Bill Belichick reached out to Jets about coaching vacancy before taking UNC job

NEW YORK — Bill Belichick surprised many when he became the North Carolina Tar Heels coach on Thursday afternoon.

But before that, Belichick surprisingly contacted his former rival about their vacancy.

Belichick, 72, who famously was the Jets coach for a day before surprisingly resigning in 2000, called the team “to gauge interest” about the current coaching opening, according to a source.

The Athletic first reported Belichick’s camp contacting the Jets about the vacancy, but no formal conversations occurred because of UNC’s job opening. Before he accepted the Tar Heels coaching job, Belichick assessed the current NFL opening [Jets, Saints, and Bears], according to ESPN.

It is unfathomable to think about Belichick wearing the Jets’ colors again. For years, Belichick has been critical of the Jets’ front office and owner Woody Johnson because of various decisions.

This season, Belichick ripped Johnson for his premature decision to fire coach Robert Saleh on Oct. 8.

“That’s kind of what it’s been there at the Jets — barely won over 30 percent in the last 10 years,” Belichick said during an appearance on the ManningCast in October. “The owner being the owner, just ready, fire, aim.

“I’m not a big Jets fan, in case you don’t know that. I like Fireman Ed, but that’s it. Coach Saleh did a good job with that program. He brought in a culture, a level of toughness and competitiveness.”

On Thursday, Belichick was introduced as UNC’s coach and signed a five-year, $50 million contract.

After serving as the Jets’ defensive coordinator from 1997 to 1999, Belichick was supposed to succeed Bill Parcells as coach. But on Jan. 4, 2000, the day he was introduced as the team’s coach, Belichick resigned on a napkin that read, “I resign as HC of the NYJ.”

Shortly after, Belichick was introduced as the Patriots coach, further igniting the Jets-Patriots rivalry. He coached the Patriots for 23 seasons (2000-2023) and won six Super Bowls, while the Jets made the playoffs just six times during that same span.

In 2007, the Jets and then-coach Eric Mangini accused Belichick and the Patriots of videotaping New York’s coaching staff from the sidelines, a scandal famously known as "Spygate."

Belichick tormented the Jets throughout his career, finishing with a 39-13 record against them. However, Gang Green, to this point, gave Belichick the final loss of his NFL career after it defeated New England in the 2023 season finale to snap a 15-game losing streak in the rivalry.

The Jets will be looking for both a new coach and general manager during the offseason. In addition to firing Saleh, Johnson also fired general manager Joe Douglas last month.

The Jets announced in November that they had hired The 33rd Team to assist them with their coaching and general manager searches. They currently have a 3-10 record and will miss the playoffs for the 14th consecutive season.

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