Former Patriots Defender Makes Bold Prediction For Bill Belichick's First Season at UNC

A high bar has been set for the first-time college head coach.

Belichick signed on to be North Carolina's next head coach in mid-December. / Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Now that North Carolina is through their 2024 season following a 27-14 loss to UConn in the Fenway Bowl, the Bill Belichick era is officially off and running.

The new Tar Heels' head coach is already making moves in the transfer portal and is set to put together his coaching staff in the near future. With that in mind, one of his former players is making a bold prediction:

"Bill Belichick will lead UNC to the College Football Playoff," ESPN analyst and former Patriots cornerback Jason McCourty said in a bold prediction segment of Wednesday's edition of First Take. "Yes, that is on his Christmas list that he is asking Santa—that you saw him post on his social media. That is right. Bill Belichick is now going the social media route to get recruits to come on campus. He wants all the good players."

.@JasonMcCourty makes a BOLD prediction that Bill Belichick will lead UNC to the CFP next year 👀 pic.twitter.com/Sefoz3CS9H

— First Take (@FirstTake) January 1, 2025

"And I think he is going to shake things up," McCourty continued. "Bring in a general manager with him. Getting guys to come over [in] the transfer portal, and show them how to win football games. Bill Belichick, playoffs. Those two words just go together."

The 72-year-old six-time Super Bowl champion enters a North Carolina program that fired head coach Mack Brown in late November following a disappointing 2024 season. The team named Freddie Kitchens as its interim coach, and Belichick announced at his introductory press conference that he will remain on staff.

The Tar Heels open Belichick's first season in Carolina Blue against the TCU Horned Frogs on Aug. 30.

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