Bill Belichick shocked a lot of people on Thursday.

Belichick reportedly interviewed for the head coaching job at North Carolina this week, as first shared by Inside Carolina on Thursday.

Why?

We didn’t quite know, but after doing some digging, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones provided some insight into the news thanks to a few well-placed sources.

“It signals to NFL teams, ‘I have a lot of energy. I’m not ready to shut it down,’” Jones’ source said.

Belichick clearly doesn’t want to be shut out of a coaching job for a second straight hiring cycle, so an early interview probably can only do him good. UNC, however, reportedly hopes to have a coach installed by next week at the latest, just as the transfer portal officially opens. Tulane coach Jon Sumrall, Georgia defensive coordinator Glenn Schumann and former Arizona Cardinals coach Steve Wilks have all been considered candidates, with Belichick recently entering the fold.

The Tar Heels’ desire to get something done quickly led to a second meeting on Thursday in Manhattan, according to Jones.

“He has literally been open to all of it,” a source familiar with Belichick told Jones. “… He doesn’t care about full control. He’s been adamant about that.”

Belichick ultimately will be the one to make a final decision, as UNC would be making a major mistake by not allowing the 72-year-old to come in and at least give it a go. The clock appears to be ticking on that decision, however.