Sportsnaut
Although Bill Belichick has been linked to the head coach opening for the New York Giants, the leader of the North Carolina football program has already turned down the job.
Earlier this week, the Giants’ leadership took a very out-of-character step, firing head coach Brian Daboll in-season. After a 2-8 start and another blown loss on Sunday, ownership had seen enough and dismissed the coach after going 20-40-1 in three and a half seasons in New York.
Soon after his ouster, NFL legend and one-time Giants defensive coordinator Bill Belichick was named as a potential candidate for the position. Well, the Tar Heels’ coach has surprisingly already turned down the opportunity to talk to the team about the job.
“I have great respect and genuinely care for the New York Giants organization and both the Mara and Tisch families. The New York Giants played an important role in my life and in my coaching journey,” Belichick said in a statement on social media. “It was a privilege for me to work for the Mara family and be a member of Coach Parcells’ staff for over a decade. However, despite circulating rumors, I have not and will not pursue any NFL head coaching vacancies.
“Since arriving in Chapel Hill, my commitment to the UNC Football program has not wavered,” he added. “We have tremendous support from the university, our alumni, and the entire Carolina community. My focus remains solely on continuing to improve this team, develop our players, and build a program that makes Tar Heels fans proud.”
The New England Patriots‘ stance is quite surprising. It was no secret that he wanted to return to the sidelines after being ousted by the Pats two years ago. However, he received little interest from NFL teams. The Giants’ job is one of prestige, and there have long been rumors about how much he admired the organization he worked for, which had beaten him twice in the Super Bowl.
Furthermore, there have been rumblings for weeks about the dysfunction in the North Carolina program since he arrived earlier this year. As well as talk of potentially being fired during his first year in Chapel Hill.
However, the control he has there, he won’t get in the NFL. That could be a major reason why he is shutting down the rumors. Or he may be waiting to see how the rest of the season goes for UNC before making a final decision.
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