Bill Belichick’s hiring as North Carolina’s football coach sparked excitement among fans, marking a historic moment for the program. Athletic director Bubba Cunningham, honoring Belichick’s laid-back style, faced significant pressure amid a chaotic coaching search influenced by political figures including Marco Rubio. Belichick’s interest began after his NFL tenure waned, with UNC’s struggles leading to significant administrative conflicts and frustrations. His large contract and demands raised questions about the program’s future and his fit in college football. Despite skepticism, supporters believe Belichick can transform UNC into a championship contender amidst ongoing concerns about team identity and expectations.
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — When Bill Belichick arrived for the press conference announcing his appointment as the new North Carolina football coach, over 200 fans packed into a room at Kenan Memorial Stadium. There was a striking blend of excitement and disbelief among long-standing Tar Heels supporters and boosters who were still coming to terms with the monumental decision their school had made just days prior.
Athletic director Bubba Cunningham donned a suit with the sleeves cut off, honoring Belichick’s iconic look from his 24-year tenure leading the New England Patriots, where he captured six Super Bowl titles. Media members pressed the typically reticent coach for insight into how this unexpected pairing had come to fruition. The communications team at UNC was inundated with requests for interviews, including from programs like “60 Minutes,” “Good Morning America,” and Charles Barkley’s podcast “The Steam Room,” all eager to secure a conversation with Belichick.
The university experienced a spike in season-ticket sales. Donors eagerly funneled money into the program, revitalizing an underfunded name, image, and likeness operation that former coach Mack Brown had continually criticized. Recruits and transfers noted the excitement, aiming for face time with the NFL coaching legend before making their college destination decisions.
As the college football landscape entered portal season, signing day, and the inaugural 12-team playoff in early December, it was North Carolina — a team that has not secured an ACC title since 1980 — that dominated headlines in the sports world.
“We anticipated a positive response, but it has been even more overwhelmingly favorable than we expected,” UNC chancellor Lee Roberts shared with ESPN following a board of trustees meeting in February. “We obviously wouldn’t proceed unless we believed it was a sound investment, and while it’s still early, we couldn’t feel better about our situation.”
However, the hire nearly didn’t happen, and within the influential circles of Chapel Hill, frustration remains about the chaotic nature of the process. The most significant appointment of the 2024 coaching carousel — and arguably the most historic moment in Tar Heels football — emerged from a tumultuous search marked by political maneuvering, which included involvement from now-Secretary of State Marco Rubio, internal conflicts, long-standing grievances, and a boardroom narrative more suitable for an episode of “Succession” than the hiring of a college football coach.
Whether Belichick’s hiring — or the political turmoil that accompanied it — leads to a championship in Chapel Hill will be a topic for college football analysts throughout the 2025 season. Yet the fundamental question — how, of all possible destinations for arguably the greatest football coach in history, did Belichick land at North Carolina? — is intriguing enough to render any outcome conceivable.
ESPN consulted with Roberts, Cunningham, and more than a dozen sources familiar with the process, reviewing over 700 pages of documents obtained via a public records request to uncover how UNC secured a coaching icon.
BELICHICK’S EXIT FROM the Patriots in January 2024 came as no surprise. Following the departure of longtime quarterback Tom Brady to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2020 (with whom he won a seventh Super Bowl), Belichick’s teams struggled, recording a 29-38 record in his final four seasons, making a change necessary for both the coach and the franchise. What was unexpected was the lack of other NFL teams vying for Belichick’s services, something his former offensive coordinator (and current Boston College head coach) Bill O’Brien described as “shocking.”
Finding himself without an NFL job in 2024, Belichick was in a state of uncertainty. Simultaneously, his son, Steve, was appointed as the defensive coordinator at Washington, where Jedd Fisch, another individual from the Belichick coaching tree, was the head coach. Although Bill Belichick made only a few visits to Washington’s campus with the team, he frequently communicated with Fisch, gaining insights into the contemporary college football environment.
“He’s discussed utilizing many strategies we’ve applied at Washington,” Fisch noted. “I think he’ll adapt well to the college scene. He’s been analyzing college film throughout his career. For a football genius, interacting with various coaches and programs is standard, and he genuinely enjoys teaching.”
