Bill Belichick takes direct shot at Robert Kraft when describing differences between college, NFL

Bill Belichick seemed to take a direct shot at Robert Kraft when describing the differences between college football and the NFL. Belichick worked hand in hand with Kraft while with the New England Patriots, but it’s no secret they had their differences, especially in the end.

Following Tom Brady’s last game with the Patriots, a dismal 20-13 Wild Card loss to the Tennessee Titans, it was the beginning of the end for Belichick in New England. Basically, Belichick described a clear vision during the team’s heyday and that’s something that got murkier in later years.

Now with North Carolina nad ready for his first season, Belichick sees that clear vision ahead of the 2025 campaign. It seems like the future Pro Football Hall of Fame coach appreciates where is in Chapel Hill.

“There’s no owner, there’s no owner’s son, there’s no cap, everything that goes with the marketing and everything else, which I’m all for that. But it’s way less of what it was at that level,” Belichick said, via Ben Volin of The Boston Globe. “Generic NFL teams, you have the owner, president, general manager, personnel director, college director, pro director, cap guy, some other consultant, then head coach. I’d say when we had our best years in New England, we had fewer people and more of a direct vision. And as that expanded, it became harder to be successful.”

Belichick went 7-9 the year after Brady left while the latter won a Super Bowl with the Tampa Bay buccaneers. While Belichick and QB Mac Jones got to the postseason in 2021, he went 12-22 in his final two seasons before parting ways with the organization.

Kraft took some shots at Belichick since, including saying it was a “big risk” to hire Belichick back in 1999. Not only that, “The Dynasty,” which was the most recent Patriots documentary, seemed to slant towards Kraft and practically cite Belichick as the reason for the downfall in the final years and more of the reason why the two split up after over two decades together.

Now two years later, Belichick is renewed, refreshed and ready to show he still has something in the coaching tank. With a manageable schedule, despite unknowns across the UNC roster, Belichick could lead the program to some success this Fall.

Many expect Belichick and North Carolina to, perhaps, max out at six wins this year. Could it be better, or even worse? Sure. But based on what he’s implementing with the program now and the five-year deal he signed with UNC, the legendary coach might even finish out his career in college football.