Bill Belichick is ready to make a stunning move into college football after accepting that he won’t land another NFL job anytime soon, DailyMail.com understands.
Almost a year since calling time on his legendary 24-year stint with the New England Patriots, Belichick held a shock interview with the University of North Carolina over their vacant head-coach position last week.
According to ESPN, talks between the two parties have continued this week, with a final decision expected to come over the next few days.
Belichick broke his silence on the links with UNC during an appearance on The Pat McAfee show Monday, claiming he is interested in the job because his father was a college coach who once spent three years with North Carolina.
However, a source close to the seven-time Super Bowl winner has told DailyMail.com that he is only venturing into the college ranks on a temporary basis amid fears he will be shut out from the NFL for another year.
‘Bill wants to coach again, and he wants to coach again in the NFL. The problem is that there aren’t many teams that want to offer him a job for one reason or another,’ the insider said.
Bill Belichick is set to move into college football due to a lack of opportunities in the NFL
‘That is why he is entertaining a temporary college job, as it might be another year before more teams in the NFL have an opportunity and open window to offer Belichick a job.’
Belichick is said to be 90 percent ready to accept the UNC job in the next week if he receives an offer in the region of $20million per year.
Belichick is believed to have identified five potential NFL landing spots since waving goodbye to the Patriots earlier this year; the Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Las Vegas Raiders, Cincinnati Bengals and Tennessee Titans.
In Dallas, though, he would be forced to work with the controversial Jerry Jones, which would prove somewhat of a marriage made in hell.
The Giants and the Bengals still have current head coaches Brian Daboll and Zac Taylor under contract for another year, while the Raiders are not expected to part company with Antonio Davis anytime soon.
And even if Davis was fired in Las Vegas, the recent arrival of Tom Brady as a co-owner – Belichick’s storied former quarterback in New England – would make that move an awkward one.
As for the Titans, they only signed Brian Callahan to a five-year contract at the start of 2024.
Belichick has never previously taken a job in college football, with his first position after graduating from Wesleyan University in 1975 coming with the Baltimore Colts.
Belichick, who left the Patriots in January, fears he may not land an NFL job for the next year
The 72-year-old is therefore set to agree terms with UNC, who recently fell to a 6-6 record
He then went on to take minor coaching roles with the Detroit Lions, Denver Broncos and New York Giants.
In New York, he was elevated to defensive coordinator and won a Super Bowl under head coach Bill Parcells before leaving for his first head coaching gig with the Cleveland Browns.
After getting fired by Cleveland in 1995, Belichick re-joined Parcells with the New England Patriots for one season.
He then jumped ship to the New York Jets for three seasons before returning to Foxborough in 2000 and starting arguably the greatest dynasty in the history of professional sports by leading the Patriots to six Super Bowls.