“Beat Duke!” Bill Belichick gets introduced as new head coach of UNC
Life came full circle for Bill Belichick, who returned to UNC as a coach, just as his father did 70 years ago.
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Bill Belichick shows his father's UNC sweatshirt at the Chapel Hill press conference (Image via X)
Bill Belichick has officially left his NFL career behind. Earlier today, he was unveiled as the new head coach of the UNC Tar Heels football program on a five-year contract. This brings him back to coaching, something he has done all throughout his life, but more importantly, this was a full circle moment for him.
Bill Belichick always wanted to coach in college, but his success in the NFL kept it from happening. Once he had to leave his more than two decade long run with the New England Patriots last season, he still primarily wanted to coach in the prestigious league. But options dried up and his ears perked up when Mack Brown was let go earlier, leaving the position vacant.
Belichick pounced and attended two interviews and gave them an outlier of how he would lead the program. Once the two sides agreed to a deal, he arrived at the press conference at Chapel Hill.
You know when you are little, you don’t remember everything. Obviously I was too young to remember a lot of things from Carolina. But as I grew up you hear the same story over and over and over again. One story I always heard was ‘Billy’s first words were ‘Beat Duke”.
Bill Belichick said at UNC press conference
"Billy's first words were 'Beat Duke.'" 😂💙
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) December 12, 2024
Bill Belichick on the "full-circle moment" of coming back home to coach at @UNCFootball when college football was "all [he] knew as a kid." pic.twitter.com/joZ7OAqITj
The eight-time Super Bowl winning coach mentioned his days growing up in Carolina and was happy that he was back home. But it became full circle as he followed his father to be a coach for the Tar Heels. His father Steve Belichick was an assistant coach for the program from 1953-55, and he proudly showed one of his father’s sweatshirts from that time.
Bill Belichick gets sleeveless shootout from UNC Athletic Director
After a shout out to his father, Bill Belichick continued to talk about his intentions to bring success to the UNC Tar Heels program. He also clarified that he would do in-home visits to recruits, which many questioned if he would do.
The program can expect some of his NFL experiences to funnel into college football. For one will be the toughness with which he coaches. He has had issues with younger players during his time with the New England Patriots. But he might have tweaked his approach knowing he has to get 18-year-olds into his program.
Another aspect the 72-year-old was known for, was his gameday fits. His most popular one was the cut-off sleeves, hoodies or sweatshirts he used to don while on the sidelines. Even in the cold, those cut sleeves stayed, whereas he used an undershirt to keep him warm.
UNC AD Bubba Cunningham brought out the sleeveless suit in honor of Bill Belichick 😅 pic.twitter.com/t8GM2w3BOm
— ESPN (@espn) December 12, 2024
The Athletic Director of the University of North Carolina Tar Heels program, Bubba Cunningham, decided to give an ode to that style.
Since receiving Belichick and his girlfriend, Jordon Hudson, at the entrance, Cunningham sported a full jacket. Before taking his seat at the podium, the AD changed into a jacket with its sleeves cut off. That shout out to his new HC’s style sent the entire room into splits.
Related: Tom Brady’s son Jack was one of the biggest factors in him joining the Bucs after Patriots exit
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Joseph Varghese
(2168 Articles Published)