This 2005 Bill Belichick Prediction Looks Genius After UNC Hire

Plenty has been reported about legendary Patriots head coach Bill Belichick during the two decades he led New England.

An even bigger spotlight shone on Belichick since he and the Patriots parted ways last winter.

Ironically, a book that was published in 2005 may just have predicted Belichick accepting the head coaching job at North Carolina.

American author and sports journalist David Halberstam penned the authorized Belichick biography, “The Education of a Coach,” which focused on the Patriots six-time Super Bowl champion’s skills as a teacher of the game.

According to ESPN’s Seth Wickersham, Halberstam predicted Belichick would move on from the NFL to a smaller stage while promoting his book nearly two decades ago on the radio in Boston.

“He’s really a coach and a teacher,” Halberstam told the hosts, per Wickersham. “I mean, you could almost see him, when this is done, saying, OK, I’ve … you know, if he’s done it and won X rings, saying OK, I’m going to go and teach at an Ivy League school or something like that. I’m going to do something smaller, without as much pressure.”

Halberstam died in a traffic collision in 2007 at the age of 73. You have to wonder if Halberstam was alive today if he would be the first person to say, “I told you so,” with Belichick taking over the football program at Chapel Hill.

Former Patriots cornerback Jason McCourty may have heard Halberstam’s 2005 interview or even read the book. He believes Belichick’s expertise in teaching players to excel in their positions will translate to success at the college level.