Insider Drops Bomb on Patriots' Bill Belichick, UNC Talks

New England Patriots legend Bill Belichick is in talks with the North Carolina Tar Heels, and the twists and turns keep getting more and more interesting.

Jan 13, 2019; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick watches the game against the Los Angeles Chargers during the first quarter in an AFC Divisional playoff football game at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-Imagn Images / Winslow Townson-Imagn Images

Former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick has interviewed for the North Carolina Tar Heels job, which came out of left field, to say the least.

Many are wondering if Belichick is really that interested in North Carolina's head-coaching vacancy, and the hesitance to believe so is understandable.

After all, why would a six-time Super Bowl champion coach an ACC school with a very limited football history?

Well, a new wrinkle may have just been unearthed.

Former NFL scout Ollie Connolly has revealed that Belichick's potential deal with the Tar Heels includes a guarantee that his son, Stephen, will take over as North Carolina coach at some point.

"Per sources, I’m told Bill Belichick’s negotiations with North Carolina include a guarantee that Stephen Belichick will be named the school’s head coach in waiting," Connolly posted on X. "UNC is open to that guarantee. Discussions are not a bid to gain leverage for NFL offers and BB is open to the move."

Connolly added that Belichick's prefers to return to the NFL, but that he may have a difficult time landing a job in the current landscape.

"Moving to college with a guarantee for his son will overrule waiting on the NFL carousel," Connolly wrote.

Now this is certainly an interesting development.

Stephen Belichick is currently serving as defensive coordinator of the Washington Huskies. He had previously served as a defensive assistant under his father with the Patriots from 2012 through 2023.

It seems unlikely that Stephen would be able to land a head-coaching job at a major school, so getting a start at North Carolina definitely sounds like a realistic proposition.

One thing is for sure: Bill Belichick's sudden interest in North Carolina is one of the wilder storylines to come out of the 2024 NFL season.

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