With the New York Giants firing Brian Daboll, the search for the franchise’s next head coach will soon be underway. Names are already being linked to the job early on. One of them appears to be Bill Belichick, who is currently at the college level with the North Carolina Tar Heels.

Tuesday brought a reaction from Belichick on the speculation between him and the Giants. The answer is not all too surprising, being similar to what we have heard from Belichick throughout the years.

“Getting ready for Wake Forest, that’s all I got this week,” Belichick said. “I’ve been asked about [an NFL return] from time to time. Look, I’ve been down this road before. I’m focused on Wake Forest, that’s it. That’s my commitment to this team. Next week it’ll be to our next opponent and so forth. I’m here to do the best I can for this team.”

Belichick does have a history with the Giants, dating back to the 1980s. He spent over a decade inside the organization, beginning as a defensive assistant and special teams coach. By 1985, a promotion to defensive coordinator came for Belichick, a position he held through the 1990 season.

Leaving for the New York Jets the following year, the idea of a possible reunion is being floated around nearly 35 years later. Whether or not Belichick holds any interest in getting back into NFL circles, we certainly did not find out based on his comments.

For now, the college game is where his head is at. Belichick goes into Saturday with a chance to get North Carolina back to .500 with a win. As things stand, the Tar Heels are 4-5 in the midst of a two-game winning streak. Not a bad way to respond to what was a brutal start to the 2025 season.

After the Wake Forest game, two rivalry games remain on the schedule. North Carolina will host Duke before heading to Raleigh for another in-state showdown against NC State. Two more wins would get the program to six total and make it seven straight years of making a bowl game.

Belichick’s season will be over well before the NFL hiring process begins. This likely is not the last time his name pops up for a job until all of them are filled. But for right now, his focus is on preparing North Carolina to face Wake Forest.