Could Bill Belchick's tenure as North Carolina football coach be over before it really begins?
That's exactly what people in Chapel Hill are starting to worry about, based on the staff Belichick has hired so far and the staff he hasn't hired since taking over a month ago. Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk says:
So far, the six-time Super Bowl champion has hired former Browns coach Freddie Kitchens as his offensive coordinator and his son Steve Belichick as his defensive coordinator.
They also hired general manager Mike Lombardi's son Matt as an offensive assistant, former CFL coach Chris Jones as a defensive assistant and Billy Miller as a general position assistant.
Belichick named Moses Cabrera his strength and conditioning coach after working together with the Patriots.
That certainly seems light considering the reported $10 million payroll and numerous position coaching vacancies.
Visibly missing are branches of Belichick's coaching tree like Matt Patricia and Joe Judge, former Lions and Giants head coaches, respectively.
The situation is “concerning people” at the University of North Carolina, according to Florio State, including the athletic director and ACC president, as Belichick waits to see if an offer to return to the NFL comes along late in the game. He is concerned that this may be the case. So far, the 72-year-old has received interest, Florio said.
If that happens, Belichick's contract, which includes a $10 million buyout, would actually drop to the second-year minimum of $1 million.
All of this leads to a situation where his tenure with the Tar Heels could be cut short as he approaches Don Shula's all-time NFL wins record.
NFL Network reported last week that the Raiders and new part-owner Tom Brady “recently” discussed Belichick potentially returning to coach in Las Vegas. But it cooled down quickly.
The Dallas job comes after Cowboys owners Jerry Jones and Mike McCarthy decided to part ways on Monday.
For now, Belichick plans to acquire star college defensive lineman Price Yates as a transfer to embark on his first collegiate season.
