Bill Belichick is on the verge of hiring a new offensive coordinator at North Carolina.
Via Pete Nakos of On3.com, Belichick is finalizing a deal with Bobby Petrino to replace Freddie Kitchens as the man in charge of the UNC offense.
Petrino previously served as the head coach at Louisville and Arkansas. He also coached the Falcons in 2007, abruptly resigning in December of his first season to take the Arkansas job.
Petrino and Chip Kelly reportedly were the two coaches Belichick was eyeing the most closely.
The move, in our view, has no relevance to a potential return by Belichick to the NFL level, if an opportunity arises. The question is whether an opportunity will arise. For now, and despite reports seemingly aimed at breathing life into the possibility, it seems like a long shot.
The one place we’re watching the most closely isn’t any of the teams that have been mentioned elsewhere. We’re keeping an eye on Tampa Bay, for various reasons.
First, Todd Bowles wasn’t hired by a traditional source; he landed in the job by default after Bruce Arians resigned in late March. Second, the Buccaneers have imploded, going 1-6 after a 6-2 start. They’re now at risk of yielding their four-year hammerlock on the NFC South to the Panthers and missing the playoffs for the first time since 2019.
Third, the Bucs have a history of creative (to put it kindly) and/or unusual (to put it less kindly) coaching hires. Fourth, Belichick (we believe) has been eyeing that job.
Last year, his consigliere, Mike Lombardi, tried to start a rumor that Bowles would be retiring. It seemed to be an effort by Lombardi to speak an opening for Belichick into existence.
Regardless, that’s all to be determined. For now, Belichick has determined to hire Petrino.
