Bill Belichick has wasted no time gathering new players for his UNC Tar Heels squad ahead of his inaugural season.

In fact, the biggest question mark regarding Belichick’s surprising jump into college football has been his adjustment to recruiting in this NIL era. 

Well, he’s already delivered a four-star recruit to Chapel Hill in quarterback Bryce Baker, who was introduced at a Tar Heels basketball game on Saturday alongside Belichick.

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During his weekly appearance on "The Pat McAfee Show," Belichick discussed recruiting and how he’s adjusted, which he called an "interesting process" but something he’s seen before. 

"[UNC GM] Mike Lombardi and I were just talking about it — it’s very similar to what we went through with the post-draft process, and right at the beginning of free agency process all combined into one with the transfer portal," Belichick explained.

 "It’s exciting to put together a team."

BILL BELICHICK'S FORMER PLAYERS SPEAK OUT AFTER COACH'S SHOCKING DECISION TO TAKE NORTH CAROLINA JOB

Belichick added that "a number of players" will be coming through Chapel Hill this week as the open transfer portal creates a whirlwind of moves for programs across the country. So, he, Lombardi and the rest of the program are quickly moving to make sure they take advantage of this time to put together the right time for 2025. 

But, when McAfee asked if Belichick is selling this new program to these players, the legendary coach said it’s a bit of both.

"We’re selling the program, but quite honestly, Pat, a lot of players and agents are coming to us saying, ‘We want to be part of the program. Is there a spot for us? Would you take this player, that player?’ and so forth," Belichick explained. "A lot of the agents are also representing players in the transfer portal that we’ve dealt with in the National Football League. So, a lot of those relationships carry over to college football."

Belichick is still putting together his coaching staff as well as assessing his current roster. It’s certainly a process and one that needs to be learned on the fly, especially considering other programs with their coaches in place have a bit of a headstart on UNC with Belichick coming in. 

But the 72-year-old already has a top quarterback prospect and more potential key roster pieces on the way. 

UNC has seven three-star recruits as commitments for the 2025 season, according to Rivals, with Baker being a verbal commit. 

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Tom Brady revealed his initial reaction when he found out Bill Belichick decided to become the next head coach of the North Carolina Tar Heels.

Brady talked about his former coach’s decision while calling the Philadelphia Eagles’ win over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Fox Sunday evening.

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"Kind of blew me away when I heard the news," Brady told Fox play-by-play man Kevin Burkhardt. "I didn’t think that was an opportunity he was looking at. But they’re getting, obviously, a tremendous coach. 

"Being in that locker room with him when I did for many years, those guys are gonna play very hard. He’s gonna coach them well. It’s a great benefit for all those players who are going to that program because they’re getting the best coach the NFL has ever seen – now he’s at a college level."

Burkhardt asked Brady about how he thought Belichick’s recruiting was going to go.

BILL BELICHICK'S FORMER PLAYERS SPEAK OUT AFTER COACH'S SHOCKING DECISION TO TAKE NORTH CAROLINA JOB

The former New England Patriots star quarterback admitted that his former coach was not exactly the warmest person in the world.

"He’s not the warmest and fuzziest of all time. It’s not like there’s tons of … I remember one year after we won the Super Bowl in our first year, we got in a limo on Bourbon Street after we beat the Rams in 2001, we got in a limo after the game, the next morning at the MVP press conference he goes, ‘You know what, Tom? You had a pretty good season.’ That was a about as warm and fuzzy as it got with coach Belichick," Brady said.

Belichick is set to replace Mack Brown as head coach. The Tar Heels are 6-6 this year and play UConn in the Fenway Bowl. Freddie Kitchens will coach the team for the game.

North Carolina has gone to six consecutive bowl games. They have had one 10-win season since 1998.

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Bill Belichick’s decision to take the North Carolina Tar Heels job came as a shock to many around the professional and college football world.

Belichick, at 72 and one of the most highly respected former NFL head coaches, has never coached at the collegiate level. He was an assistant with the Baltimore Colts in 1975 before eventually winning several Super Bowls with the New England Patriots and New York Giants.

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The decision to go to college at this juncture of his life and career left one of his former players, linebacker Tedy Bruschi, quizzical.

