North Carolina head coach Bill Belichick could be a candidate for the head coaching job of a recently opened AFC team.
Earlier this month, North Carolina head coach Bill Belichick claimed he was happy with his job at Chapel Hill, but didn't outright say he wouldn't consider taking an NFL job in this hiring cycle.
“Yeah, nothing's changed," Belichick said on the "Let's Go!" podcast. "Yeah, I'm where I was a month ago. I'm here in North Carolina. I really appreciate the love and support that we've gotten from the community down here, from the school... We're building a good program.
"I'm excited about the direction we're headed in.”
Premium AFC jobs have opened up this offseason, including the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens. Belichick hasn't been tied to those teams, but an even better job could get his attention after the Buffalo Bills fired Sean McDermott on Monday.
During a Monday segment on ESPN's "Get Up," former Bills head coach Rex Ryan suggested Belichick should replace McDermott, and Buffalo should have considered doing so at an earlier date.
“I thought this could have happened three years ago, and everybody looked at me like I had three heads of the guy that I thought they would … try to make a move for was actually Bill Belichick,” Ryan said, via a transcription from On3. “
"And if you want to bring in Brian Daboll, bring him back as the offense coordinator, with Belichick as the head coach, I’m telling you. ‘Oh, you’re crazy.’ We’ll see how crazy I am."
Ryan thinks Belichick can succeed in Buffalo because the team is set at quarterback with Josh Allen. The main problem for the Bills in the postseason has been a defense that surrenders 30-plus points per game. Belichick could fix that.
The idea is intriguing for the Bills and Belichick because they could witness the New England Patriots return to the Super Bowl in February if they beat the Denver Broncos (set to start quarterback Jarrett Stidham after Bo Nix’s season-ending ankle injury) on Sunday.
The Bills-Patriots rivalry would mean even more if Belichick returns, and those two teams would likely be fighting for AFC championships in the near future.
If that happens, North Carolina would be screwed over for 2026. While the Tar Heels went 4-8 last season, Belichick has improved the roster in recruiting this offseason.
UNC should be competitive in the ACC next season--if he's on the sideline.