Former Patriots Star Not Happy With Bill Belichick's College Move
12/15/2024 02:01 PM
One of Bill Belichick's former New England Patriots players is just as befuddled as many fans about the head coach moving to college football.
As he wraps up his first season away from an NFL sideline in 50 years, Belichick surprisingly accepted North Carolina's coaching vacancy on Wednesday. The six-time Super Bowl champion will assume an ACC program that went 6-6 this year rather than pursue a new NFL job this offseason.
Tedy Bruschi doesn't understand how this could transpire. The former linebacker, who won three championships in nine seasons with Belichick's Patriots, wondered about the bizarre pairing on ESPN's Sunday NFL Countdown.
"What are we doing here with Bill Belichick going to coach North Carolina?" Bruschi asked (h/t Awful Announcing). "I mean, college football — there's only one bowl game I want to see Bill Belichick coaching, and that's the Super Bowl, OK? I don't want to see him coaching some Lawnmower Bowl in December or January."
Belichick reportedly received little interest from NFL organizations before pivoting to college. Having spent many Sunday mornings dissecting subpar coaching, Bruschi couldn't figure out why the league "just let the best go."
"I don't know how there wouldn't be any interest as to where you bring a Belichick in, and he makes you immediately relevant and well-coached by who he is," Bruschi added. "Would he make one of these teams that needed a head coach this year an immediate contender? I mean, yes. He would. He is that good."
Bruschi doesn't know if Belichick would launch another dynasty, but the ESPN analyst believes anyone who hired the 72-year-old would "be competent from the get-go."
"I can't believe that Bill Belichick won't be in the NFL next year, and that was my initial reaction ... I don't know how this happened."
For Bruschi's sake, let's hope UNC doesn't make the college football bowl game sponsored by Bad Boy Mowers next season. Then again, any bowl victory would represent progress for the Tar Heels, who have won just one in the last decade.
Fittingly enough given its new hire, UNC will play in Boston for the Fenway Bowl on Dec. 28.
Related: NFL Insider Has Telling Reason Why Bill Belichick Took UNC Job
