The most successful coach in NFL history is surprisingly working with students in the future. Eleven months after leaving the New England Patriots, Bill Belichick agreed to a five-year deal with the University of North Carolina. After six Super Bowl victories as coach of quarterback star Tom Brady, the 72-year-old Belichick – subject to approval from the university committees – will now work with amateur athletes at college instead of with professionals in the National Football League.
“I look forward to this opportunity,” the university quoted Belichick as saying in a statement. “I grew up playing college football with my dad and cherish that time.” “I have always wanted to coach in college and am excited to build the football program at Chapel Hill,” he said. Belichick's father was an assistant coach at the same university from 1953 to 1955.
Athletic director Bubba Cunningham justified the decision for Belichick with the changed conditions in college sports. “These changes require new and innovative thinking,” he said. “Bill Belichick is a football legend.” In total, Belichick has eight Super Bowl victories, including two as an assistant coach.
Belichick has already announced professional training
Recently, after discussions with North Carolina became public, Belichick said clearly on a talk show how he would work at a college: “If I worked at a college, it would be a pipeline to the NFL for the players who have the skills have for the NFL. It would be like with the professionals: training, nutrition, style of play, handling, techniques would all work in the NFL too.
Belichick won 333 games in his NFL career, only Don Shula has more wins with 347. Belichick's 31 playoff wins are a record. But he is not the first coach to go to college after winning the Super Bowl. Bill Walsh won the Super Bowl three times with the San Francisco 49ers and then worked at Stanford from 1992 to 1994.
After Brady's departure, things didn't work out much for the Patriots
Belichick worked for the New England Patriots for 24 years and was responsible for a veritable football dynasty during this time. After Tom Brady said goodbye and moved to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Patriots were no longer able to maintain the level of previous years. After last season, the team and Belichick, who has since repeatedly been considered a coach for other NFL teams, parted ways. The fact that he changed colleges is a surprise.
