Bill Belichick had just been introduced as North Carolina’s next football coach on Thursday when Premier Lee Roberts arrived bearing a gift. It was a short-sleeved gray hoodie with a blue interlocking “NC” logo, something of a trademark from Belichick’s NFL coaching days.
It took some getting used to, but it was a visual confirmation of the unexpected first foray into college coaching for a six-time Super Bowl-winning head coach whose name has become synonymous with NFL success. He currently leads a program at a school with a nationally known brand, but one that has at one time been unable to achieve high levels of success when it comes to football.
“I always wanted to coach college football,” Belichick said during his admissions press conference. “It didn’t work out at all, which was OK because I had a few good years in the NFL. But this really is like a dream come true.”
Belichick certainly looked relieved as he met with his new team in front of the media on Thursday. He avoided the curt, sullen responses he became known for during his time with the New England Patriots. During an appearance on ESPN’s “The Pat McAfee Show” on Monday, he joked that it was the “aura” of the press conference. Instead, he entered the room, grinning and joking, and began by scanning the crowd of reporters, former players and university officials.
“Lots of people,” he told Roberts lowly, smiling and looking around the room before taking his seat.
And, along with the size of its recruitment, UNC’s tradition-rich blueblood basketball program brought national attention to UNC more generally.
The school’s board of trustees approved the terms of the five-year contract early Thursday, followed by the governor of the state’s public university system following a press conference. The deal pays Belichick $10 million a year in base salary and supplemental pay, guaranteed only for the first three years, including acquisition purposes, and also pays him up to $3.5 million in annual bonuses.
As for Belichick’s buyout if he leaves, there would be a $10 million fee if it took place before June 2025, preventing him from making an unexpected jump to the NFL Opening Day before next season; A fine of $1 million will be imposed.
The school estimates it will allocate $10 million to assistant coach salaries, $1 million to the strength and conditioning staff, $5.3 million to general managers and other support staff, and ultimately $13 million to share revenue with players. There is also.
UNC Athletic Director Bubba Cunningham said after the press conference, “I think football is the economic engine of college sports. We need to be really good at football to maintain our presence on the national level.” Ta. “We compete in basketball, we compete in a lot of Olympic sports, but we need to make sure our football program is elite.
“I think this shows our commitment to what we do. Our performance going forward will prove if we can make it happen.”
Belichick arrived wearing a dark suit, light blue dress shirt, and white and light blue patterned tie. He sat between Roberts and Cunningham, who paid his own tribute by wearing a suit jacket with the sleeves cut off to mimic Belichick’s sideline-cut look.
“Like Bubba said, I’m here to teach and develop and build the program the way I believe,” Belichick said.
Hiring the 72-year-old Belichick from the 73-year-old Mack Brown is a no-brainer for most of his time in the NFL with quarterback Tom Brady, even though UNC has never worked at the college level. That means relying on a coach who has had more success than most. His 24-year tenure with the Patriots ended last season.
Belichick has 333 regular season and postseason wins in the NFL, second only to Don Shula’s 347 wins, while his 31 playoff wins are the most in league history.
He has been rumored to be taking an NFL job since leaving the Patriots and specifically the Atlanta Falcons in January. And he has seemingly established himself in the media world, appearing on former NFL quarterback Peyton and Eli Manning’s “Manning Cast” during Monday Night Football broadcasts, and appearing on McAfee’s show. I saw it.
That’s why the words of Belichick’s conversation with UNC, first reported by Inside Carolina and confirmed by The Associated Press last week, caused some surprise as an unexpected and unconventional candidate.
Belichick’s UNC program also has at least a small family connection. His late father, Steve, was an assistant coach for the Tar Heels from 1953 to 1955. Belichick agreed during a news conference, pulling out his father’s white school sweatshirt.
When asked about fans’ concerns that he would leave soon for another NFL job, Belichick said, “I didn’t come here to quit.”
And when asked how long he plans to continue coaching, he was quick to joke.
“It’s easier than working,” Belichick said, drawing laughs. My father said to me: If you love your job, it’s not a job. I love what I do. I love coaching. ”
His arrival on campus comes amid rapid changes in the world of college athletics, from the free movement of players through the transfer portal and the ability to earn cash on player endorsements to the looming arrival of revenue sharing. It’s time. And he takes over a school program with a nationally known brand that has never been able to sustain elite football success in its long history.
Belichick said there will certainly be a “strong presence of NFL people” on the staff, both in coaching and support. Tar Heels interim coach Freddie Kitchens is one example. Belichick said he plans to keep the former Cleveland Browns head coach on his staff.
The other is former NFL general manager and executive Michael Lombardi, who left his media job to become UNC’s GM. Lombardi attended Thursday’s press conference.
“It’s probably another dream come true to be able to work with Belichick again,” Lombardi said. “We had success together in Cleveland and we had success together in New England. It feels right to work that way. And I love building a football team.”
