Bill Belichick, who famously quit on the Jets in 2000, inquired about New York’s coaching vacancy before taking the same position at North Carolina this week, multiple media outlets reported on Saturday.
The 72-year-old Belichick, who won six Super Bowls as coach of the New England Patriots — one of the Jets’ AFC East rivals – personally reached out to the Jets about the opening but there were no formal discussions, per the reports.
In the wake of former Jets coach Robert Saleh’s firing on Oct. 7, Belichick had been critical of team owner Woody Johnson, but that’s nothing new between the archrivals.
Following a stint on head coach Bill Parcells’ Jets staff from 1997-99, Belichick was to succeed Parcells in 2000 but quit on the day he was to take over. Part of Belichick’s reasoning was his disinterest in working for Johnson, who had recently bought the Jets.
Belichick got out of his contract by filing a lawsuit, and was traded to the Patriots. The rest is history, as the Jets watched their divisional rivals hoist six Lombardi Trophies under Belichick’s guidance.
Seven years after Belichick left the Jets, they sparked the Spygate scandal by accusing him of illegally videotaping their coaches during a game.
Less than a week after relieving general manager Joe Douglas of his duties, Johnson hired The 33rd Team to help the Jets find a new coach and GM. Jeff Ulbrich took over for Saleh, while Phil Salvage assumed GM duties.