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Bill Belichick, who led the New England Patriots to six Super Bowl titles as a head coach, will take the helm of the University of North Carolina Tar Heels.
Belichick, 72, agreed to a five-year deal pending approval by UNC’s board of trustees and board of governors, the university said in a release. Financial terms were not disclosed but the Athletic reported that the contract could be worth up to $30m.
“I am excited for the opportunity at UNC-Chapel Hill,” said Belichick, who has never coached at the collegiate level before.
“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 spent 24 seasons as the Patriots’ head coach and during that time New England won 17 AFC East titles, made 13 AFC Championship appearances, and reached nine Super Bowls.
His 333 game wins as a head coach in the NFL is second only to Don Shula’s 347. Belichick replaces Mack Brown, who UNC fired at the end of the regular season. The Tar Heels have not won a conference title since 1980.
Belichick said Monday on ESPN’s “The Pat McAfee Show” that he’d had “a couple of good conversations” with UNC chancellor Lee Roberts and that he’d spent much of the past year taking a “longer look” at college football.
“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 Monday. “It would be a professional program: training, nutrition, scheme, coaching, techniques that would transfer to the NFL.”
Belichick had been linked to NFL jobs in the time since his departure from the Patriots, notably the Atlanta Falcons in January. That’s why word of Belichick’s conversations with UNC stirred such surprise as an unexpected and unconventional candidate.
“This is an exciting day for Carolina football and our University,” said UNC chancellor Lee H. Roberts.
“Carolina is committed to excellence and to creating an opportunity to succeed in everything we do, from the classroom to the field of competition.
“I know after speaking with Coach Belichick that he shares that commitment. His legacy speaks for itself, and we look forward to working together on the next chapter of Carolina football.”
