Former NFL center Jeff Saturday is excited about the rumors of Bill Belichick potentially becoming the newest head coach of his alma mater, the North Carolina Tar Heels. While appearing on the popular ESPN show “Get Up,” Saturday detailed how the speculation was an indictment of the Tar Heels program’s state and confirmed that he heard that the rumors were indeed true.
Saturday had a storied NFL career, most notably known for his time with Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts. From 1999-2011, Saturday represented the Colts and was a two-time first-team All-Pro (2005, 2007) and a Super Bowl champion (2006).
What Did Jeff Saturday Say About Bill Belichick?
On “Get Up,” Saturday detailed how though he would support whoever became the next coach of his former program, he was excited about the possibility of Belichick potentially taking the reigns.
“Whoever they hire, I will support 100%. I am fired up that we have people the caliber of Bill Belichick interested in our job. And it is real,” Saturday stated.
He further added how Belichick’s résumé alone could be critical in strong recruiting for the program, a component that most college coaches do not have to the same degree.
.@Foxworth24 and @SaturdayJeff weigh in on the potential fit of Bill Belichick coaching at UNC 🐏 pic.twitter.com/7QaFo64XJ4
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) December 10, 2024
What Are the Latest Belichick and UNC Rumors?
At the time of this writing, nothing has been definitively confirmed one way or another if Belichick will become the next head coach at North Carolina. However, recent reports surfaced earlier this week that Belichick was looking into a position in the college ranks partially because he was surprised at the lack of interest from the NFL.
Bill Belichick is "very surprised" he has yet to hear from NFL teams about 2025, which is one of the reasons he's exploring college football. https://t.co/dmN5xrQTtv
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) December 9, 2024
However, while appearing on the popular Pat McAfee Show, Belichick confirmed that he had been in contact with the University of North Carolina and will have to wait and see what follows from it.
“I’ve had a couple good conversations with Chancellor Roberts and we’ll see how it goes,” Belichick explained.
“It seems like College Football is more like pro football right now..
I grew up around College Football & I’ve had a chance this year to take a longer look at it..
I’ve had a couple good conversations with Chancellor Roberts & we’ll see how it goes”
Bill Belichick #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/DA40eXqL7i
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) December 9, 2024
Belichick seems genuinely interested in the possibility of becoming the next Tar Heels head coach. However, his comments do further highlight how nothing is official at the current time and there is still a long way to go before the former New England Patriots HC returns to football in any capacity.