Tuesday’s PFT Live draft focused on the most intriguing names in the freshly-spinning coaching carousel. While coming up with ideas, I kept coming back to one name.
Bill Belichick.
Yes, he’s the newly-minted North Carolina coach. Sure, he said he didn’t go there to leave. But his contract gives him a path out of Chapel Hill. Through June 1, 2025, it’s $10 million. After that, it’s $1 million.
For an NFL owner, $10 million is peanuts. It’s several weeks of superyacht staffing and maintenance. If someone wants Belichick, $10 million is no obstacle.
Because Belichick isn’t part of any NFL team, there won’t be the same paper trail that there is for assistant coaches. Teams can talk to him discreetly. And Belichick, who is currently recruiting Tar Heels, would insist on secrecy from any NFL team he talks to.
Of course, he apparently explored all options before he took the UNC job. When the Bucs were struggling, Belichick consigliere Mike Lombardi floated the phony rumor that coach Todd Bowles was thinking about retirement. If they lose badly to the Commanders in the wild-card round, could that change?
The more likely play at this point would be to pivot to offensive coordinator Liam Coen, who could end up getting a head-coaching job elsewhere. Still, the Belichick buyout wouldn’t be an impediment if someone really wants him.
For now, we’re more interested in whether someone will talk to him than whether he’d leave. Next year, when he can be had for the Club Oligarch equivalent of a parking ticket, it will be very interesting to see if his name comes up.
