Bill Belichick, the six-time Super Bowl-winning coach, will return to coaching, but not in the NFL. Instead, he’s heading to Chapel Hill to take the helm of the University of North Carolina’s football team, as confirmed by OutKick’s Trey Wallace on Wednesday night.
Belichick, who has been out of coaching since parting ways with the New England Patriots before this season, will sign a three-year deal worth $30 million, including incentives. This marks his first stint as a college football coach, although his father, Steve Belichick, previously served as an assistant coach at UNC in the 1950s and had a long tenure at Navy.
The deal was not just about the money. Wallace reports that Belichick was keen on having substantial Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) funds to attract top recruits, and UNC has agreed to provide this. Furthermore, he has the freedom to select his coaching staff, with expectations that his son, Stephen Belichick, currently Washington’s defensive coordinator, will join the team. There’s an unusual condition where Stephen is set to become the successor once Bill decides to step away.
This year, Belichick has been active in the media, appearing on ESPN’s “ManningCast” and the CW’s “Inside the NFL,” following his unsuccessful job interviews with the Atlanta Falcons in January. Despite his long history in the NFL since 1975, no other NFL teams showed significant interest in hiring him.
Earlier this week, The Guardian US reported that Belichick had agreed to this new role in Chapel Hill, providing the university with a comprehensive 400-page “organizational bible” detailing program structure, payment plans, and staffing decisions.
During an interview on “The Pat McAfee Show,” Belichick confirmed his discussions with UNC Chancellor Lee Roberts about the head coaching vacancy. He described his time away from coaching as a learning period, taking a “longer look” at college football dynamics.
“So it’s been, it’s been a good year for me. I’ve learned a lot,” Belichick remarked, remaining coy about specifics with his characteristic brevity, “Yeah, let’s just leave it at that, Pat. I mean, I don’t want to give out too much information. I want to get my press conference aura back.”
Belichick also shared his vision for a college program, emphasizing it as a “pipeline to the NFL” for players with professional potential, focusing on training, nutrition, coaching, and techniques that would translate well to the pro level.
With 333 career wins, Belichick is the second-winningest coach in NFL history. His transition to college football is a significant shift but one he seems ready to embrace with his signature approach to the game.