"What are we doing here? I mean, with Bill Belichick going to coach North Carolina. I mean, college football — there’s only one bowl game I want to see Bill Belichick coaching and that’s the Super Bowl, OK?" he said on ESPN’s "Sunday NFL Countdown." "I don’t want to see him coaching some Lawnmower Bowl in December or January. That’s just not who I am."

"I don’t know how there wouldn’t be any interest as to where you bring a Belichick in, and he makes you immediately relevant and well-coached by who he is," Bruschi continued. "Would he make one of these teams that needed a head coach this year an immediate contender? I mean, yes, he would. He is that good. Now, he’s not going to be on the level of six championships New England Patriots or anything like that, but your team would be competent from the get-go; and then it’s on your players.

"I can’t believe Bill Belichick won’t be in the NFL next year. … I don’t know how this happened."

TAYLOR SWIFT REMARKS ON 49ERS' BROCK PURDY: 'HE PUT ME THROUGH A LOT LAST FEBRUARY'

Belichick officially agreed to take the job last week despite checking in to see if there was interest from the New York Jets’ side about possibly coaching them, despite historical drama surrounding both parties.

Julian Edelman weighed in on the move and offered a sunnier taker.

"It’s the most surprising thing in the history of anything to me that the greatest NFL football coach is not going to be in the NFL," the former wide receiver said on "FOX NFL Kickoff." "The more I think about it, the more it makes sense."

"A, projecting players: I was a quarterback in college, played receiver [in the NFL]. Tom Brady was a sixth-round draft pick, became the greatest quarterback of all time. Rob Gronkowski was a second-round pick, became the greatest tight end of all time. He knows how to project players.

"B, nostalgia: Bill’s dad coached at North Carolina … he loves anything his dad was a part of, so that makes sense. And then, three, [seeing] the ‘Hoodie’ in a [Michael] Jordan Tar Heel powder blue."

Belichick is set to replace Mack Brown as head coach. The Tar Heels are 6-6 this year and play UConn in the Fenway Bowl. Freddie Kitchens will coach the team for the game.

North Carolina has gone to six consecutive bowl games. They’ve had one 10-win season since 1998.

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Nearly 25 years after infamously resigning as head coach of the New York Jets, Bill Belichick apparently considered that job again.

In 2000, Belichick was about to take over as the next head coach of the New York Jets. But during his introductory press conference, he resigned and wrote it on a napkin.

Belichick cited questions he had about ownership for his decision. He then went to the New England Patriots and made Jets fans' lives a living hell for the next two-plus decades.

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Now, Belichick is the head coach of UNC, but it reportedly didn't happen without him first showing interest in … the Jets.

A couple weeks before going to Chapel Hill, The Athletic says, Belichick's "inner circle" had informal talks with some NFL teams, including the Jets. However, there were no formal discussions, and the UNC opportunity came about.

The Jets fired Robert Saleh after a 2-3 start, and they're 1-7 since then.

ARMY-NAVY GAME IS 'COLLEGE FOOTBALL AT ITS PUREST FORM' AMID NIL ERA, SPONSOR'S CEO SAYS

There had been online speculation Belichick could have returned to the New York Giants, where he won two Super Bowls as a defensive coordinator. He coached Lawrence Taylor, a Tar Heels star before becoming the second pick in the 1981 NFL Draft.

It's widely speculated Belichick was worried about Woody Johnson owning the team, which he still does. Johnson took a hiatus from the team after serving as Donald Trump's ambassador to the United Kingdom during Trump's first presidency. Belichick did serve as the team's defensive coordinator for three seasons under Bill Parcells, who was also the general manager.

Belichick shut down any notion he would head to the NFL after potential success at UNC, saying he "didn't come here to leave."

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The rivalry between N.C. State and North Carolina still runs deep even with the regular season officially wrapped. 

During a press conference with reporters Friday, Wolfpack head coach Dave Doeren didn’t appear pleased that the first question of his media session was about rival head coach Bill Belichick. 

"That’s the first question I’m going to get today? Shocker," Doeren said.

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The question about the biggest news to hit the ACC this year was asked as N.C. State prepares for its bowl game against East Carolina, another in-state rival. 

Despite his initial remarks, Doeren did manage to welcome the famed former NFL coach to the conference before adding he’s not "really thinking" about North Carolina. 

