The Athletic believes Bill Belichick could return to New England for bowl season this December.

In their 2025 preseason bowl game predictions, Scott Dochterman and Stewart Mandel have Belichick’s North Carolina Tar Heels facing off with Navy in the Fenway Bowl on December 27.

In addition to a return to New England where he won six Super Bowls, it’d be a special matchup for Belichick given his father’s deep ties to the Naval Academy. Steve Belichick scouted for Navy for over 30 years (1956-1989) and Bill Belichick was raised in Annapolis.

The Fenway Bowl pits the eighth place team in the ACC against the American Conference champion, so The Athletic isn’t bullish on a major turnaround in Belichick’s first season at Chapel Hill. The Tar Heels played in the Fenway Bowl last year, and we

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