Bill Belichick vows in North Carolina debut: 'I didn't come here to leave'

Bill Belichick put to bed any chatter about his using North Carolina as a launching pad to get back into the NFL.

Bill Belichick says he isn't using the North Carolina job as a way to get back into the NFL. / David Butler II-Imagn Images

Soon after North Carolina announced hiring Bill Belichick as head coach, there was some speculation that he was using the school as a way to get back into the NFL, but Belichick put those rumors to bed in his first public comments.

“I didn’t come here to leave,” Belichick said at his introductory press conference, followed by some applause from those in the room.

But it does remain a credible question. Belichick has never coached at the collegiate level, will turn 73 before next season, and would still be a high-profile target for any NFL vacancy.

“I always wanted to coach in college football, but it never really worked out,” Belichick said.

“I did some good years in the NFL, and that went okay, but this is really kind of a dream come true.”

Good and okay are definitely understatements when describing Belichick’s career in the NFL.

He left the league as one of three coaches in history with more than 300 career victories, joining Don Shula and George Halas, and won six Super Bowl championships with the Patriots.

But things turned sour after quarterback Tom Brady’s departure from the organization, as Belichick went 29-38 in the three seasons following, and was 4-13 in the 2023 season.

He left the Patriots after that year and didn’t take any head coaching positions in the NFL.

More ... Bill Belichick contract details at North Carolina

Belichick said his love of coaching was what inspired him to take the chance on North Carolina.

“Beats working,” he said.

“When you love what you do, it’s not work. I love what I do. I love coaching. I love the interaction with the players, the building a team, working, the assistants, game planning, the games itself.”

North Carolina, and working at the collegiate level generally, will be a challenge for Belichick.

The school is coming off a 6-6 season and just parted ways with its winningest-ever head coach in Mack Brown, while more than two dozen players are about to leave, either as seniors or transfers.

Now it’s up to Bill Belichick to right the ship, and potentially change college football in the process.

More ... College football's 10 highest-paid coaches after Bill Belichick hiring

-

More college football from SI: Top 25 Rankings | Schedule | Teams

Follow College Football HQ: Bookmark | Rankings | Picks