Several candidates have quickly emerged as names to watch after the New York Giants decided to fire head coach Brian Daboll on Monday following their Week 10 loss. However, perhaps the most intriguing name, eight-time Super Bowl champion Bill Belichick, doesn’t seem too focused on the new NFL opening at this point.
Belichick shocked everyone by opting to take a collegiate head coaching job at the University of North Carolina this past December.
While his tenure in Chapel Hill has certainly had its bumps, Belichick finally seems to have gotten the Tar Heels on the right track with back-to-back wins.
Belichick has ties to the Giants organization as an assistant coach for over a decade, which is likely why he emerged as a candidate in the first place following Daboll’s firing.
Naturally, Belichick was asked about the potential of returning to New York to coach the Giants on Tuesday when speaking with reporters. While Belichick didn’t outright deny interest in the job, he stated that his lone focus at the moment is UNC’s upcoming game against Wake Forest.
“Getting ready for Wake Forest, that's all I got this week," Belichick said. "I've been asked about [an NFL return] from time to time. Look, I've been down this road before. I'm focused on Wake Forest, that's it. That's my commitment to this team. Next week it'll be to our next opponent and so forth. I'm here to do the best I can for this team.”
Belichick’s tenure in North Carolina to this point has certainly been tumultuous on and off the field. So it doesn’t seem entirely out of the question that he would have an interest in going back to coaching in the NFL after this college football season.
That being said, to this point, both Belichick and the University of North Carolina have publicly asserted that they are committed to their partnership long term.
Chances are, this likely won’t be the last time that Belichick is asked about an NFL coaching job as we approach the end of the college football season, whether it be with the Giants or other openings that emerge around the league. So it will certainly be interesting to see whether his interest levels change once his first season with the Tar Heels comes to an end.
For more on the NCAA, head to Newsweek Sports.
2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.