“NFL Isn’t an Option”: UNC GM Michael Lombardi Shoots Down Rumors About Bill Belichick Eyeing NFL Job

Bill Belichick hasn’t been with the University of North Carolina Tar Heels football team for more than a month or two. Yet, rumors about his potential departure are already beginning to surface. Belichick signed a term sheet proposal for his $10 million-a-year deal with UNC on December 11, but he hasn’t fully “executed” the final contract, leaving the door open to these wild theories.

One such rumor suggests that he’ll pump fake the Tar Heels and head back to the NFL ranks without ever having coached a game in the NCAA. That’s the possibility Jonathan Jones suggested in his story today for CBS News.

There was plenty of theorizing, but the main point to focus on was the fact that a couple of months passing between the signing of a term sheet and the actual execution of the final contract is “common in the college ranks.”

“A gap of multiple months between the signing of a term sheet and a final contract being executed is common in the college ranks, industry sources said.”

Legally, it is possible for Belichick to jet back off to the NFL. It would just cost him or the team he joins $10 million if Belichick leaves Chapel Hill before June 1. Considering there hasn’t even been any smoke concerning any interviews for Belichick with any NFL teams with coaching vacancies, this seems like a strange thread to pull.

To pour further cold water on this non-story story, the usually quiet Michael Lombardi had to step in. Belichick’s good friend, podcast co-host, and now his co-worker as the Tar Heels general manager, Lombardi is in a pretty good position to gauge whether or not Belichick would pull a harebrained stunt like this.

Not only is Bill not contemplating giving up the job he just accepted a month ago—but do we really need to say how silly that sounds? This guy is not Bobby Petrino. However, Lombardi says he’s already out working for the program, making recruiting visits in the DMV area.

“Bill is recruiting in DC today and Baltimore tomorrow. His focus is on North Carolina football, hiring staff members and developing the team. The NFL isn’t a option so please stop making it one. Thank you.”

It was one more small crumb that Bill Belichick allowed for the NFL media to use his name and drive traffic one final time. After Lombardi’s comments, we’d think this story won’t have legs for much longer.