Why Bill Belichick’s Possible Latest Move Signals He Likely Won’t Accept NFL Head Coaching Role This Offseason

As the NFL coaching carousel will kick off in the new year, former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick is definitely someone to watch closely. However, his possible recent move at North Carolina could signal that he won’t be returning to the NFL next season.

Belichick is looking to bring in former Arkansas head coach Bobby Petrino to serve as North Carolina’s offensive coordinator. Belichick likely wouldn’t be trying to make big-time additions if he had the desire to leave the Tar Heels.

Update: Per UNC sources, there’s still multiple steps remaining before any potential hire is announced. No announcement is imminent, and other candidates remain engaged. https://t.co/WCmdAk3RCW

— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) December 22, 2025

Petrino is one of the most prominent coaches in college football. During his first stint at Arkansas from 2008 to 2011, he achieved remarkable results, winning double-digit games in his last two seasons.

Petrino’s tenure at Arkansas ended in 2012, when he was dismissed for misleading officials about an extramarital relationship with an employee in the athletic department.

The 64-year-old head coach returned to the Razorbacks as the offensive coordinator in 2024. He took over as interim head coach this season after the school parted ways with head coach Sam Pittman.

Belichick likely wouldn’t go out of his way to hire Petrino if he were going to leave the school this winter for an NFL job.

There has been some speculation that Belichick could be in the running for an NFL head coaching opportunity this offseason. Still, he hasn’t coached in the league since 2023, and there probably aren’t many teams interested in him.

Belichick didn’t even wait for the NFL head coaching cycle to open up last offseason before accepting the head coaching position at North Carolina. He took the job in December 2024, which likely indicated that he was aware no NFL team was interested in hiring him.

After an underwhelming 4-8 season in his first year at North Carolina, Belichick likely didn’t do much to change the minds of NFL owners. Staying for another season in Chapel Hill might be the best move for him right now.