World reacts to shocking Bill Belichick news

At this point, it’s been more than a month since Bill Belichick agreed to become the head coach at the University of North Carolina.

But as it turns out, the eight-time Super Bowl champion coach’s employment in Chapel Hill is still a work in progress.

According to CBS’ Jonathan Jones, Belichick has yet to sign his official contract at North Carolina. And that’s led to some question regarding what might happen if an NFL team makes a run at hiring the former New England Patriots head coach and how it might affect his reported $10 million buyout.

“Presently, there is not a fully executed and signed contract between Belichick and UNC, sources told CBS Sports — and the school confirmed — this week,” Jones reported. “Industry sources say that could create to a legal gray area about how much, if any, of a buyout would exist if Belichick left for the pros

“Belichick signed a term sheet proposal with UNC on Dec. 11. That laid out the basic and somewhat typical terms for a high-level college football coach. A gap of multiple months between the signing of a term sheet and a final contract being executed is common in the college ranks, industry sources said.”

While such an arrangement might be normal at the college level, the news that Belichick has yet to sign a binding contract with UNC is especially notable.

Just last week, the NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported that multiple NFL teams had contacted the 72-year-old head coach about potentially making a return to the pro ranks during the league’s current hiring cycle.

At the time, North Carolina general manager Mike Lombardi did his best to shut down such speculation. And following Jones’ report on Thursday, the former Cleveland Browns general manager once again attempted to downplay the news as a sign that Belichick could be eyeing a return to the NFL.