(Belichick declined ESPN’s request for a comment for this story.)
By November, Belichick was reaching out to his football contacts, seeking insights about head coaching opportunities nationwide.
“It was evident that it was more than just casual curiosity based on the questions he was asking and the thoroughness he was displaying,” a source close to Belichick told ESPN. “He approaches everything like that … he absolutely wanted to coach again.”
Throughout the years, Belichick maintained detailed notes outlining precise strategies for running an organization. One source described it as a sort of philosophical “how-to guide,” which took on a near-mythical status during UNC’s pursuit, fueled by rumors of a “400-page manifesto” he presented to UNC leadership as a roadmap for the program.
Belichick dismissed the idea of the “manifesto” during his introductory press conference, stating, “Don’t believe everything you read in the papers.” Nonetheless, Michael Lombardi, a close confidant and now general manager at UNC, confirmed in a December interview with “The Pat McAfee Show” that Belichick indeed shared his notes with Roberts.
“What I know is this: Coach Belichick knows precisely what he wants to accomplish with this program,” Lombardi said, “and that document … encapsulates everything the Patriot Way was about.” (Lombardi declined to comment for this story.)
The UNC role also promised Belichick another advantage: autonomy.
“He missed coaching and desired the opportunity to establish his own program in his own way,” O’Brien stated. “That’s challenging in the NFL due to partnerships with general managers and owners. Bill’s always operated on his terms, his program.”
After the Tar Heels began the season with a 3-4 record, it became evident that North Carolina — a place where Belichick’s father once coached — was prepared for a new direction. And Belichick was ready to present his vision.
WHEN NORTH CAROLINA parted ways with Larry Fedora after a dismal 2-9 season in 2018, the school brought in an experienced Hall of Famer with connections to a bygone era of Tar Heels football. That figure was Mack Brown, and the strategy yielded results — to a certain extent.
Brown led UNC to an ACC title game and an Orange Bowl, successfully developing quarterback Drake Maye into a first-round NFL draft selection. However, a familiar frustration manifested: UNC would flirt with a breakthrough and then falter under the weight of rising expectations.
Behind the scenes, these frustrations played out in an unending power struggle between the athletic administration, the board of trustees, and Brown, who felt UNC was not adequately investing in football. These grievances culminated publicly in May 2024 when board members attempted to hold AD Bubba Cunningham accountable for fiscal deficits in the athletic budget stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic. Board member Jennifer Lloyd claimed the budget had been mismanaged, while board chair John Preyer suggested the school should attempt to sue the ACC, as fellow members Clemson and Florida State had done, in hopes of securing a more lucrative TV deal. (FSU and Clemson have since resolved their issues.)
Multiple sources indicated that the conflict began with Brown voicing concerns to his close ally, Preyer, regarding the insufficient funding for the program, which one football insider described as causing “a slow bleed” of talent due to a lack of financial resources. Preyer seized upon the moment to publicly criticize Cunningham’s management of the athletic department, advocating for an internal audit of its budget, which the board approved but was ultimately not completed, as stated by board member Vinay Patel, audit committee chair. Eight months later, the school reported record revenues for athletics.
“For me, this wasn’t about targeting Bubba,” Patel emphasized. “It was about understanding why we weren’t in the black and whether there was something we could do to make a difference.”
Preyer did not respond to ESPN’s request for comment for this story.
From that point onward, the board was focused on strategies to inject new revenue into athletics, a factor that would prove essential in recruiting Belichick six months later. Prior to this could occur, however, the power struggle among Cunningham, Brown, and the board reached its climax within the Tar Heels’ locker room on Sept. 21, 2024, following a humiliating 70-50 loss to James Madison.
In an emotional moment, Brown, 73 and the oldest active head coach in FBS football leading into the 2024 season, informed his team he was prepared to step down. Many players and administrators interpreted this as his resignation. Rumors circulated that the Hall of Fame coach would depart. Brown ultimately retraced his steps, stating he wished to remain if the team still had faith in him.
At that point, however, the die was cast.
