Bill Belichick expected to take head coaching job in the ACC, joining North Carolina

Belichick is a legend of football, putting together one of the most successful careers of all time. But can he translate all of his success to college and turn UNC into a winning program?

After 24 seasons as the New England Patriots' head coach, Bill Belichick is trying his hand as a TV analyst during the 2024 NFL season. He is also currently a candidate to become the next UNC football coach. / Bob Breidenbach / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The greatest coach of all time is returning to the sidelines, just not at the level everyone thought. Stepping away after the 2023 season as head coach of the New England Patriots after 24 seasons saw him win six Super Bowl titles, Bill Belichick spent his first season away from the sidelines since the 2000 season, taking various different roles on TV as an analyst.

But the entire time he was off, the question quickly became when the 72-year-old would put on the headset again. Now, after nearly a year away, that question has been answered with it becoming official that he would become the next head coach at the University of North Carolina.

Chapel Bill: six-time Super-Bowl-winning head coach Bill Belichick is finalizing a deal to become the new head coach at North Carolina, sources tell me, @PeteThamel and @ClowESPN.

Belichick is going back to school, to where his father served as an assistant coach in the 1950s. pic.twitter.com/tcx7x00Alp

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 11, 2024

At the end of the season, the Tar Heels fired longtime coach Mack Brown and quickly began the search for their next head coach, bringing in Belichick for an interview. While it was considered a far-fetched idea that he would coach in college, having zero experience coaching in the college ranks, Belichick and the university kept in constant communication that eventually led to him being offered the job.

Leading up to the official announcement, there were rumors surrounding terms in order to reach an agreement, such as Bill’s son and current University of Washington defensive coordinator, Stephen Belichick, would be the head coach in waiting.

Meeting for over five hours over the weekend, Belichick remained coy throughout the entire process as the two sides worked out a deal, which included the length and salary of his deal, putting together adequate NIL resources as well as resources to bring in a good staff, among other things.

Going on the Pat McAfee Show on Monday, he confirmed that while nothing was official, he did have “a couple of good conversations” with some high ranking officials at the school and gave a hypothetical vision that if he were to take over a college team, he would run it like a 33rd NFL team and make it the ultimate pipeline for pros.

Initial reports are that his contract is for three years and is around the ballpark of about $30 million. Winning six Super Bowls while the head coach of the Patriots, with quarterback Tom Brady and tight end Rob Gronkowski being the center of the success, Belichick will bring a championship mindset to Chapel Hill and create a winning culture that has otherwise been inconsistent within North Carolina football.

Not much else is known at this time, as this is a developing story, but with Belichick now back in the football world, he will have the chance to add onto his Hall of Fame resume.

According to the football schedule for 2025, Stanford will be visiting North Carolina at some point next season.