Last week, the Chicago Bears stoked some flames with a poker when they requested an interview with Mike McCarthy. Until then, the Dallas Cowboys had kept their intentions for Mike McCarthy vague.
The Bears forced the Cowboys to deny the request, signaling to the NFL world that Dallas was attempting to keep McCarthy for 2025. Unfortunately for Dallas, the team was not able to agree to a deal that would be feasible for McCarthy, and the two parties parted ways this week.
McCarthy interviewed with the Bears at Halas on Wednesday.
Bill Belichick never signed that contract
The Bears should get their poker out again this week to see how Bill Belichick feels about a return to the NFL.
On Dec. 11, the six-time Super Bowl-winning head coach agreed to become the head coach of North Carolina. He’s been recruiting players and hiring coaches for his staff since.
However, per a report Thursday by Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports, Belichick never signed the contract, which would pay him $50 million over five years, and had a buyout of $10 million before June.
“Presently, there is not a fully executed and signed contract between Belichick and UNC, sources told CBS Sports — and the school confirmed — this week,” Jones wrote. “Industry sources say that could create to a legal gray area about how much, if any, of a buyout would exist if Belichick left for the pros.
“Belichick signed a term sheet proposal with UNC on Dec. 11. That laid out the basic and somewhat typical terms for a high-level college football coach. 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.”
It’s unknown if the term sheet Belichick signed can be enforced, thus meaning any NFL team that chooses to hire the 72-year-old might not have to pay his $10 million ransom before June.
“The term sheet Belichick signed is known officially as the Proposal of Contract Terms and Conditions,” Jones wrote. “It begins with a two-sentence paragraph that, as one NFL source with a legal background put, is ‘consequential’ to the question of what will or won’t be legally enforceable.”
North Carolina thinks Belichick is staying
UNC general manager Michael Lombardi responded to the report on X, claiming that Belichick has no intention of leaving for the NFL this offseason.
“Bill is recruiting in DC today and Baltimore tomorrow,” Lombardi posted. “His focus is on North Carolina football, hiring staff members and developing the team. The NFL isnt a option so please stop making it one. Thank you.”
And in another post:
“The reception towards UNC and Coach Belichick has been amazing from every school we visit. We are going to fight to keep North Carolina players here and bring the best to Chapel Hill”
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 isnt a option so please stop making it one. Thank you. https://t.co/Z5sRAcYOCB
— Michael Lombardi (@mlombardiuncgm) January 16, 2025
The Chicago Bears should request to interview Belichick
Still, there’s a reason Belichick hasn’t signed the contract. If he wanted rumors of his NFL candidacy to die this offseason, he could have just signed the contract.
Belichick would be a logical candidate for the Dallas Cowboys opening, but the Bears should throw their hat in the ring to see if they can land arguably the best NFL coach of all time. Belichick is 302-165 as a head coach in the league and 31-13 in the postseason.
The Bears are already interviewing obsolete college coaches in their fact-finding mission this hiring cycle. They should at least see what Belichick has to offer.
At the very least, Chicago should send in a request, and make Belichick deny it.
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