"Well, one, welcome to the ACC, and  [I’m] excited to compete against coach. Obviously, all coaches in the business have a great amount of respect and know what he’s done in the profession. So, for me as a competitor, I’m excited to compete. And that’s about all I have to say about it because I’m really not thinking a whole lot about that program. I’m thinking about my own."

BILL BELICHICK SAID HE ALWAYS WANTED TO COACH IN COLLEGE AFTER TAKING UNC JOB: 'DREAM COME TRUE'

Belichick, 72, entered the broadcast world after mutually agreeing to part ways with the New England Patriots last season. But the legendary coach returned to the sidelines when he agreed this week to take on the head coaching job at North Carolina. 

Belichick and Doeren will have a chance to settle things next year on the field. 

The Wolfpack are fresh off a victory in the long-standing rivalry, having defeated the Tar Heels 35-30 last month. 

For now, the focus for the Wolfpack on East Carolina when the two programs meet in the Military Bowl Dec. 28. 

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A new era has begun in North Carolina, and one former Tar Heel student is looking to make big bucks because of it.

Bill Belichick was introduced as UNC's head football coach on Thursday - initial reports were scoffed at, but alas, it is all real.

Well, now that Belichick is wearing the light blue, a UNC alum has filed a trademark to commemorate the historic moment.

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Anthony Proscia, who graduated in 2000, has filed for a trademark for the term "Chapel Bill," of course, a play on the location of the school, according to TMZ.

The school actually used the phrase on X on Thursday when Belichick arrived at the facility for his press conference.

Proscia told TMZ that he would allow the school or Belichick to have the trademark or license apparel under it, but he will most definitely be using it for merchandise himself.

BILL BELICHICK SAYS HE SPOKE WITH UNC LEGENDS, INCLUDING MICHAEL JORDAN AND LAWRENCE TAYLOR, BEFORE TAKING JOB

It is Belichick's first college gig after spending nearly 50 years on NFL sidelines, and despite winning eight Super Bowls, he called the UNC gig a "dream come true."

"​​I’ve always wanted to coach in college football," Belichick said. "It just never really worked out. Had some good years in the NFL, so that was OK. But this is really a dream come true."

Belichick interviewed for at least two NFL jobs this past offseason after he and the New England Patriots parted ways after 24 years - Belichick won six Super Bowls with the Pats.

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Bill Belichick isn't going to Chapel Hill blindly.

After spending nearly five decades on NFL sidelines, the eight-time Super Bowl champion took his first-ever college coaching job with the Tar Heels.

He was officially introduced Thursday.

Early reports of Belichick's interest in the job were often scoffed at, but it's clear he was interested from the jump.

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He was so into the job he had spoken with several of the school's most famed alumni, including Michael Jordan and Lawrence Taylor. Belichick also said he spoke with Julius Peppers.

Jordan starred in Chapel Hill before becoming the greatest basketball player of all time, and Taylor was a mainstay in UNC's defense before he was drafted by the New York Giants and coached by Belichick. The duo won two Super Bowls together with Big Blue.

Peppers, an NFL great, also played basketball for the school.

In typical Belichick fashion, he did not reveal what they spoke about, but he said they were all "very supportive."

BILL BELICHICK SAID HE ALWAYS WANTED TO COACH IN COLLEGE AFTER TAKING UNC JOB: 'DREAM COME TRUE'

"There's been a ton of support," he added, "from ex-players and other UNC alums. This is a great brand and a great support system here. So, I'm excited to spend more time with these people."

It's a five-year deal for Belichick, who added that he did not "come [to Chapel Hill] to leave."

Belichick, 72, interviewed for at least two NFL jobs last offseason after he and the New England Patriots parted ways after 24 seasons and six championships.

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From rumors, to a finalized deal, to a press conference, the last 24 hours for the North Carolina Tar Heels have been a whirlwind as legendary NFL coach Bill Belichick will now lead a college football program for the first time in his illustrious career. 

Belichick sat in front of the media during his introductory press conference as the new head coach for the Tar Heels – an idea no college football fan would've fathomed until rumors began to swirl last week about his interest in running the program. 

