Bill Belichick, the legendary pro football head coach who won six Super Bowl titles with the New England Patriots, has been hired as the next head coach at UNC. His hiring ends a coaching search which began with the firing of Mack Brown in late November, and was filled with both rumors and national attention around the potential pairing with the future Hall of Famer.

Inside Carolina first reported on Thursday that the university had finalized and sent Belichick a contract with terms expected to land the former Patriots coach. Shortly before 5:30 p.m., several football insiders — including ESPN’s Adam Schefter, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones, and the NFL Network’s Ian Rappaport — reported Belichick had agreed to the terms.

Later that evening, the university confirmed the news.

“I am excited for the opportunity at UNC-Chapel Hill,” Belichick said in a statement. “I grew up around college football with my Dad and treasured those times. I have always wanted to coach in college and now I look forward to building the football program in Chapel Hill.”

Indeed, Belichick has a connection to Chapel Hill from his father. Steve Belichick worked as an assistant coach for the UNC football program from 1953 through 1955, during which time the young Bill took a photograph at Kenan Stadium.

 

“This is an exciting day for Carolina football and our University,” said chancellor Lee Roberts. “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.”

Despite his extensive coaching career, this will be Belichick’s first head coaching job in the college ranks. The 72-year-old’s resume includes stops with the Baltimore Colts, Detroit Lions and Denver Broncos before an extended stint with the New York Giants, where Belichick would win two Super Bowls as defensive coordinator. Notably, Belichick’s time with the Giants saw him coach future Hall of Fame linebacker Lawrence Taylor, a UNC alumnus.

Belichick’s first head coaching role came with the Cleveland Browns from 1991 through 1995. He employed numerous budding household names on his staff in Cleveland, including future Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz and future Alabama head coach Nick Saban.

Belichick arrived in New England to coach the Patriots in 2000. After drafting quarterback Tom Brady that spring, Belichick and Brady soon embarked on the greatest NFL dynasty of the modern era, winning three Super Bowls in four seasons between 2001 and 2004 and then three in five seasons between 2014 and 2018. Belichick left New England in 2023 with 333 career wins in the NFL, 14 shy of tying Don Shula’s all-time record.

“We know that college athletics is changing, and those changes require new and innovative thinking,” said UNC athletic director Bubba Cunningham. “Bill Belichick is a football legend, and hiring him to lead our program represents a new approach that will ensure Carolina football can evolve, compete and win — today and in the future. At Carolina, we believe in providing championship opportunities and the best experience possible for our student-athletes, and Coach Belichick shares that commitment. We are excited to welcome him to Chapel Hill.”

In addition to Belichick’s arrival, former NFL executive Michael Lombardi will join the program as general manager. Lombardi worked on Belichick’s coaching staff with the Patriots from 2014 through 2016, winning two Super Bowl titles.

“I’m excited to join Coach Belichick at North Carolina,” Lombardi said. “I’m excited to return to helping build a winning program.”

 

Featured image via Associated Press/Michael Dwyer

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