North Carolina Hires Bill Belichick To Lead Tar Heels Program In Stunning College Football Move

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North Carolina has made a very big splash in the college football world, hiring Bill Belichick as its new head football coach. 

The move to bring in one of the most prestigious coaches in NFL history is certainly a very big moment for the Tar Heels, based off his name alone. While hiring a coach with no prior college head coaching experience is a risky move, members of the North Carolina athletic department and board of trustees see this as a monumental moment in the sport. 

The three-year deal with Belichick is going to be worth around $10 million per year, which includes incentives, according to sources. 

One of the biggest components to this deal was that Belichick had enough NIL resources to succeed early on, and the North Carolina administration agreed to his terms, according to multiple sources. Also, having his pick of assistant coaches, some of who are with different NFL organizations and colleges right now. 

The school  made sure that he would have the resources to hire the best staff he could put together, and buyouts would not be a problem, if needed. 

Olie Connolly was the first to report that a deal between Belichick and the school was being negotiated. 

There will certainly be detractors and those that feel as if Bill Belichick becoming a college head coach for the first time makes zero sense in the current landscape, or any landscape for that matter. And while those thoughts may be true, you can’t act as if this won’t move the needle for a program that is middle-class when it comes to college football. 

It was easy to notice during his appearance on the Pat McAfee show that Belichick has put a lot of thought into what life would look like in the college ranks. As he described it, the Tar Heels would essentially be playing for ACC titles, while also becoming a pipeline for the NFL. 

“The college program would be a pipeline to the NFL for the players that have the ability to play in the NFL,” Belichick said Monday. 

ORCHARD PARK, NEW YORK – DECEMBER 31: Head coach Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots prior to the game against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium on December 31, 2023 in Orchard Park, New York. The Bills won 27-21. (Photo by Rich Barnes/Getty Images)

So, just like every other powerhouse program in college football? 

Yes, but with a head coach that has won Super Bowl rings and knows how to run an organization. Let’s not get any of the current landscape of college athletics twisted: This is now an NFL-like system, with rosters, free agency, and business decisions made on a daily basis. 

While some saw this move as a negotiating tactic to get folks in the NFL to make a run at him, Belichick has gone about the process like the pro that he is. There were intense meetings where the Super Bowl winning coach laid out his plan for how the North Carolina program would be ran. 

How Will North Carolina Be Different Under Bill Belichick? 

Think of it as a farm league, getting players ready for the next step of their careers, while giving them the best opportunity at succeeding at the next level. If anything, this is a move that will present the Tar Heels an opportunity to become the next ‘Colorado,’ after Deion Sanders made the move to Boulder after coaching at Jackson State. 

No, this is not the same, from a coaching perspective. Deion Sanders had experience at this level, dealing with NIL, the transfer portal and the ever-changing landscape of this sport. But that doesn’t mean Bill Belichick can’t succeed at North Carolina. 

If you think of this move as a business bringing in a new CEO, then it does make sense. North Carolina will allow Belichick to hire enough coaches around him that have experience at the college level, especially in recruiting. It’s obviously a whole different animal, as I can only imagine the legendary coach sitting in the kitchen of a 17-year-old prospect, trying to persuade him to pick the Tar Heels. 

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON – OCTOBER 05: Bill Belichick, former NFL coach, looks on during the game between the Washington Huskies and the Michigan Wolverines at Husky Stadium on October 05, 2024 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

But it should also be noted that this coaching search has been anything but normal. We’ve had board of trustee members trying to run the search, while athletic director Bubba Cunningham was doing his own due diligence in trying to land a proven head coach. The discussions with Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell hit a snag, Tulane’s Jon Sumrall decided to take his name out of the running (Whether that was on his own is up for debate) and other candidates have been interviewed. 

Through all of that, there were folks associated with North Carolina that were hellbent on getting Bill Belichick to sign a contract. Whether everyone inside the athletic department was on-board with the decision is a mute subject now. 

What North Carolina Needs To Do Now With Belichick Leading

As athletic departments around the country continue to expand, North Carolina will do the same. We’ve seen schools hiring entire transfer portal staffs, adding to the recruiting department, while also bringing on as many analysts as legally possible under the rules. 

Now, football programs are bringing on GM’s to run the roster, handle the salary cap (Revenue Sharing) and make the tough decisions regarding the portal. This is not groundbreaking, as we’ve seen some coaches start this trend years ago, before NIL was even on the mind of folks inside NCAA offices. 

So, Bill Belichick will need to hire someone he trusts to run the organization while he runs the team. An assistant coaching staff with college experience is a must-have component to this project, and AD Bubba Cunningham will give the football program all they need to have success. 

CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA – NOVEMBER 16: Jacolby Criswell #12 of the North Carolina Tar Heels reacts after throwing for a touchdown against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons during the second half of the game at Kenan Memorial Stadium on November 16, 2024 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.  (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)

But if the legendary coach is going to prove the doubters wrong, he will need to be humbled, and understand that he has a lot to learn. It won’t come overnight, or even after spring practice, but with enough of a support system and reliable folks to help him navigate the college landscape, this could work. 

Bill Belichick isn’t coming to college football, a year after Nick Saban left the sport, to fail. He’s going to do whatever it takes to win at a high level, and it could still all come crashing down in the process. 

Either way, things just got a lot crazier around college football, and the Tar Heels just made a massive splash in the process.