"I just try to be honest with the players": Bill Belichick sends clear response to Tom Brady & Julian Edelman after their playful dig at him
Bill Belichick isn’t backing down from the playful jabs his former players, Tom Brady and Julian Edelman, made about his transition to college football. The legendary coach was on his "Let’s Go!" podcast with Maxx Crosby and Peter King on Tuesday, where the topic of his shift to the college football world came up.
As Belichick prepares to take over as the new coach of the North Carolina Tar Heels, Brady and Edelman clarified their thoughts on "NFL on Fox" on Sunday. When asked about Belichick being able to adapt to college football dynamics, Brady said, “No,” followed by Edelman’s “Absolutely not.”
The conversation took a humorous turn when Edelman poked fun at the challenge of recruiting young players. “Recruiting 18-year-olds?” he quipped, while Brady mimicked Belichick’s style:
“You really wanna come here? We don’t really want you anyway.”
On his podcast, Belichick responded to their remarks with his signature honesty.
“I just try to be honest with the players,” he said. “Tell them what they need to work on and what we need to do as a team to win.” [05:34]
Brady and Edelman might be skeptical, having spent numerous years under Belichick’s reign, but the new UNC coach is sticking to his no-nonsense approach and will try to emulate his NFL success at the college level.
Also read: Bill Belichick breaks silence on his rumored $10 million buyout clause after eye-catching move to UNC
Bill Belichick's grand vision for UNC job
Belichick is leaping into college football with the North Carolina Tar Heels. He succeeded 73-year-old Mack Brown and began a new era for UNC. Belichick was excited during his introductory press conference on Thursday, calling it a "dream come true" to join the college football ranks.
He also laid out plans for the program, including a strong focus on recruiting. He envisions a “pro program” approach with a traditional general manager-coach structure, with some key differences from the NFL.
“This belongs to [Michael Lombardi] and his recruiting staff,” Belichick said.
His experience and vision go beyond just local talent. His goal is to recruit not just within North Carolina but also nationwide. When asked about returning to the NFL, Belichick was clear:
“I didn’t come here to leave.”
Tar Heel fans can rest easy knowing he’s committed to the program for the long haul.
Also read: Bill Belichick outlines similarities between NFL and new coaching role