Bill Belichick's former players are speaking out after the coach's shocking decision to take the North Carolina job
Bill Belichick's decision to take the Tar Heels job in North Carolina shocked many in the world of professional and college football.
Belichick, 72 years old and one of the NFL's most respected head coaches, has never coached at the collegiate level. He was an assistant with the Baltimore Colts in 1975 before ending up winning a couple of Super Bowls with the New England Patriots and New York Giants.
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The decision to go to college at this point in his life and career left one of his former players, linebacker Tedy Bruschi, with questions.
“What are we doing here? I mean, Bill Belichick is going to coach North Carolina. I mean, college football – there's only one bowl game I want to see Bill Belichick coach and that's the Super Bowl, OK?” he said on ESPN's “Sunday NFL Countdown.” “I don't want to see him coaching the Lawnmower Bowl in December or January. It's just not who I am.”
“I don't know that there wouldn't be interest in where you bring Belichick in, and to make him needy and well-coached is who he is,” Bruschi continued. “Would he make one of those teams that need a head coach this year be a contender right away? I mean, yeah, he would. He's good. Now, he's not going to be at the level of the New England Patriots or anything like that, but your team is going to have talent from the start and then the players. yours.
“I can't believe Bill Belichick won't be in the NFL next year. … I don't know how this happened.”
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Belichick officially agreed to take the job last week despite seeing if there was any interest from the New York Jets in terms of coaching them, despite the historical drama surrounding both sides.
Julian Edelman measured in the walk and gave a sunnier taker.
“It's the most amazing thing in the history of anything to me that the greatest NFL football coach of all time won't be in the NFL,” the former wide receiver said on “FOX NFL Kickoff.” “The more I think about it, the more it makes sense.”
“A, the players who played: I was a linebacker in college, playing receiver [in the NFL]. Tom Brady was a sixth round pick, becoming the greatest quarterback of all time. Rob Gronkowski was a second round pick, the best tight end ever. He knows how to project players.
“B, nostalgia: Bill's dad coaches in North Carolina … he likes whatever his dad was a part of, so that makes sense. And then, three, [seeing] 'Hoodie' in a [Michael] Jordan Tar Heel powder blue.”
Belichick will replace Mack Brown as head coach. The Tar Heels are 6-6 this year and play UConn in the Fenway Bowl. Freddie Kitchens will coach the team in this game.
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North Carolina has gone to six consecutive bowl games. They have one 10-win season since 1998.
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