North Carolina officially announced on Wednesday that Bill Belichick has been hired as its new head football coach, confirming earlier reports. The two sides have agreed to a five-year deal.
“This is an exciting day for Carolina football and our University,” UNC chancellor Lee H. Roberts said in a statement, reported by Sports Net. “Carolina is committed to excellence and to creating an opportunity to succeed in everything we do, from the classroom to the field of competition.
“I know after speaking with Coach Belichick that he shares that commitment. His legacy speaks for itself, and we look forward to working together on the next chapter of Carolina football.”
Belichick, 72, replaces Mack Brown, who was dismissed after a second stint in Chapel Hill that ended with a 6-6 record in 2024. Run game coordinator Freddie Kitchens will lead the Tar Heels in the Fenway Bowl on Dec. 28. Veteran NFL executive Michael Lombardi, a longtime colleague of Belichick, is also expected to join as UNC football’s general manager, though the school has yet to confirm his hiring.
Belichick’s legendary NFL career includes 24 seasons with the New England Patriots, where he won a record six Super Bowls. Despite entering the offseason as a prime candidate for NFL head coaching roles, Belichick only interviewed with the Atlanta Falcons, who chose Raheem Morris instead. Other teams with interim head coaches, such as the New York Jets, Bears, and Saints, reportedly did not reach out.
Belichick confirmed his discussions with UNC earlier this week on The Pat McAfee Show, where he highlighted the similarities between the NFL and today’s college football landscape.
“You have salary cap and negotiations with NFL agents. In college you have negotiations with whoever represents the player … You have players changing teams in college as you have players that can change teams in the NFL with a different set of rules but the same general structure,” he explained.
Belichick also outlined his vision for the program: “If I was in a college program, the college program would be a pipeline to the NFL for the players that had the ability to play in the NFL. It would be an NFL program at a college level.”
Belichick’s NFL pedigree and developmental success are likely UNC’s key selling points as they aim to compete at the top of the ACC. With Florida State faltering and Miami facing roster challenges, the Tar Heels see an opportunity to rise. Belichick’s arrival marks a bold step toward reestablishing UNC as a contender in college football.