Before accepting the head coaching job at the University of North Carolina, former New England Patriots HC Bill Belichick contacted the Jets to express interest and gauge mutual interest in their head coaching position, SNY NFL Insider Connor Hughes confirmed.
Although no formal interview or conversation took place as the opportunity at UNC arose.
Of course, Belichick and the Jets have a long history, including stints as assistant head coach and defensive coordinator Bill Parcells from 1997–1999, and was hired by New York as head coach in January 2000, only to resign a day later to take the Patriots’ job. Belichick would win six Super Bowls in New England, with a record of 266-121 over 24 seasons.
New York fired head coach Robert Saleh on Oct. 8 after a 2-3 start to the 2024 season that had such high expectations. The Jets have gone 1-7 since the defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich took over as interim head coach.
The Jets are now in the midst of their fourth head coaching search in the past decade. Former Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel has reportedly expressed interest in the job and is the current Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith has been mentioned as a “darkhorse candidate” for the Jets’ job.
It is expected that New York’s head coaching search will be thorough and they will talk to assistants, people with experience, etc. as timing allows, Hughes notes. The Jets understand that they need to get this hiring right and will not rush the hiring process.
