Bill Belichick's former players speak out after coach's shocking decision to take North Carolina job

Bill Belichick’s decision to take the North Carolina Tar Heels job came as a shock to many around the professional and college football world.

Belichick, at 72 and one of the most highly respected former NFL head coaches, has never coached at the collegiate level. He was an assistant with the Baltimore Colts in 1975 before eventually winning several Super Bowls with the New England Patriots and New York Giants.

The decision to go to college at this juncture of his life and career left one of his former players, linebacker Tedy Bruschi, quizzical.

“What are we doing here? I mean, with Bill Belichick going to coach North Carolina. I mean, college football — there’s only one bowl game I want to see Bill Belichick coaching and that’s the Super Bowl, OK?” he said on ESPN’s “Sunday NFL Countdown.” “I don’t want to see him coaching some Lawnmower Bowl in December or January. That’s just not who I am.”

“I don’t know how there wouldn’t be any interest as to where you bring a Belichick in, and he makes you immediately relevant and well-coached by who he is,” Bruschi continued. “Would he make one of these teams that needed a head coach this year an immediate contender? I mean, yes, he would. He is that good. Now, he’s not going to be on the level of six championships New England Patriots or anything like that, but your team would be competent from the get-go; and then it’s on your players.

“I can’t believe Bill Belichick won’t be in the NFL next year. … I don’t know how this happened.”

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Belichick officially agreed to take the job last week despite checking in to see if there was interest from the New York Jets’ side about possibly coaching them, despite historical drama surrounding both parties.

Julian Edelman weighed in on the move and offered a sunnier taker.

“It’s the most surprising thing in the history of anything to me that the greatest NFL football coach is not going to be in the NFL,” the former wide receiver said on “FOX NFL Kickoff.” “The more I think about it, the more it makes sense.”

“A, projecting players: I was a quarterback in college, played receiver [in the NFL]. Tom Brady was a sixth-round draft pick, became the greatest quarterback of all time. Rob Gronkowski was a second-round pick, became the greatest tight end of all time. He knows how to project players.

“B, nostalgia: Bill’s dad coached at North Carolina … he loves anything his dad was a part of, so that makes sense. And then, three, [seeing] the ‘Hoodie’ in a [Michael] Jordan Tar Heel powder blue.”

Belichick is set to replace Mack Brown as head coach. The Tar Heels are 6-6 this year and play UConn in the Fenway Bowl. Freddie Kitchens will coach the team for the game.