Former New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick is currently the head coach of the North Carolina Tar Heels. After parting ways with the Patriots following the 2023 season, Belichick couldn’t land an NFL coaching job. He did, however, find plenty of media gigs before turning to the college ranks.
However, that doesn’t mean his NFL days are over, and one analyst predicts he could be returning to coaching the pros this season.
Bill Belichick Projected To Return to NFL Coaching in 2025
Belichick’s coaching career started as a special assistant for the Baltimore Colts in 1975. After working with several teams over the next two decades, his golden period started with the New England Patriots in 2000, leading them to a staggering six Super Bowl trophies before splitting in 2023.
Belichick was jobless for a year after failed attempts to sign a new deal and decided to give college coaching a shot. The 72-year-old signed a five-year contract with the Tar Heels, but there is a catch — his buyout clause.
If he leaves before June 1, he owes the school $10 million, but after that, it drops to just $1 million. That kind of flexibility makes it easy to wonder if he’s keeping his options open for an NFL return in 2025.
NFL reporter Eric Williams predicts he will return indeed, and the Dallas Cowboys or Carolina Panthers could be among the teams interested in him.
“Spurned by NFL teams, the greatest coach in league history is now a college coach, leading the North Carolina Tar Heels. But his buyout after June 1 is just $1 million, more than manageable for any NFL owner who wants to bring Belichick back into the NFL after one season.
“Teams with impulsive owners like the Dallas Cowboys or Carolina Panthers could be willing to take a flyer on Belichick, who won six Super Bowls with the New England Patriots. The 72-year-old Belichick is supremely motivated to prove he still has gas left in the tank: He remains 14 wins behind Don Shula’s record for the most victories in NFL history (including postseason).”
While Belichick has been grinding on the recruiting trail, locking down 21 transfers for the Tar Heels, the ACC’s financial struggles could also push him back to the pros. Conferences like the Big Ten and SEC are throwing around massive media rights deals, but UNC and its fellow ACC programs are out in the cold.
If a top-tier NFL job opens up, it wouldn’t be shocking to see Belichick trade in his Tar Heel blue for another shot at Super Bowl glory. For now, Belichick is adamant about his commitment to UNC and insists he’s focused on leading UNC into their season opener against TCU on Sept. 1.