It was always thought that Belichick, who is 27 wins away from becoming the head coach with the most victories in NFL history, would return to the pros if he wished to continue coaching. 

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But the 72-year-old explained on Thursday afternoon why he chose to go the college route. 

"​​I’ve always wanted to coach in college football," Belichick said. "It just never really worked out. Had some good years in the NFL, so that was OK. But this is really a dream come true."

BILL BELICHICK AGREES TO BECOME UNC'S NEXT HEAD FOOTBALL COACH

Belichick is obviously being modest by saying his time in the NFL was just "good." 

Before the Kansas City Chiefs, he developed the New England Patriots into a dynasty, winning six Super Bowls and racking up wins that brought about the argument of greatest NFL head coach of all time. 

College football, though, is a completely different beast, especially in this new NIL world. But these aren't waters Belichick just wants to dip his toes in – he's diving straight in and not looking to get out. 

"I didn't come here to leave," he said, dispelling thoughts for now that he's just trying to coach again before that next NFL opportunity opens up. 

Belichick did say that, while the process may be different, the pros and college do have "a lot of parallels." It's why Michael Lombardi is coming in as the team's general manager, someone who knows how Belichick functions given their time together in New England.

"I think that's the reason for the general structure with Michael as the general manager and myself as the coach and working collaboratively as we have done in a professional structure," Belichick explained. 

For this big leap to be successful, Belichick knows he just needs to take things one day at a time. That starts with putting together his coaching staff, which he has already touched on with Freddie Kitchens coming aboard. More announcements should be made in the coming weeks. 

Recruiting, not drafting, will also be interesting to watch with Belichick, but reports have indicated his wish for UNC to have the proper NIL resources to land top talent to make the program competitive. 

As someone who was around the program as a kid – his father, Steve Belichick, coached with the Tar Heels in the 1950s – he understands what it means to be successful in Chapel Hill. 

"There's a lot of pride in this program, and I want to do everything I can to help take it to the highest level," he said. 

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Bill Belichick’s girlfriend had the perfect response to celebrate the former NFL coach’s return to the sidelines. 

North Carolina announced Wednesday that the university and Belichick had agreed to a five-year deal, reportedly worth upwards of $50 million, marking the six-time Super Bowl champion’s first stint in the college football ranks. 

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"I am excited for the opportunity at UNC-Chapel Hill," Belichick said in a statement. "I grew up around college football with my dad and treasured those times. I have always wanted to coach in college and now I look forward to building the football program in Chapel Hill."

Belichick’s father, Steve, was an assistant coach at North Carolina from 1953 to 1955. 

The announcement was met with great approval by many, including the former New England Patriots coach’s girlfriend, Jordon Hudson, who expressed her thoughts on the move with a cheeky response on social media. 

BILL BELICHICK SEEMINGLY GETS SUPPORT FROM GIRLFRIEND AMID NORTH CAROLINA FOOTBALL HEAD COACH RUMORS

"We are onto Chapel Hill!!!" she wrote in a post to her Instagram Stories sharing the official announcement. 

The comment was a nod to Belichick’s famous "We're on to Cincinnati" quote. 

Belichick’s return to the sidelines comes after he was linked to several NFL head coaching jobs last spring following his departure from New England. He was briefly linked to the Atlanta Falcons’ job, but failed to land it before eventually venturing into the sports broadcast world. 

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Look out Chapel Hill, Bill Belichick is coming. 

Belichick and the North Carolina Tar Heels finalized a deal for the 72-year-old to become their next head football coach, the university officially announced on Wednesday night. 

"I am excited for the opportunity at UNC-Chapel Hill. I grew up around college football with my Dad and treasured those times," Belichick wrote in a statement. "I have always wanted to coach in college and now I look forward to building the football program in Chapel Hill."

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OutKick's Trey Wallace reports that UNC will give Belichick a five-year deal worth upwards of $50 million.

The six-time Super Bowl-winning coach remained interested in returning to the sidelines at some point in the future, but it was always expected that he would make his way back to the NFL after missing out on a new gig following his departure from the New England Patriots before this season. After all, Belichick had been in the league in some role since 1975 prior to this season.

But earlier this week, The Guardian US reported that Belichick agreed to become the new head coach in Chapel Hill, adding that Belichick handed the school a 400 page "organizational bible" with structure, payment plans, staffing choices etc.

