Bill Belichick has secret clause in $50m UNC contract despite NFL icon insisting he’s with college for long term
Belichick did respond to a question about a potential return to the NFL
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New North Carolina football coach Bill Belichick smiles during his introductory press conferenceCredit: AP
Belichick poses during the press conferenceCredit: Getty
Belichick won six Super Bowl rings in his 24 years of coaching the Patriots.
After parting ways with the Patriots in January, he failed to land a gig elsewhere in the NFL.
Belichick could return to the pros after it was uncovered on Thursday, after his press conference, that the coach has a $10 million buyout clause, per The Athletic’s Chris Vannini.
However, the report added that the clause will last until June 2025.
After the first six months of his deal, that number will drop to $1 million on June 1, 2025, before the new college football season begins.
The decrease allows Belichick to escape his contract with $1 million if an NFL team poaches him in the offseason.
Still, it doesn’t mean that the 72-year-old will leave his college football position.
During his introductory press conference, Belichick responded to a question about a potential return to the NFL.
He claimed that his NCAA tenure would not be short-lived.
“I didn’t come here to leave,” Belichick said.
“I am excited for the opportunity at UNC-Chapel Hill.
“I grew up around college football with my dad and treasured those times.”
“I have always wanted to coach in college and now, I look forward to building the football program at Chapel Hill.”
Belichick’s father, Stephen Nickolas Belichick, worked as an assistant at North Carolina from 1953 to 1955.
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Belichick was the New England Patriots head coach from 2000-2023, winning six Super Bowls during the tenureCredit: GETTY
It was also revealed Thursday that Belichick’s first three years of his contract worth $30 million are fully guaranteed, but his last two seasons will not.
He will succeed the recently fired Mack Brown, who was the coach of UNC for six years.
Belichick will now be one of the highest-paid college coaches on an annual salary basis.
This year, he was an ESPN analyst.
Belichick worked on The Pat McAfee show and MNF’s Manningcast.
