New North Carolina head coach Bill Belichick is on the road recruiting for the Tar Heels, but he still hasn’t signed his contract yet, according to Jonathan Jones of CBS.
It’s not unheard of for college coaches not to immediately sign contracts, but with the rumors surrounding Belichick and NFL interest, it’s something to watch — even if UNC general manager Michael Lombardi denies the links.
The UNC buyout clause is set at $10 million, but after June 1, that number shrinks to just $1 million. And with the contract not signed, questions about the buyout as a whole have been raised.
According to Jones, Belichick signed a term sheet with North Carolina on Dec. 1.
It could be nothing to worry about, but Belichick isn’t a “normal” college football coach, and with the Dallas Cowboys’ job opening up, it bears watching.
Belichick, 72, spent 24 years as the head coach of the Patriots (2000-23) and five years as the head coach of the Cleveland Browns (1991-95) before that. He compiled a 266-121 record in New England, winning 30 playoff games and six Super Bowls in nine appearances.
While he hasn’t coached at the collegiate level, he’s regarded as one of the greatest football coaches of all time, if not the greatest.
Of course, he’s less than a year younger than former head coach Mack Brown (who was the oldest coach in college football) and he’s new at this level of coaching. His name, NFL experience and the UNC brand will likely be an appeal to prospective recruits.
North Carolina is coming off a 6-6 (3-5 ACC) season in which the Tar Heels struggled — including a 34-24 loss to the Panthers in which Eli Holstein threw for 381 yards and three touchdowns. Brown’s second tenure at UNC had some highs (and good quarterbacks), but the Heels were unable to get back to the heights reached during his first tenure.
It’s still uncertain whether Belichick will be able to push the Tar Heels to the next level either.
Pitt isn’t slated to play North Carolina again until the 2026 season.
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