Wallace reports one of the biggest components to the deal was Belichick having enough NIL money to compete in the recruiting space, which was agreed to. He also wanted to pick his assistant coaches, and UNC is giving them the resources to get who he wants, even if buyouts are necessary. 

TOM BRADY EXPLAINS WHY HIS ANSWER IS ‘NO’ TO BILL BELICHICK HEADING TO COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Among those assistants expected to join the staff is Stephen Belichick, his son who serves as Washington's defensive coordinator. It was reported that the elder Belichick had the unusual request of wanting his son to become his successor, stepping in when he decides to leave the program.

This will mark Belichick's first stint as a college football coach. His father, Steve Belichick, was a longtime assistant coach at Navy. But he did have a stint in the 1950s with the Tar Heels. 

Belichick has spent much of the ongoing NFL season in the media spotlight after his interviews for NFL jobs didn't lead to a job offer.

While he interviewed with the Atlanta Falcons in January, the franchise opted against extending an offer. Belichick did not appear to draw much interest from any other NFL team, but his regular appearances on ESPN's "ManningCast" and the CW's "Inside the NFL" have kept him close to football.

During an appearance on "The Pat McAfee Show" earlier this week, Belichick confirmed he had talks with UNC about their head coaching vacancy, adding that he spent the 11 months since his departure from the Patriots taking a "longer look" at college football throughout the season as opposed to during the spring lead-up to the draft as a pro coach.

"So it’s been, it’s been a good year for me. I’ve learned a lot," Belichick said. "So, I’ve had the opportunity to talk to Chancellor [Lee] Roberts, and we’ve had a couple of good conversations. So we’ll see how it goes."

Belichick opted not to go into more detail when asked by McAfee. Instead, Belichick offered a quip about his reputation for giving terse responses during news conferences with the Patriots.

"Yeah, let’s just leave it at that, Pat," Belichick said with a grin. "I mean, I don’t want to give out too much information. I want to get my press conference aura back."

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Belichick shared some details about the makeup of a college program if he were a head coach.

"If I was in a college program, the college program would be a pipeline to the NFL for the players that had the ability to play in the NFL," he said. "It would be a professional program — training, nutrition, scheme, coaching and techniques that would transfer to the NFL."

Belichick is one of the winningest coaches in NFL history. He finished the 2023 season with 333 career wins — which places him in second on the all-time coaches wins list. Don Shula's 347 wins still leads all coaches.

Bill Belichick and the North Carolina Tar Heels are working to close a deal to make him their next head football coach, which would be his first-ever time coaching in college.

However, ESPN reported that "there are still issues that both sides need to work through."

The report adds that the "ball is in Belichick’s court" as UNC officials are indeed on board with him taking over the program. And there is expected to be a "resolution" soon. 

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In fact, OutKick's Trey Wallace reports it's come down to just NIL money, which was among the issues that needed to be worked out in the negotiations. If that can be agreed to, an emergency trustee meeting would be called to finalize the deal.

What exactly are the other issues? Well, the potential role of Belichick’s son, Washington Huskies defensive coordinator Stephen Belichick, is one of them. 

It was reported by The Guardian that, among the elder Belichick’s stipulations, his son would be named his heir to the head coach role once the 72-year-old moves on, whenever that would be. 

ESPN added Belichick’s salary for taking over and more need to be ironed out before a deal can be agreed to.

TOM BRADY EXPLAINS WHY HIS ANSWER IS ‘NO’ TO BILL BELICHICK HEADING TO COLLEGE FOOTBALL

It came as a shock when Belichick’s name was floated for the Tar Heels' vacant position after longtime head coach Mack Brown said he wouldn’t return after this season.

Some of Belichick’s ex-pupils, like Tom Brady, Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edelman, had some fun on FOX NFL Sunday this past week mimicking their old coach trying to deal with recruiting in this NIL age of college sports.

"There’s a lot of things he can do, and obviously he’s tremendous, and even showing his personality. But getting out there on the recruiting trail and dealing with all these college kids," Brady said on the NFL pregame show. "’Listen, do you really want to come here?’" Brady said, acting as Belichick. "’I mean, we don’t really want you anyway, but I guess you could come, we’ll figure out if you play.’"

