Bill Belichick has dealt with NFL speculation during his time in Chapel Hill. Given his resume with six Super Bowl titles and decades of dominance, the rumors never fully disappeared. With the NFL regular season ending and coaching vacancies opening across the league, that talk has resurfaced once again.
Belichick, however, says nothing has changed.
During an interview with Jim Gray on SiriusXM, Belichick made it clear he is staying put.
“Nothing’s changed,” Belichick said. “I’m where I was a month ago. I’m here at North Carolina. We’re building a good program and I’m excited about the direction we’re headed in.”
The persistent speculation stems from Belichick’s buyout, which dropped from $10 million to $1 million this past June. With many teams needing a solid option, his name might be a short-term fix.
However, Belichick dismissed any notion of an NFL return, despite owning a 302-165 regular-season record and a 31-13 postseason mark as head coach of the New England Patriots.
Belichick took over the North Carolina Tar Heels ahead of the 2025 season, which ended at 4-8 overall and 2-6 in ACC play. The program has since made notable changes, including hiring Bobby Petrino as offensive coordinator.
Expectations will rise sharply in Year 2. North Carolina’s need to aggressively upgrade its offense through the transfer portal will be a big key.
More college football news:
- Oregon's Dan Lanning rips College Football Playoff, calls for major changes
- Deion Sanders buyout, contract details as Colorado Buffaloes coach
- Top 2026 NFL Draft prospect suffers broken rib in CFP quarterfinal loss
- ESPN's grade for LSU hiring Lane Kiffin will make Ole Miss fans even more mad
- Dabo Swinney fires Clemson coaches immediately after loss to Penn State
- Ohio State's Ryan Day faces backlash after Cotton Bowl