The Las Vegas Raiders are making waves in NFL circles, with minority owner Tom Brady reportedly spearheading efforts to bring Bill Belichick back to the league.
Brady reportedly reached out to his former New England Patriots head coach possibly in hopes of orchestrating a return to the NFL sidelines.
However, these rumors hit a wall when Michael Lombardi, the newly appointed general manager for Belichick at the University of North Carolina, attempted to set the record straight.
According to Lombardi, Belichick is fully committed to staying at UNC with no plans to entertain NFL opportunities.
“There’s no interest in any of us leaving this great place. We came here to do a job and finish a job, and that’s what it’s all about. Look, we were aware of what was going on the NFL,” Lombardi said, via Jim Rome.
“[The Raiders] smoked cigars last year after they won a regular season game. Is that really The Patriot Way? I don’t think so.”@mlombardinfl sets the record straight on Bill Belichick being linked with Vegas pic.twitter.com/GDg6N5bc5u
— Jim Rome (@jimrome) January 10, 2025
During the discussion, Lombardi touched on the Raiders’ recent history, particularly Josh McDaniels’ brief stint as head coach.
He highlighted how Raiders players had expressed dissatisfaction with McDaniels’ demanding work culture, which ultimately led to his departure.
Lombardi particularly took issue with the team’s celebratory behavior, an observation that struck at the heart of the cultural disconnect far removed from the disciplined, businesslike approach that defined the Patriots’ dynasty under Belichick.
For Lombardi, this perfectly illustrates why the Raiders’ environment might not align with the structured, no-nonsense culture Belichick cultivated throughout his legendary NFL career.
Despite the Raiders’ possible interest, and Brady’s apparent involvement, it seems Belichick has found his new home in college football, focusing on building something there rather than returning to the NFL.