Brown continued with the season, while plans for a formal retirement announcement were made at various intervals. Yet the tragic death of UNC football player Tylee Craft and a midseason three-game winning streak derailed these intentions. Although Brown assured Cunningham of his plans to retire, by mid-November, individuals close to Brown began speculating he might actually push for one more season. This speculation peaked when Brown suggested in a news conference on Nov. 25 that was indeed his intention. This conversation was too much for Cunningham, who contacted Brown from Hawaii, where the men’s basketball team was playing, and dismissed the school’s all-time winningest coach. UNC made the announcement the following day.
Despite sharing his reservations about Brown’s tenure with UNC administrators after losses to JMU and Duke, Preyer reportedly described Cunningham’s handling of Brown’s firing as “shameful.”
The saga — along with the ongoing power struggle within the program — set the stage for North Carolina’s eventual choice to replace Brown with another coaching legend in his 70s.
CUNNINGHAM STARTED TO strategize for a coaching transition following the JMU game, but it wasn’t until November that the most prominent name emerged on his radar.
Belichick signaled his interest in the UNC position through political contacts, reaching out to a longtime friend, then-Senator Marco Rubio of Florida, who subsequently contacted North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis to generate support for Belichick.
“Rubio has a keen awareness of the sports world, and he called me suggesting, ‘Belichick may want to come to Chapel Hill,'” Tillis recounted to ESPN. “He expressed that he wanted a school with a strong academic standing and aimed to establish a program that could achieve a national championship. I said, ‘Let me make some calls.'”
Tillis promptly reached out to Phil Berger, the North Carolina Senate president pro tempore, who had solid connections with influential figures at UNC. Berger initially laughed at the prospect, but Tillis reassured him that Belichick was indeed interested in the role.
This initiated a chain of events, transforming the pursuit of Belichick into a fervent effort among key stakeholders, including Preyer. As one source put it, “The quest for Belichick began with the politicians.”
Roberts abstained from commenting on the involvement of Rubio, Tillis, and Berger in smoothing the way for Belichick, but expressed satisfaction with the overall support received.
Belichick’s camp made more direct approaches on Nov. 12 when Lombardi reached out to Cunningham to assess his interest in the former Patriots coach, according to documents acquired via a public records request by ESPN. During this time, Cunningham informed Lombardi that there was no formal decision regarding Brown’s future and declined to engage with potential candidates until Brown’s departure was confirmed.
However, in truth, Cunningham was considering another former NFL head coach — Arthur Smith, a former UNC player and current offensive coordinator for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Cunningham initially contacted Smith in early November simply to gauge his interest for a job that wasn’t officially open yet. No interviews occurred, though dialogue continued. Smith expressed interest and was regarded as a preferred candidate within UNC, enjoying support from Roberts and board members.
“They all believed they could entice Smith back to Chapel Hill, making any interest in Belichick or other candidates insignificant. Smith was their primary choice,” one source explained.
By late November, however, UNC’s interest in candidates became public, causing Smith to feel uneasy about appearing to undermine Brown prior to the announcement concerning his status, a source disclosed. On Nov. 28, Smith acknowledged to the press that he had preliminary discussions about the opening but stated he was content in the NFL. Smith’s withdrawal rattled the search and invigorated multiple board members in their determination to hire Belichick.
“Afterward,” a source asserted, “that’s when the hiring process started to unravel.”
ON NOV. 30, CUNNINGHAM participated in a conference call with UNC leadership to discuss potential candidates. He had compiled a list of over 30 names, including Army head coach Jeff Monken, Tulane head coach Jon Sumrall, and Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell. Many board members, including Preyer and Lloyd, strongly believed that Belichick was the best — if not the only — viable option for the role.
What transpired, according to numerous sources, was essentially two parallel coaching searches — one led by Cunningham and the athletic department, and another exclusively managed by UNC board members intent on securing Belichick.
Several board members perceived Belichick as comparable to Colorado’s recent hiring of Deion Sanders — a significant public relations and financial boost, alongside the added benefit of improving athletic performance.
“To fundraise effectively, you require engagement and alumni who are invested in the university,” board trustee member Jennifer Lloyd stated during Belichick’s introductory news conference. “Everything is interconnected.”
