Bill Belichick said he “didn’t come here to walk away” when he was introduced to North Carolina, but his contract certainly gives him the ability to do so.
Hours after the legendary New England Patriots coach was introduced as the Tar Heels’ next head coach, details of his contract began to leak, and there’s one that could be very interesting to NFL owners.
Via Chris Vannini of The Athletics , Belichick’s contract includes a $10 million buyout until June 1, 2025, when it drops to $1 million, a number essentially any NFL team is willing to pay if they want to hire him. The milestone date comes nearly three months before Belichick’s debut at Kenan Memorial Stadium in Chapel Hill.
June 1 is well after the NFL coaching cycle usually ends, so UNC likely won’t have to worry too much about losing its big hire even before his debut if a team doesn’t lose its coach to unforeseen circumstances during the summer. Still, the minus buyout is more of a sign that he’s not ruling out a return to the NFL than what he said at Thursday’s press conference.
The big question, of course, is whether any NFL team wants him. The answer was “no” last cycle, though that question was really only posed to the Atlanta Falcons, the only team that interviewed him this past offseason.
Belichick has a better NFL resume than any coach in existence, but he will enter the 2025 season at age 73, four years removed from his last winning season and seven years removed from his last Super Bowl title. Also, Tom Brady isn’t walking through that door with him.
As for the rest of Belichick’s contract, it’s technically a five-year deal that pays the coach $10 million annually, but the fourth and fifth years aren’t guaranteed. It also includes a $3.5 million annual bonus for certain win totals and College Football Playoff finishes.
UNC will reportedly pay $13 million to players through revenue sharing, along with a $10 million salary pool for assistant coaches. If Belichick makes the jump to the NFL, it won’t be because of the Tar Heels’ lack of investment relevant to their peers.
