firing back at Belichick’s doubters, offering a blunt explanation for why the greatest coach of his era is now on the college sidelines.
During a passionate segment on First Take, Smith dismissed the idea that Belichick’s absence from the NFL sidelines was due to diminished ability. Instead, he argued, the hiring market was more about perception and power than performance.
“You’re trying to tell me that Bill Belichick didn’t deserve a head coaching job when he departed from New England?” Smith said. “They didn’t want to hire him because you’ve got some young bloods that want to put their own fingerprints on stuff. How are you going to feel comfortable coming to work every day trying to tell this man what to do? You’re in no position to tell him what to do about football.”
Smith emphasized that Belichick has “forgotten more football than most executives in the National Football League even know.” In his eyes, the move to UNC wasn’t about a lack of coaching acumen, it was about NFL front offices not wanting to be overshadowed by a man whose resume eclipses everyone else in the business.
A Historic Coaching Resume
Belichick’s career speaks for itself. A three-time AP NFL Coach of the Year (2003, 2007, 2010), he owns a .652 career winning percentage and is just 15 victories away from surpassing the all-time wins record held by former Colts and Dolphins head coach Don Shula. Belichick is also the winningest coach in NFL postseason history with 31 playoff victories.
His resume includes two Super Bowl wins as the New York Giants’ defensive coordinator under Bill Parcells and six more as head coach of the Patriots. Across his 24 seasons in New England, Belichick’s teams won 17 AFC East titles, appeared in 13 AFC Championship Games, and played in nine Super Bowls, an unprecedented run in modern football.
Football season is almost here.
Which Bill Belichick matches how excited you are? 🏈🐏 pic.twitter.com/EYE5mSEDhe
— Great Day Tar Heel (@GreatDayTarHeel) August 27, 2025
“Once upon a time we used to say Lombardi and stop,” Smith said. “Then we got caught up in the Chuck Nolls and the Bill Walshes of the world, and then Bill Belichick came along and eclipsed everybody. We’ve got to stop this and show this man respect.”
According to Smith, Belichick’s arrival at North Carolina isn’t a demotion, it’s simply the next chapter in a legendary career. The NFL may have balked at hiring him due to egos and shifting philosophies, but that doesn’t diminish his greatness.
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“To do otherwise is to disrespect not just him, but the game,” Smith concluded. “If we’re judging him strictly on football, there is nothing to talk about against him as a coach. Absolutely nothing.”
For UNC, landing Belichick represents a once-in-a-lifetime hire. For Belichick, it’s a chance to prove, once again, that no matter the stage, he remains one of the greatest minds football has ever seen.