As discussions about Belichick’s potential at North Carolina gained traction, other candidates began to question the university’s commitment to a genuine coaching search. Campbell turned down UNC’s interview request, while Sumrall, after meeting with UNC leadership — including Roberts and Cunningham — in New Orleans on Dec. 7, withdrew his name from consideration. Sumrall later signed an extension with Tulane on Dec. 9.
“The timing wasn’t right, and it felt like [Cunningham] was being sidelined,” a source revealed. “It left many wondering, ‘What is truly happening?'”
The search was reminiscent of other notoriously chaotic processes where excessive power players competed for control.
“It felt like a repeat of Auburn’s hiring debacle when they brought in Bryan Harsin,” one source commented.
Days later, discussions of Belichick’s interest in the UNC job created significant pressure on Cunningham, forcing him to either hire a legendary coach or take the blame for the program missing a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
This disconnect evolved into somewhat of an open secret, and while many viewed the potential hiring of Belichick as an exciting milestone, board members and UNC leadership also faced backlash from fans and alumni.
“This is embarrassing,” read one email acquired through a public records request. “We’re being overshadowed by a 72-year-old coach after we just allowed a 73-year-old to lead for years.”
“The Carolina community implores you to get this right,” another email directed to Preyer stated, “and to allow Bubba Cunningham to execute his job.”
Regardless of the mixed publicity stemming from Belichick’s involvement in the search, the board recognized the potential for him to generate enthusiasm and financial support for UNC athletics.
“It benefits us,” Lloyd noted at Belichick’s hiring announcement. “It brings national attention.”
On Dec. 5, Belichick had a meeting with UNC officials in New York City, coinciding with his and girlfriend Jordon Hudson’s attendance at The Museum Gala at the American Museum of Natural History. At that juncture, sources recall UNC remaining skeptical that a deal could be reached, expressing concerns that Belichick may simply be using their interest as leverage for another NFL opportunity. Cunningham continued discussions with other candidates, aggravating Preyer and other board members, who then took the unprecedented step of submitting what essentially amounted to an offer sheet to Belichick’s agent without the approval of Roberts or Cunningham.
This decision had two significant consequences: it discouraged virtually all remaining serious contenders — with then-Cleveland Browns tight ends coach Tommy Rees perceived as the only alternative at that point — and shifted all negotiation leverage to Belichick.
“By that point, it was clear that the UNC administration was favoring Belichick,” a source stated. “His representatives and UNC were focusing on resolving the details, which took time because Belichick wanted considerable concessions, while UNC aspired to ensure they retained a viable candidate if Belichick chose to walk away.”
Roberts and Cunningham became aware of the unofficial offer on Dec. 6, and two days later, a meeting was arranged where Roberts and UNC’s legal team — notably excluding Cunningham — ventured to Massachusetts to meet with Belichick in his office. They were open to solidifying a deal but understood they could not meet the terms offered by Preyer. Sources indicated this meeting was anticipated to potentially conclude negotiations.
Belichick’s demands were extraordinary for an institution like UNC. Brown earned $5 million annually; Belichick sought more than double that amount. He also insisted on autonomy over the program, a notable increase in the salary pool for assistants, and a minimum commitment from the university for player acquisition that surpassed UNC’s proposed revenue-sharing distribution. Reports indicated he suggested designating his son, Steve Belichick, as a “head coach in waiting.” Multiple sources confirmed discussions regarding Steve Belichick’s future as UNC’s head coach took place but were never formalized, as this proposal was deemed “a nonstarter” in negotiations.
On Dec. 9, Belichick appeared on “The Pat McAfee Show,” acknowledging ongoing discussions with UNC, intensifying pressure on the Tar Heels to finalize an agreement.
The concluding negotiations with Belichick on Dec. 11 were strained, as Cunningham and UNC attempted to reclaim what they could from the board’s unofficial proposal. To make the financials viable, Roberts had to commit university funds to accommodate the increased football expenditures.
Ultimately, Belichick accepted the position — along with the terms of a five-year, $50 million contract — prompting all involved parties to switch into celebration mode. Overall, UNC committed to nearly a 25% rise in football expenditure, which included $1.5 million annually allocated for Lombardi.