But this wasn’t just a publicity stunt. There’s more than just mutual interest in Belichick’s return to coaching in Chapel Hill.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Belichick and UNC officials spent five hours discussing a potential deal on Sunday, and in typical Belichick fashion, he wouldn’t divulge any details during his weekly spot on "The Pat McAfee Show" on Monday morning. 

He admitted having a "couple of good conversations" with Lee Roberts, UNC’s chancellor, and added, "We’ll see how that goes."

If a deal goes through, it would be one of the most polarizing head coach hires for a college program in history, as Belichick has only ever been a head coach in the NFL, where he won six Super Bowls with the New England Patriots. 

FORMER NFL COACH BRUCE ARIANS OFFERS ADVICE TO BILL BELICHICK AS NORTH CAROLINA FOOTBALL COACHING RUMORS SWIRL

His time with the franchise came to an end before this 2024 season. They mutually parted ways and Belichick’s attempts at finding another role elsewhere were all for naught. He has since joined the sports media space, offering his insight to various outlets, including ESPN, but being open to another opportunity in football was always in the cards. 

However, it was always expected that such an opportunity would come from the NFL, and there are several head coaching roles already open in the league, making this situation even more surprising.

But Belichick told McAfee and his crew what would happen if he were to become a college football coach.

"If I was in a college program, the college program would be a pipeline to the NFL for the players that had the ability to play in the NFL," Belichick said. "It would be a professional program: training, nutrition, scheme, coaching and techniques that would transfer to the NFL."

Simply put, Belichick would bring to college football the system he knows works in the NFL, aiming for good players to join his team who will one day turn pro with the tools necessary for easy acclimation.

Time will tell if that program will be at UNC, but it appears some boxes need to be checked before a groundbreaking deal crosses the finish line.

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Former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick has spent much of the ongoing NFL season in the media spotlight. 

While Belichick interviewed with the Atlanta Falcons in January, the franchise opted against extending an offer to a coach. Belichick did not appear to draw much interest from any other NFL team, but his regular appearances on ESPN's "ManningCast" and the CW's "Inside the NFL" have kept him relatively close to football.

But the six-time Super Bowl-winning coach seems to still be interested in coaching. 

During an appearance on "The Pat McAfee Show" earlier this week, Belichick confirmed he had talks with the North Carolina Tar Heels about their head coaching vacancy.

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While it remains unclear if Belichick will be on the sideline in Chapel Hill next season, another former NFL coach chimed in on the developing situation.

Bruce Arians, who led the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to victory in the 2021 Super Bowl, admitted he was "very surprised" his contemporary showed interest in coaching at the collegiate level. Arians also offered Belichick some advice.

TOM BRADY EXPLAINS WHY HIS ANSWER IS 'NO' TO BILL BELICHICK HEADING TO COLLEGE FOOTBALL

"I’m very, very surprised. I thought for sure he’d wait for the NFL hiring process to play out," Arians said during a recent appearance on the "Scoop City" podcast. "There’s some good things in going back to college, but I had no patience with rookies. I damn sure don’t have patience for freshmen." 

Arians and Belichick are both 72. Arians stepped away from coaching and moved into a consultant's role with the Bucs in 2022.

"If I'm gonna give Bill one bit of advice, you better bring a lot of patience with you," Arians said. "Dealing with rookies making money, but now freshmen making money? It’s gotta be ridiculous trying to coach those guys."

Arians' coaching career began at the college level. He spent time working for Mississippi State, Alabama and other programs.

If Belichick winds up at UNC or another college program, he will have to carefully navigate name, image and likeness (NIL) and the transfer portal. The NCAA transfer portal opened earlier this week. NIL and the portal have drastically altered the college football landscape over the past couple of years.

Belichick shared some details about the makeup of a college program if he were a head coach.

"If I was in a college program, the college program would be a pipeline to the NFL for the players that had the ability to play in the NFL," he said. "It would be a professional program — training, nutrition, scheme, coaching and techniques that would transfer to the NFL."

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Bill Belichick possibly becoming the head coach of the North Carolina Tar Heels was an underappreciated storyline going into conference championship weekend.

