The Bill Belichick experiment in Chapel Hill is unraveling in public fashion, even as the University of North Carolina backed its struggling head coach.
On Wednesday, October 8, The Guardian’s Ollie Connolly reported that Belichick, 73, has “discussed buyout options with North Carolina’s hierarchy” and “signaled a willingness to trigger his own $1 million buyout if he can find a soft landing with another team or in media.”
Connolly’s reporting adds that “members of Belichick’s coaching staff have already spoken to other schools that are expected to be in the CFB Playoff about taking on roles during the postseason.”
One assistant reportedly told him, “The rats are leaving the ship.”
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UNC officials moved quickly to deny any active buyout discussions. In a joint statement released via X on Wednesday night, Belichick said, “I’m fully committed to UNC Football and the program we’re building here.”
University of North Carolina athletics director Bubba Cunningham added that the coach has “the full support of the Department of Athletics and University.”
Still, Connolly reported that “some staffers believe a change will come within two weeks” and that “Belichick’s communication with his staff in the past two weeks has been described as ‘weird’ and ‘distant’ by multiple members of UNC’s coaching staff.”
Several assistants allegedly struggled to reach Belichick during the team’s bye week.
The revelations come as UNC reels from a 2-3 start and mounting internal issues. According to a report published by WRAL News on Monday, October 6, parents of players have criticized Belichick’s leadership as “an unstructured mess” and blamed a “toxic environment” for the team’s collapse. One parent told the outlet, “It’s all starting at the top, and the boys are being affected.”
Connolly also reported that “serious recruiting violations remain under investigation at UNC” and that “recruiting and practice violations have already been proven by the school.”
Using those findings, he added, UNC could seek to “knock down a coach’s buyout,” a tactic “that has become standard practice.”
Due to those violations, UNC cornerbacks coach Armond Hawkins was suspended on Tuesday, October 7, after being accused of providing illegal benefits to a player’s family. He allegedly gave a select few multiple sideline passes for a game, in violation of NCAA rules.
Reports indicate that Hawkins was suspended by UNC pending investigation, continuing the turmoil within the program.
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A defensive assistant speaking anonymously to The Guardian went even further, telling Connolly, “What we’ve done to these kids is f***ed up.”
Also earlier this week, Inside Carolina reported that the school’s planned Hulu documentary chronicling Belichick’s first season was quietly scrapped. Originally announced in August, the docuseries was intended to highlight the “commitment to winning” under Belichick.
Belichick’s Tar Heels have been outscored 120-33 in losses to Power Four opponents, including a 38-10 blowout at Clemson on Saturday, October 4, where UNC trailed 28-3 after one quarter.
North Carolina will next travel to Cal on Saturday, October 17 for its first road ACC game.