Michael Lombardi clears the air surrounding Bill Belichick's future with North Carolina

Bill Belichick turned heads in December when he suddenly decided to take over as the coach of North Carolina's football team. He had never walked the sidelines for a college program, prompting many to wonder recently as NFL jobs opened up if he'd be more interested in returning to the professional level.

Wonder no more.

Tar Heels general manager Michael Lombardi said on Thursday that Belichick's attention is fixed on his job in Chapel Hill, not elsewhere.

"Bill is recruiting in DC today and Baltimore tomorrow," Lombardi wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. "His focus is on North Carolina football, hiring staff members and developing the team. The NFL isnt a option so please stop making it one. Thank you."

Lombardi's upload was in response to a post by Jonathan Jones, a lead NFL insider for CBS Sports, stoking the fire of rumors that pro teams might have a loophole in which to acquire Belichick.

"Bill Belichick does not have a signed contract at UNC, which is not uncommon in college but does introduce gray area as to how much — if any — of the $10M buyout would be paid should he bolt for the NFL," Jones tweeted.

Why would people think Bill Belichick would change his mind?

Bill Belichick isn't that far off from being the all-time winningest head coach in NFL history. He trails former Miami Dolphins coach Don Shula by 14 victories for that bragging right.

Belichick's age (he'll turn 73 in April) has been pointed out with that in mind, and if that's a notch he wants on his future Hall of Fame belt, it makes a lot of sense that he doesn't have a lot of time to waste.

It wouldn't be the first time that Belichick decided against coaching a team before even directing it through one game. After his mentor, Bill Parcells, had stepped down as the New York Jets' coach on Jan. 3, 2000, Belichick was next in line for the job.

However, at the news conference that was meant to introduce him, he announced that he was resigning from the post, a choice due in part to the fact that the Jets were soon to be sold, which made him nervous about his job security.

From the sounds of it, however, it seems Belichick is happy where he is, enjoying the challenges that come with taking a job much different than the one he had before. The age of NIL and the transfer portal make for a fast-paced environment, one that Belichick must see as an obstacle to hurdle.

Bill Belichick has accomplished just about all there is at the professional level. The upcoming season will show if he has what it takes on the college platform.