Tom Brady’s Raiders among teams to reach out to Bill Belichick

The rumors of Bill Belichick’s possible return to the NFL coaching ranks apparently haven’t been completely extinguished despite him taking a college job a month ago.

Even after taking the head coaching role at the University of North Carolina on Dec. 11, Belichick’s name has not entirely escaped the NFL’s annual coaching carousel.

The latest report came from NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, who noted on Wednesday that “multiple NFL teams have inquired about whether legendary coach Bill Belichick would reconsider his move to college football.”

Specifically, the Raiders have reportedly reached out to Belichick. Las Vegas minority owner Tom Brady “spoke recently with his old coach about what it would take to make a reunion happen.”

And, according to Pelissero, “Brady believes the situation in Las Vegas requires a coach of Belichick’s expertise and stature to establish a sustainable winning program.”

The Raiders, which Brady became a minority owner of in Oct. of 2024 (along with fellow former Patriots teammate Richard Seymour), recently fired first-year head coach Antonio Pierce after a 4-13 season.

Brady, navigating the NFL offseason life as a part-owner for the first time, might want to bring in a coach he knows better than most (and who has eight Super Bowl wins in his storied career).

After the Raiders, Pelissero explained that “at least one other team also has continued to check in on Belichick’s status,” though he didn’t specify which of the other five teams with head coaching vacancies was the one.

Presumably, it was not the Patriots, who are now setting course for their second straight offseason that includes a head coaching change. After Belichick parted ways with New England in early 2024, Patriots CEO and chairman Robert Kraft opted for Jerod Mayo as the successor. Yet after another 4-13 campaign, Kraft dismissed Mayo.

In order to get Belichick away from UNC, a team might have to pay his $10 million buyout (though it’s not clear if the clause would be activated so quickly after he signed).

Belichick’s decision to head to the college level, where he has never coached, shocked NFL fans. But after garnering interest from only one team (the Falcons) a year ago, he opted for a change.

Whether or not an NFL team is still able to pry him away from his new role will be a fascinating subplot of the offseason.