Now that the College Football Playoff bracket is set, the bowl games are scheduled and the transfer portal is open, the rumors about Belichick possibly taking over the program returned Monday. Belichick’s girlfriend, Jordon Hudson, gave him her seal of approval.

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She responded to a comment on her Instagram on Monday about trying to convince Belichick to Chapel Hill.

"I’ll pass the message along …," she wrote back with a smirking emoji and a baby blue heart.

Inside Carolina first reported that Belichick was interviewed for the Tar Heels job. The news came as North Carolina announced in late November that College Football Hall of Famer Mack Brown would not be returning to the school for the 2025 season. Brown stayed with the team through their rivalry loss against N.C. State.

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Freddie Kitchens was named the interim head coach for the Tar Heels’ bowl game. North Carolina will play in the Fenway Bowl against UConn.

Belichick was linked to NFL head coaching jobs last spring after he mutually parted ways with the New England Patriots. He was linked to the Atlanta Falcons’ job, but he did not capture it.

He said Monday on "The Pat McAfee Show" "we’ve had a couple of good conversations, so we’ll see how it goes."

Belichick’s father, Steve, was an assistant coach at North Carolina from 1953 to 1955. Belichick’s son, also Steve, is the defensive coordinator at Washington.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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News of Bill Belichick interviewing for the vacant North Carolina Tar Heels head coach vacancy took the football world by surprise this past week, but one of his former pupils cannot see him actually taking the job. 

Tom Brady, alongside his former New England Patriots teammates Julian Edelman and Rob Gronkowski, discussed Belichick’s interview with UNC during "Fox NFL Sunday," where he was blunt about not believing Belichick would go to college football next season. 

"There’s a lot of things he can do, and obviously he’s tremendous, and even showing his personality. But getting out there on the recruiting trail and dealing with all these college kids," Brady said. 

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The recruiting side of things is what Brady believes Belichick would not want to deal with, as he jokingly made up a scenario of his old coach speaking with a recruit. 

"’Listen, do you really want to come here?’" Brady said, acting as Belichick. "’I mean, we don’t really want you anyway, but I guess you could come, we’ll figure out if you play.’"

It was not just Brady who felt Belichick would not translate well to college ball, as Edelman and Gronkowski gave their takes. 

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"Can you imagine NIL, and all that nonsense?" Gronkowski said. 

Edelman added, "Can you imagine Bill on a couch recruiting an 18-year-old?" 

Belichick, after not getting a different head coaching gig in the NFL after he and the Patriots mutually parted ways earlier this year, has been in the sports media space throughout this season. 

However, according to Inside Carolina, Belichick interviewed for the job Mack Brown used to hold with the Tar Heels. 

Brown announced he would be leaving the program ahead of the team’s final regular-season game against N.C. State. 

There are already a few NFL coaching vacancies that will need to be filled after this regular season, as the New Orleans Saints, New York Jets and Chicago Bears have all fired their head coaches mid-season. Several others could open up as well, depending on how these final games shake out. 

It will be interesting to see where Belichick’s name pops up once the season is over in the NFL, but it appears he might want his first-ever college gig depending on how his talk with the Tar Heels went. 

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Bill Belichick could be headed to parts unknown to him.

The 72-year-old spent nearly 50 years on the NFL sidelines, but a new report says he may just be interested in heading to the college ranks.

According to Inside Carolina, the legendary coach has interviewed for the head coaching job at the University of North Carolina.

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Belichick would replace another legend in Mack Brown, who owns a 288-155-1 record with UNC, Texas, Tulane and Appalachian State.

Belichick and the New England Patriots parted ways after the 2023 season, which was Belichick's 24th season with the team. He won six Super Bowls while there, and he notched another pair with the New York Giants as their defensive coordinator.

UNC announced that Brown would leave the program ahead of their final regular-season game against N.C. State, a matchup which resulted in a melee following a flag-planting incident by the Wolfpack on Saturday.

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Belichick's name has swirled around the rumor mill amid recent coaching changes, with several others possibly on the horizon.

He interviewed for openings with both the Atlanta Falcons and Los Angeles Chargers in the offseason, but each went in different directions.

The eight-time Super Bowl champion has since become a media sensation, often making appearances on the "ManningCast" on "Monday Night Football." He was also an analyst during this year's NFL Draft.

