The wild, swirling rumors of UNC Football Head Coach Bill Belichick already looking towards the NFL — potentially teaming up with Tom Brady and the Raiders — were swiftly shut down by UNC Football GM Michael Lombardi.
Pat McAfee, host of The Pat McAfee Show on ESPN, interviewed Lombardi earlier today. When asked about the rumors involving a potential Brady-Belichick NFL team-up, Lombardi put an end to the speculation once and for all. When asked about how committed he and Belichick were to North Carolina, Lombardi responded:
“Completely committed. 1000% committed. I know I [speak] for coach Belichick and myself. Those conversations, you know look, guys that do the insider stuff for the NFL, they’ve got to put stories out there. That one was a complete falsehood. Coach Belichick, when that story came out, was recruiting in South Jersey. You know, and today he was at Bergen Catholic — one of the teams we watched play at Ocean City. You know, and he’s gone to The Hun School to recruit kids in Princeton. I mean that story just had no legs. I think what often happens in rumoring — and I know this from doing it in the league — is people try to make a connection. A to B equals C. Well, that’s not always the case. Yes, Tom Brady is being involved with interviews. Yes, Tom Brady is doing research on head coaching candidates. Yes, Tom Brady is calling people up for advice and council because that’s why he’s so great at what he does — because he’s listening for advice. But don’t assume that because he’s doing that, he wants Bill Belichick. Bill Belichick committed to North Carolina. He committed it to me, he committed it to the university. There’s been no conversation about anything. And [Bill and I] drive from this office here, as this football field [is] behind me, to where we’re staying. We commute each day together, and we both talk about how messed up the NFL is and how thankful we’re in college football. Because we’re shaking our heads.”
"Bill Belichick is completely committed to North Carolina..
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) January 9, 2025
That story about him going to the NFL was a complete falsehood and that story had no legs"@mlombardiNFL #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/XRA3pzw5FY
North Carolina fans can breathe a sigh of relief. This quote from Lombardi should fully dismiss and invalidate any Belichick-to-the-NFL buzz. Belichick and Lombardi have fully bought into the UNC rebuild. They bleed Carolina blue.
Tar Heel Nation, we have our head coach. Let the new era of Carolina football begin.