We’ve seen it plenty of times before in college football: head coaches succeed at one destination, only for struggling programs to steal them away.
The Miami Dolphins hired Nick Saban away from LSU after the 2004 college football season, Missouri hired Eli Drinkwitz from App State and Texas A&M hired Mike Elko after he turned Duke around.
At his introductory press conference on Thursday afternoon, new UNC head football coach Bill Belichick says he came to Chapel Hill for one reason: to stay.
“I didn’t come here to leave,” Belichick said, much to the approval of the Tar Heel faithful, who applauded their new football coach immediately after his quote.
There are rumors that if Belichick finds immediate success at North Carolina, he leaves for an NFL job. Belichick spent 24 years coaching the New England Patriots – and finding prolonged success, helping them to six Super Bowl Titles and several more AFC East Championships.
"I didn't come here to leave." 🔥👀
– Bill Belichick on what he would say to people who fear, if he does succeed at @UNCFootball, he'd leave for the NFL again pic.twitter.com/mLFwzdWLcz
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) December 12, 2024
Belichick is college football’s oldest head coach at 72, but he could coach any football team if he wanted. The Atlanta Falcons looked at Belichick ahead of the current NFL season, but decided upon their former assistant head coach.
UNC signed Belichick to $30 million guaranteed over three years, but UNC can choose to add two more years. The Tar Heels are eager to turn their football program into a consistent winning one, so hearing that Belichick is here to stay helped many breathe a huge sigh of relief.
Can we just fast-forward to the 2025 football season already? I’m ready to see Belichick roaming the Kenan Stadium sidelines in his signature, sleeveless hoodies.
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