Whether it’s an attempt to be more relatable to recruits or simply a late-life crisis, the former head coach of the New England Patriots, Bill Belichick, has seen a dramatic shift towards social media recently. Despite his reputation for being a stoic, no-nonsense figure in the football community, the play caller is beginning to open up like never before.
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While some have speculated that Belichick’s new groove is the result of the college atmosphere, his former players are still wondering if it will be enough to help him land recruits at North Carolina.
During the latest installment of the Dudes on Dudes podcast, Belichick’s former star tight end, Rob Gronkowski, suggested that the fickle nature of college athletes could truly be the reason for the coach’s newfound emphasis on social media.
“Gen Zers, they’re tough. You’ve gotta sell ’em. How much you paying them? They want to know the highest bidder out there. They wanna know how many Instagram followers you’re going to get them. Maybe that’s why he’s so good on social media now.”
For better or worse, social media has become a mainstay in the world of negotiations. With algorithms and headlines proving to be the currency of today, it’s all but required that coaches maintain an online presence.
That’s not to say that social media should be encouraged at all times, however. According to the future Hall of Famer, certain things are to remain sacred.
“You’ve got to have a player’s lounge with the games now, that’s part of being in the college atmosphere now… No social media in the facility… Imagine showing someone playing ping pong, inside the player’s lounge, that’s not cool. Everything that goes on there should stay in there.”
Gronk’s former teammate turned co-host, Julian Edelman, found himself in agreement. Suffice to say, the locker room code is tantamount to “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.”
Julian Edelman doesn’t envision Bill Belichick as a recruiter
For all of the effort that Belichick has seemingly put into becoming a collegiate head coach, Edelman still isn’t buying it. The North Carolina Tar Heels will need as much help as they can get should they hope to lift their program back up into relevancy, meaning that they will need to bring in as many talented recruits as possible.
Belichick may have experience in spades, but his ability, or lack thereof, to connect with the youngsters, could prove to be the deciding factor in the program’s success. According to Edelman, bridging the generational gap will prove to be Belichick’s greatest challenge.
“I don’t see him as a recruiter. I think he’s going to handle this like a business… I think his pitch to the kid is ‘I’m going to get you ready for your ultimate dream. If you want to come here, here’s the price. If not, it’s a numbers game.’ There’s a lot more numbers in college where you can pull than there is in free agency of the NFL.”
Edelman would love nothing more than to get a glimpse at his former head coach attempting to make a sales pitch to an 18-year-old student athlete. Given that various members of the Patriots’ dynasty have poked fun at the idea of Belichick recruiting from day one, Edelman’s take shouldn’t surprise anyone.
For better or worse, however, the Tar Heels are likely to surprise everyone come kickoff time. Belichick and the rest of his herd are continuing their march towards the 2025 regular season, regardless of what anyone might have to say.
Thankfully, for both Belichick and high school players from around the country, the recruiting process is nearly over.
