The take from Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio on former NFL coach Bill Belichick's potential move to the University of North Carolina makes one thing clear: control is the central theme.
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The narrative about Belichick has shifted from whether he can coexist in a structure where he's not the top dog to an assumption that he must have total control — especially if his next stop is in Chapel Hill.
Florio suggests the NFL's lack of interest in Belichick stems from two realities. First, bad teams are bad for a reason, often because of dysfunctional leadership. Belichick doesn't seem eager to clean up someone else's mess unless he's handed the broom and the keys to the whole house.
Second, whispers from Belichick's camp—like those taking aim at Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shad Khan's son for running analytics—don't exactly help his case. Owners aren't lining up to bring in a coach who might undermine their authority or sideline their chosen executives.
This makes UNC an intriguing, almost inevitable landing spot. A college program would give Belichick the latitude he craves to run things his way. It's also the perfect place to set up his son, Steve, as a future head coach, ensuring a continuation of the Belichick dynasty.
For someone like Belichick, whose success in New England was built on his ability to create and control a system, the chance to mold UNC into a professional-style operation holds undeniable appeal.
Florio frames this as a self-fulfilling prophecy: Belichick's calculated moves signal that the NFL might not be willing to gamble on his personality and demands.
Meanwhile, the UNC job provides a clean slate, a willing audience, and fewer people to challenge his authority. If Belichick wants control above all else, Chapel Hill might offer him just that—and maybe a little more.
