A surprising detail has emerged regarding former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick and Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton.
In January 2024, Belichick and the Patriots went their separate ways, marking the end of a historic stint that saw the franchise win six Super Bowls. At the time, Belichick was searching for a job, and Payton came up with an interesting proposal.
According to ESPN’s Seth Wickersham, via Adam Schefter, Payton proposed to the Broncos (that hold a $6,800,000,000 valuation, per Forbes) owner Greg Penner to hire Belichick as head coach so that Belichick could break Don Shula’s record of 347 career wins as head coach.
In the arrangement floated, Payton would step down to the assistant head coach role and run the offense. After Belichick broke Shula’s record, Payton would once again reclaim his head-coaching position.
However, the proposal never saw the light of day as Schefter mentioned that it was “too complicated – and maybe too fanciful.”
Belichick couldn’t get an NFL job and had to wait until December 2024 when North Carolina hired him to run their football program. He signed a five-year contract, and 2025 marked his debut season as head coach in college football.
Sean Payton Hopes Bill Belichick Will Return To NFL
Despite not getting inducted into the Hall of Fame during his first year of eligibility, there is no doubt that Belichick is one of the most successful head coaches in the history of the sport.
With 333 career wins, including regular season and playoffs, Belichick still has an opportunity to break Shula’s record, should an NFL team decide to hire him. However, there has been no interest so far.
Payton is hoping that changes. Last December, the Broncos head coach spoke on Belichick’s potential return to the big leagues:
“I’ll be honest with you, I miss him not being in the league,” the Broncos coach told reporters. “I miss him not being in the league, and I wouldn’t be surprised, and I would be somewhat hopeful that he ends up back in the league. We’d all be better for it. He’s something.”
Moreover, North Carolina’s 4-8 record last season has only amplified the possibility of Belichick making a return to the NFL. If any team does wish to bring the veteran head coach back, however, they would have to pay a hefty $1 million contract buyout to the Tar Heels.
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