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New England Patriots legendary head coach Bill Belichick is once again being accused of underhanded activity. This time it is surrounding his alleged role in the Bret Bielema-University of Arkansas (Razorback Foundation) contract dispute.
For those who have not been following, Bielema, now a defensive assistant with the Giants, is in a dispute over a $12 million dollar buyout from his former employer, the University of Arkansas, where he served as head coach from 2013 through 2017. He was dismissed in a controversial manner but the matter of the buyout remained in the balance.
In an article by the the New York Post, it states that Bielema was contractually obligated to “make reasonable efforts to find employment that would mitigate or offset” the remaining buyout money owed to the coach.”
Bielema then found employment as a consultant and assistant to Belichick in New England in 2018 and 2019 at a salary of $125,000, “which was less than the minimum number to trigger a buyout reduction.” His salary with the Giants is not publicly known.
The Razorback Foundation claims Belichick conspired with Bielema — the coaches share an agent, Neil Cornrich — to ensure the latter received a low enough salary to ensure the full buyout amount, alleging Bielema made no effort to find a better paying job elsewhere. In Jan. 2019, the Foundation ceased the payment to Bielema, who was still owed $7 million. Bielema filed suit this June, with the Foundation filing a countersuit.
The case has some merit. Bielema appears to be head coaching material and could easily find more gainful employment as head man in college or potentially even in professional ranks. But then again, that is strictly speculation.
Before his tenure at Arkansas, Bielema was the head coach at Wisconsin for seven seasons, leading the Badgers to three consecutive Big Ten titles from 2010-2012 and was named Big Ten Coach of the Year in 2006.
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