NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported multiple teams “have inquired” into potentially hiring six-time Super Bowl winning head coach Bill Belichick. Among those suitors is the Las Vegas Raiders minority owner Tom Brady.
Pelissero added in his report Wednesday that Brady “spoke recently with his old coach about what it would take to make a reunion happen in Las Vegas.”
But Thursday, North Carolina football general manager Mike Lombardi shut down any idea of Belichick leaving the Tar Heels.
Tom Brady Searching for Raiders Coaching Candidates
“Completely committed. 1000% committed,” said Lombardi during an appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show.”
“Guys that do the insider stuff for the NFL, they’ve got to put stories out there. That one was a complete falsehood,” Lombardi continued.
Multiple NFL teams have inquired about whether legendary coach Bill Belichick would reconsider his move to college football – including the Raiders, whose new minority owner Tom Brady spoke recently with his old coach, per league sources. https://t.co/MoyG87epRv
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) January 8, 2025
Brady and Belichick won six Super Bowls together with the New England Patriots.
Less than an hour after Lombardi threw cold water on a potential Belichick return to the NFL next season, the Raiders announced firing general manager Tom Telesco. That move only fueled speculation that Brady is clearing a path for his former coach to land in Vegas.
Lombardi admitted to McAfee that Brady and Belichick have talked. But he suggested those conversations have been more about Belichick giving Brady council in his search for the Raiders’ next head coach.
Lombardi also argued pundits shouldn’t “assume” Brady wants Belichick to be the next Raiders head coach.
The Raiders are set to interview head coaching candidates for the second straight offseason. Antonio Pierce initially served as interim head coach for Las Vegas to end the 2023 campaign.
On Jan. 19, 2024, the Raiders officially named Pierce their head coach. But the team fired him at the conclusion of this past season.
Pierce finished his Raiders tenure with a 9-17 record.
Bill Belichick Set To Begin Tenure With North Carolina
After 24 seasons with the New England Patriots, Belichick surprisingly didn’t land an NFL head coach job last year.
Then even more surprisingly, he elected to take a college head coaching job with the Tar Heels. Belichick agreed to a five-year contract with North Carolina on Dec. 11.
Lombardi stressed that Belichick is focused on his new job, not NFL job openings.
“Coach Belichick, when that story came out, was recruiting South Jersey. Today, he was at Bergen Catholic — one of the teams we watched at Ocean City,” Lombardi told McAfee. “He’s gone to the Hunt School to recruit kids from Princeton. That story just had no legs.
“Bill Belichick is committed to North Carolina. He’s committed to me, he’s committed to the university. There’s been no conversation about anything.”
Belichick’s contract at North Carolina contains a $10 million buyout clause if he leaves prior to June 1. However, Pelissero wrote that “it’s not entirely clear” if that buyout applies to an NFL team.
The Raiders are one of six NFL teams with an opening at head coach. It’s also possible more head coach firings occur depending on NFL playoff results.
Along with six championships, Belichick has amassed a 302-165 record in 29 NFL seasons. He coached the Cleveland Browns five years from 1991-95 before beginning his tenure with the Patriots in 2000.
Belichick is 26 wins shy of tying Don Shula’s record for most regular-season wins in NFL history (14 shy of overall wins).