Now Ron Rivera is providing Bill Belichick speculation UNC football fans are tired of

Everyone's got an opinion on Bill Belichick and how long he'll be at UNC, and that includes California general manager Ron Rivera.

As the former head coach of the Carolina Panthers and Washington Commanders,  Rivera understands that the pull of the NFL is a real thing and one that Belichick might not be able to overcome if the opportunity presents itself. 

"I think it's been a really good boost for college football, for the ACC to have coach come back," Rivera said. "I don't know how long that he'll do this. I mean, if he turns the program around instantly, I would not be surprised to see an NFL team reach out to him -- I really wouldn't. But, having him in college football is a very good thing."  

It's no surprise that Rivera is very respectful of Belichick. The Cal GM was widely known in NFL circles as a class act. This statement also isn't a big revelation. If Belichick can get the Tar Heels to 10 wins and possibly an appearance in the ACC Championship game, there's going to be some major interest at the NFL level. I'm not saying that one organization will hire the 73-year-old coach, but he's a winner and a six-time (eight if you count his time as an assistant) Super Bowl champion.

But Rivera also acknowledges that having arguably the best coach in NFL history roaming the sidelines in the ACC is great for the conference, it's great for the visibility of the North Carolina program and it's very good for business. 

​Obviously, some UNC fans have already gotten tired of the Belichick-NFL speculation and maybe a few are losing patience with the entire circus surrounding Belichick in general (Jordon Hudson and the such), but if we're still talking about Belichick and the NFL in November, that means UNC football is winning.

And everyone loves winning.