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Legendary NFL coach Bill Belichick shocked the football world when he accepted the University of North Carolina head coaching position this past week. It was thought the 72-year-old would be one of the most attractive options on the NFL coaching carousel this offseason, but we didn't even get to Christmas before he took a new gig.
It was reported in early December that Belichick was "very surprised" he had yet to hear from NFL teams about their open jobs (New York Jets, New Orleans Saints and Chicago Bears). ESPN reported that Belichick viewed the Bears job as probably the most attractive opening, but didn't think he had a chance to land it. However, there was another team that he reached out to.
According to CBS Sports NFL insider Jonathan Jones, there was contact between Belichick and the Jets. Belichick actually called the Jets to gauge their interest, but was told the team was just getting its search started. New York fired Robert Saleh following a Week 5 loss to the Minnesota Vikings in London.
"Honest interest? Due diligence? Desperation? Only the coach himself would be able to truly say," Jones added on social media. "Good luck getting that answer."
It certainly would have been something if Belichick was hired by the Jets for a third time to be their head coach, and it would have been fun to see "The Hoodie" return to the AFC East to face the New England Patriots twice a year. Ultimately, the future Pro Football Hall of Famer decided he wasn't going to wait around for NFL teams to make a move. He's taking on a new challenge.