Tom Brady and Bill Belichick won a record six Super Bowl together during their time with the New England Patriots. With his new team now in need of a head coach, Brady has reportedly looked into a possible reunion with his former coach with the Las Vegas Raiders.
Multiple NFL teams have inquired about whether Belichick would consider stepping down from his recently-acquired post as North Carolina's head football coach to resume his career as an NFL coach, according to NFL Media. Brady, Belichick's long-time quarterback with the Patriots and a current Raiders minority owner, recently spoke with his former coach about what it would take to make a reunion happen in Las Vegas, per the report.
Brady has reportedly been in touch with Belichick recently as the Raiders were mulling over the future of Antonio Pierce, who was formally fired by the team on Tuesday. Brady, who spent the first 20 years of his career playing for Belichick, reportedly feels that Belichick's ability to establish a sustainable winning program (among other things) is what the Raiders need at this time.
Belichick accepted his new role as North Carolina's head coach back in Dec. 11. He was asked during his introductory press conference if he would consider jumping to the NFL if an opportunity presented itself.
"I didn't come here to leave," said Belichick, who is currently spending his time on the recruiting trail.
Belichick apparently meant what he said last month. Belichick has not plans to return to the NFL, according to The Athletic, who stated that Belichick is focused on coaching and recruiting in preparation for the Tar Heels' upcoming season.
Belichick has left a head coaching job without ever coaching a game for that team, though. A quarter century ago, Belichick resigned as "HC of the NYJ" without ever leading the Jets as their head coach during a game. Belichick was eventually traded to New England, where he carved out a career that will undoubtedly lead to his induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as soon as he is eligible.
Reports had recently surfaced that Brady is expected to play a significant role in the Raiders' coaching search, so it shouldn't come as too big of a surprise that Brady has reached out to Belichick about his possible interest in the position. Whether or not Belichick would actually leave the Tar Heels to accept an NFL coaching job is the big question.
Belichick, after all, is just 15 wins away from passing Don Shula as the NFL's all-time winningest coach. The 72-year-old was asked about that milestone shortly after accepting the North Carolina position.
"Teams win championships, and I'm proud to be a member of eight teams that won," Belichick said on "The Pat McAfee Show". "They weren't my teams; I was part of those teams. That's really what means the most to me."
That might be true, but Belichick may get an opportunity to surpass Shula if an NFL team decides to give him another head coaching opportunity. Belichick would face a challenging rebuild in Las Vegas, though, as the Raiders are coming off a 4-13 season. The Raiders also play in a division that fielded three playoff teams in 2024, led by the Kansas City Chiefs, who are currently in pursuit of an unprecedented third straight Super Bowl win.
