Sean Payton had an unfulfilled plan to hire Belichick for the Broncos: report
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Bill Belichick may be the head football coach at the University of North Carolina, but there was likely a plan to bring him back to the NFL thanks to a head coach he has a good relationship with.
Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton and Bill Belichick go way back years ago. Both worked on Bill Parcells' staff, albeit at different times, before crossing paths as NFL head coaches.
In a detailed story about Payton and the Broncos' playoff appearance last season, which ended in an AFC Championship Game loss to Belichick's old New England Patriots, ESPN reported that Payton had the idea of approaching Broncos owner Greg Penner with the intention of hiring Belichick as the team's interim coach until they reach 15 wins.
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North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Bill Belichick on the sideline during the first quarter at Kenan Stadium on September 1, 2025. (Photos by Bob Donnan/Imagn)
That win total would have allowed Belichick to pass Don Shula for the all-time head coach wins record.
The report stated that Payton will still serve as an assistant head coach, and once Belichick reaches the total number of wins, Payton will take over as head coach.
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In the end, Payton did not make the offer to Penner official, deciding that it would be too difficult and Belichick would have to agree to his decision.
It's unprecedented in football, but it also raises questions about Belichick's history with the league, which has been a hot topic since parting ways with the Patriots.
Belichick's impact on football is second to none, though it has fluctuated during recent Pro Football Hall of Fame voting as he has found himself at the center of controversy.
Head coach Sean Payton of the Denver Broncos reacts during the first half against the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium on September 24, 2023 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Megan Briggs/Getty Images)
Belichick wasn't the first Hall of Famer, the likes of Tom Brady and others were frustrated by the fact that the second winningest coach in history wasn't getting his inspiration from the halls of Canton, Ohio. But some voters took into account the controversy surrounding Belichick during his time in Foxborough, including Spygate, and believed he didn't deserve the honor just yet.
Ever since he left the NFL, many have wondered if Belichick would ever match Shula's success. That question remained even after he took the vacant job at North Carolina, his first as a college head coach.
And it's still fraught with Belichick's legacy, especially after his adamant stance that he will see his role with the Tar Heels into his second season despite grumbling that he will fill NFL coaching vacancies after the 2025 season.
North Carolina head coach Bill Belichick greets a recruit on the sidelines before the NCAA college football game against Stanford, Saturday, Nov. 8, 2025, in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (AP Photo/Chris Seward)
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As of now, Belichick is content leading the way in Chapel Hill, and Payton aims to return the Broncos to the Super Bowl in 2026.
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