“This is a gamble,” Cunningham stated to ESPN. “But the university believes there’s potential for a significant return on our investment with the resources we are committing.”
Nevertheless, concerns lingered.
For instance, reports persisted that NFL teams expressed interest in speaking with Belichick, and public records gathered by ESPN revealed the school was closely tracking any updates regarding their new coach potentially pivoting back to the professional realm. Belichick’s contract, signed on Jan. 25, included a $10 million buyout should he leave prior to June 1, 2025. After this date, the buyout drops to just $1 million.
Public records also highlighted the university’s awareness of the risks associated with this hire. While Belichick’s stature elevated interest and financial prospects, it was equally true that the six-time Super Bowl champion had never coached at the collegiate level.
An initial draft of the remarks for UNC leadership’s announcement regarding the hire suggested portraying Belichick as an ideal fit in an evolving college football landscape increasingly resembling the NFL; this notion received pushback from the PR firm aiding in refining the school’s messaging. “Should we embrace the shifting dynamics of college sports, given the question whether he is the right person to spearhead that change?” posed one PR consultant, according to documents acquired through a public records request by ESPN.
The response: “That won’t pass the giggle test.”
Instead, UNC opted for a narrative centered around “excellence, winning, and success.”
This debate underscored the hesitancy expressed by Cunningham and others within the athletic department regarding the hire. Sources indicated that Roberts and Cunningham were “in complete agreement” throughout this process, but notable reservations persisted about entrusting the football program’s future to a 72-year-old without prior college coaching experience. However, Preyer and other board members were insistent, ultimately persuading Cunningham and Roberts.
Conversely, if Preyer and his allies on the board of trustees achieved their goal, the power play risked causing damage to them as well.
On Jan. 16, UNC system president Peter Hans issued a memo to Preyer and Roberts, criticizing the board’s management of Belichick’s hiring, as reported by The Assembly digital magazine, and sought to curtail the board’s influence over athletics in the future.
“There continue to be instances where board members appear to act autonomously from the campus administration on matters clearly within the chancellor’s jurisdiction,” Hans stated, per The Assembly. “[Such actions] create substantial legal risk to the University — risking North Carolina taxpayers’ money by obscuring the lines of authority when these athletic departments engage in negotiations with external parties.”
Despite this, the hiring represented a landmark moment.
“This is the acquisition of the college football universe,” Tillis remarked. “When the opportunity arose, I believed any institution of similar caliber — looking for him, they would have considered him even if they were content with their coach. I anticipate he’ll develop a program that showcases the potential for outstanding student-athletes and a genuine chance of acquiring a national championship.”
Fisch expressed his confidence that the new UNC coach “will excel. He’s an elite coach and an incredible individual.” O’Brien, who will compete against his former mentor in the ACC this year, said the hire “is fantastic for college football and beneficial for the ACC. The ACC often receives criticism, yet here we have the greatest coach of all time joining our ranks.”
During his first press conference of the spring on March 5, Belichick faced numerous questions regarding the differences between his college experiences and the NFL.
The audience likely anticipated something more insightful, but Belichick — as adept at avoiding noteworthy soundbites as he is at coaching football — delivered responses that were predictably mundane.
“Fundamentals are fundamentals,” he stated. “Zone coverage is zone. Man is man.”
The most notable distinction, he mentioned, was the hash marks.
The arrival of a legend hasn’t altered the fundamental dynamics of football at North Carolina. Belichick isn’t here to reinvent the game. He won’t magically transform a consistent underperformer into a championship contender, even if his presence feels like a divine blessing from football’s deities.
Nonetheless, on the field, one clear difference from the past emerged. Players maneuvered through familiar drills, yet all donned plain jerseys — some blue, some white, but all stripped of name plates, logos, or jersey numbers. They were devoid of any identifiers that marked them as Tar Heels football players beyond the tasks they were executing on the field.
One reporter inquired how Belichick had prepared his players for this distinctive approach before spring practices began.
The answer, of course, was that he hadn’t discussed it.
This might be the underlying reason for Belichick’s presence here — to detach North Carolina from the identity it has long held, one characterized by unmet expectations and letdowns, and to forge something new from the ground up.