New Reports Add Intrigue To Bill Belichick’s College Coach Pursuit

It seemed strange for New England Patriots fans to see Bill Belichick linked with a college football job, but it isn’t that farfetched.

Belichick reportedly had two interviews with North Carolina after the Tar Heels fired Mack Brown. It seemed strange for athletic director Bubba Cunningham to fire 73-year-old Brown only to turn to 72-year-old Belichick, but the name appeal and desire to turn around the UNC program might have been a motivating factor.

Multiple reports indicated that Belichick’s reported interviews were more for show. The future Hall of Fame head coach simply wanted to show that he still has an interest in coaching, and his only desire is to break Don Shula’s NFL record.

However, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer and Pat Forde reported Thursday that Belichick has a “genuine interest” in the college game. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported a similar feeling on “SportsCenter” on Saturday noting that Belichick desires to mold young minds. Longtime colleague Michael Lombardi noted on “The Lombardi Line” on Friday how the college game is similar to the NFL due to NIL and how Belichick allegedly doesn’t care about Shula’s record. His main desire is to coach again and win championships.

There obviously has to be some interest from Belichick if he’s reportedly taking more than one interview. However, it’s also possible the former Patriots head coach’s camp is trying to drive up interest in the eight-time Super Bowl champion as the original reporting of the UNC job claimed.

Steve Belichick also is an added factor as Fowler added that Washington is on alert over possibly losing its defensive coordinator. Bill Belichick also reportedly is trying to angle his son into becoming the next Tar Heels head coach.

It’s unknown how much the NFL still has interest in Belichick, so a college job would be a good backup plan. But with the flurry of mixed rumors, it’s clear there will be a frenzy to figure out the legendary head coach’s next steps.