Former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick departed from the Patriots following the 2023 season. The coach had a potential plan to return to the game, in what was a unique situation. ESPN’s Seth Wickersham reported this.
Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton had an idea of Belichick stepping in as head coach long enough to surpass Don Shula’s win record. At the time, Belichick was only 15 wins away from breaking the record. The departure from the Patriots organization in 2024 ended a Patriots tenure that saw the coach compile a 333-178 record in 29 years as an NFL head coach.
Shula has 347 wins all-time, and there was potential for Belichick to add at least 15 more wins. Wickersham expanded on this in his report.
Patriots Legend Found Other Options For Career
Ultimately, things never came to fruition for Belichick. Instead, he served a variety of roles while looking for his next coaching job. He interviewed for the Atlanta Falcons head-coaching vacancy to start with, but did not land the role. Instead, he went into the media side of things, and was able to lend his talents in other areas.
This included helping with NFL draft coverage on the Pat McAfee Show. He also signed a deal with ESPN to be part of the main cast, hosted by Payton and Eli Manning. The legendary coach also joined the Inside the NFL panel, and hosted a podcast as well.
Patriots Legend Found Next Career Path
Following his foray into media, he eventually was able to land a coaching job with the North Carolina Tar Heels. He took the job in December 2024. The first season for Belichick was not a smooth one, as he encountered several pitfalls along the way. This began with a 48-14 primetime blowout loss to TCU, and set a record in the process. The 48 points were the most allowed by a Belichick-coached team. Although the Tar Heels were able to pick up Four Winds throughout the course of the season, the 4-8 finish was not exactly the solid start that many fans were hoping for.
The 2026 season will open against TCU once again, this time in Ireland. It will also give the Tar Heels a chance to right the ship. All things considered, it has not exactly been a picture-perfect start for the NFL coaching legend. With that being said, there is still time to turn things around.
One has to wonder what would’ve happened if spellcheck was able to take over the Broncos head-coaching job, if only in an interim role. Might have changed the trajectory of his coaching career permanently. As it stands right now, the coaching legend is still trying to find his footing in the collegiate ranks.
All things considered, it certainly worked out for the Broncos. They have since made in AFC Championship Game last year, and look to be steadying the ship under quarterback Bo Nix. Nevertheless, it’s fun to think about the scenarios, and imagine Belichick taking over for a high-profile coach with the stature that Payton has been able to accrue.
Patriots’ Bill Belichick Exit Almost Took an Unbelievable Turn