UNC HC Bill Belichick has heard from several teams, including Raiders minority owner Tom Brady, to gauge interest in returning to the NFL

Belichick’s contract at North Carolina includes a $10 million buyout if he leaves before June 1, 2025, though it’s not entirely clear if that will apply if he returns to the NFL in the coming weeks. Either way, it’s a fraction of Belichick’s salary at the end of his Patriots tenure, making it relatively easy to get out of whether an NFL team or Belichick himself pays the buyout.

With few successful NFL head coaches available at the moment, at least one other team has also continued to check in on Belichick’s status. The Jets, Saints, Bears, Jaguars, Patriots and Raiders already have head coaching vacancies, and the Cowboys’ situation is still up in the air with coach Mike McCarthy’s contract expiring on Jan. 14.

Besides the Raiders, the Jaguars could provide Belichick with an enticing situation. Like Raiders owner Mark Davis, Jacksonville owner Shad Khan has indicated he will invest in the team, including the recent construction of a new practice facility and putting $625 million in private financing toward a $1.4 billion “stadium of the future” , which will begin construction after next season.

In a way, Belichick’s situation mirrors the competition that arose for Jim Harbaugh’s services a year ago. After a national championship season at Michigan, Harbaugh had an offer on the table from his alma mater while interviewing with the Chargers and Falcons, ultimately deciding to land in LA on a contract that makes him one of the NFL’s highest-paid coaches .

The difference, of course, is that Belichick, 72, hasn’t even coached a single college game. But like Harbaugh, Belichick has a championship pedigree and — after a one-year hiatus following his mutual departure with the Patriots — a desire to keep winning at a high level. A similar competition could arise for Belichick’s services, assuming he’s willing to entertain NFL overtures.

Harbaugh first flirted with an NFL return three years ago, when he interviewed with the Vikings before they hired Kevin O’Connell, and Michigan waited for him while he worked through his options. He also talked to the Broncos two years ago before they hired Sean Payton, before he ended up with more options last year and chose the Chargers.

NFL teams must comply with the Rooney Rule and conduct multiple interviews with minority candidates before hiring a head coach as part of a process the league has deliberately slowed down in recent years. Only the Falcons interviewed Belichick last year and spoke with him several times before hiring Raheem Morris on Jan. 25 — 19 days after their season ended.

So if Belichick wants to seriously consider a return to the NFL, it could be weeks before his final destination in 2025 becomes clear.