This is Belichick's first reported interview since making the NFL rounds in the offseason.

Belichick's father, Steve, coached at Navy, but this would be Belichick's first college gig ever. He became a special assistant for the Baltimore Colts in 1975, and his first head coaching nod came 16 years later when he was tapped as head coach of the Cleveland Browns.

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Several hours after members of Michigan and Ohio State's football team brawled over a flag-plant at midfield, a similar incident occurred in North Carolina.

N.C. State defeated North Carolina in Chapel Hill on Saturday, 35-30, and wanted to let everyone know about it.

So, shortly after the game, members of the Wolfpack tried to plant an N.C. State flag at midfield, where the Tar Heel logo sits.

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UNC took exception, and players had to be separated well after many punches were thrown.

Bunches of players were on top of one another near midfield in what became a scary-looking incident.

UNC receiver J.J. Jones actually took the flag and threw it into the stands before getting into it with a member of the Wolfpack.

Eventually, N.C. State celebrated with their fans.

Even Florida and Florida State had to be separated later in the day. This situation was calmed down relatively quickly, and it did not appear that punches were thrown. Head coaches Mike Norvell and Billy Napier had an animated conversation regarding the incident, and Norvell tossed the Florida flag aside.

There was no such incident at College Station after Texas beat Texas A&M in the return of the in-state rivalry after a decade-plus hiatus.

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The UNC game marked Mack Brown's finale, with the school announcing Tuesday he won't return next year.

Hollywood Smothers slipped through the middle of the line for a 2-yard touchdown with 25 seconds left to help N.C. State beat their in-state rivals.

In Florida, the Gators took home a 31-11 victory in Tallahassee in what has been a season to forget for the Seminoles.

Both the Wolfpack and Tar Heels await bowl destinations – with the latter also awaiting the hiring of their next coach. The Gators will also see who they play in a bowl game, while the Noles went 2-10.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Hall of Famer Mack Brown will not be on the North Carolina Tar Heels' sideline next season after the university announced Tuesday it was moving on from the program's winningest head coach.

The announcement came one day after Brown said he intended to return in 2025 with three years remaining on his contract. 

Brown began his second stint in Chapel Hill in 2019. His first stint at UNC began in 1988, and he departed after the 1997 season.

Brown was then named the head coach at Texas, leading the Longhorns to the national championship in 2005. Although UNC officials have decided to make a coaching change, Brown is expected to be retained at least through the Tar Heels' regular-season finale Saturday against North Carolina State. It's unclear if Brown will stay on for a bowl game.

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In a statement from the program, Brown said he was focused on the rivalry game with the Wolfpack.

"While this was not the perfect time and way in which I imagined going out, no time will ever be the perfect time," Brown said. "I’ve spent 16 seasons at North Carolina and will always cherish the memories and relationships (wife) Sally and I have built while serving as head coach. We’ve had the chance to coach and mentor some great young men, and we’ll miss having the opportunity to do that in the future."

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Athletic director Bubba Cunningham informed Brown there would be a coaching change, although a specific reason for the change was not immediately made public.

Cunningham praised Brown for holding the program's career record for wins and for pushing for improvements to program infrastructure. He also praised Brown for leadership in the community and during tough stretches, like the recent death of player Tylee Craft after a cancer fight.

The Tar Heels were bowl eligible in every season of Brown's second stint after he stabilized a crashing program, and the team reached the ACC championship game in 2022. But this year’s team, facing the daunting challenge of replacing No. 3 overall NFL draft pick Drake Maye at quarterback, had a difficult first half of the season that shook confidence in the program’s footing.

The low point was the Tar Heels surrendering 70 points in a home loss to James Madison. In the aftermath, Brown invited uncertainty about the immediate future of the program with emotional locker room comments to the team that included him wondering whether he should remain as coach.

Brown apologized and said he was "disappointed in me" for how he handled the loss, which came amid a four-game skid following a 3-0 start.

Brown has 288 career victories, including 113 at UNC, and all but six of his overall wins came at the top level of college football to rank him as the winningest active coach in the Bowl Subdivision ranks. Brown, Georgia’s Kirby Smart and Clemson’s Dabo Swinney are the only active FBS coaches with a national title.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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