North Carolina football GM Bill Belichick says he’ll stay in school, says NFL can be too political.
North Carolina Tar Heels general manager of football Michael Lombardi has doubled down on Bill Belichick not wanting to leave the program for the NFL.
Weeks after Belichick decided to make the jump to the collegiate ranks for the first time in his career, he is reportedly interested in a handful of open NFL jobs. Belichick replaces Mack Brown as head coach at North Carolina after a decade with the New England Patriots.
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New North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Bill Belichick speaks to the media at the Loudermilk Center of Excellence. (Jim Dedmon-Images)
Lombardi, who joined Belichick on the show, has said several times that Belichick is not leaving the Tar Heels. He made the announcement again in an interview on OutKick’s on Monday “The Ricky Cobb Show.”
“I think one thing, whether you’re a fan of what Bill did in New England or a hater because you beat him in New England, the one thing we can all agree on is that Bill’s very smart.” he said. “Bill knows the landscape of the NFL better than most fans. And if Bill thought there was a job that would entice him, he wouldn’t have gone to North Carolina.”
“He wasn’t looking for a job. He wasn’t collecting unemployment. He wasn’t hoping someone would hire him. He knew there were bigger opportunities if he wanted to get into the NFL. And what we knew was the NFL. You’re answering to a lot of different people, there’s an agenda in the buildings.”
Lombardi used a line from one of the NFL’s greatest head coaches to explain why Belichick won’t be returning to the NFL.
New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick speaks to the media during a press conference at Gillette Stadium on January 11, 2024 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
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“Bill Walsh said, ‘In 1984, when there were 28 teams in the National Football League, you know, we’re only competing against eight teams here.’ “And I think that’s why the Bills ended up in North Carolina. Not all teams are built to win.
“Not every team is chasing a Super Bowl. Not every team wants to do that. They want to win their way, not the right way. I think that’s why North Carolina is so appealing to him. Because we can build a program here. The right way.”
Belichick’s girlfriend, Jordan Hudson, said the 72-year-old head coach will remain in Carolina Blue.
“Pictured: two guys committed to @uncfootball,” she wrote as a caption on the Instagram photo.
New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick before the game against the Atlanta Falcons at NRG Stadium. (Simon Brutti/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)
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Belichick has been on the recruiting trail in recent weeks and acquired a top defensive transfer earlier this month.
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