Is Bill Belichick Leaving UNC? Rumors Swirl Around North Carolina Head Coach

Is Bill Belichick leaving UNC? At this point, nothing should shock anyone with what's been going on at North Carolina since the former New England Patriots head coach replaced Mack Brown in Chapel Hill.

But will Belichick really leave UNC this month? Recent rumors and reports imply it's a very real possibility, even if North Carolina put out a statement from Belichick and athletic director Bubba Cunningham in an attempt to dispel the notion that the six-time Super Bowl-winning head coach could leave the Tar Heels just over a month into his first season.

It's become such a prominent topic this week that there is now a prediction market focused on whether Belichick will leave UNC this month, as I break down where things stand in Chapel Hill.

📊 Will Bill Belichick leave UNC this month?

Prediction market via Kalshi. You can use our Kalshi promo code for a $10 bonus by signing up today. Market subject to change.

🐏 Is Bill Belichick leaving UNC?

It seems like such a foregone conclusion at this point that Belichick will be out of North Carolina by season's end that Kalshi's market is focused on whether he'll still be there by the end of October. While that's not a Mike Price-level tenure length, that will still be shocking considering how many people seemed to think this was a good move by North Carolina.

The first-year Tar Heels head coach instilled so much confidence in an otherwise mediocre program that our best college football betting sites had the Over/Under on North Carolina's win total set at 7.5 before the season. Since 1902, North Carolina has won eight-plus games 35 times (28.6% of seasons between 1902-2024). 

Mack Brown, the 74-year-old former head coach fired for the 73-year-old Belichick, accounted for eight of those seasons during his 16 years (two stints) as bench boss. So, needless to say, firing the most successful head coach in program history under the guise that he was past his prime to hire a head coach the NFL wouldn't touch because he's past his prime was certainly a move.

Now, with a roster made up of 40-plus transfers and a coaching staff built out of nepotism hires and whoever would actually take a job (which includes retaining former Cleveland Browns head coach Freddie Kitchens from Mack Brown's staff and naming him offensive coordinator), UNC is 2-3 heading into a bye in Week 7. The program's two wins have come over an FCS program (Richmond) and a 1-4 Group of Five team (Charlotte).

So is Belichick leaving UNC? It would certainly benefit both sides if he paid his $1 million buyout, something Ollie Connolly reported he's considering, to get out of Chapel Hill. UNC has since put out a statement denying that Belichick could leave in the next few weeks. 

Then, there's the whole Jordon Hudson of it all. This Belichick tenure is bad on the field but much worse off it, according to everything Pablo Torre has reported regarding the situation. But is that enough for Belichick to pay his own buyout to leave this month? I have my doubts, especially when his legacy has already been stained by what can only be described as a clown show at UNC.

🧾 Inside Belichick’s bizarre buyout

According to a report from USA Today, Belichick's buyout has "an exceptionally unusual buyout structure for an initial contract." This is because Belichick's contract is 60% guaranteed ($30 million), which is normal, but his compensation is 100% guaranteed throughout the first three years of his deal and 0% guaranteed over the last two years.

That means UNC would owe him $10 million a year for three years as long as he's not fired for cause during the first three years of his contract.  And if he's fired anytime after Jan. 1, 2028, he could be fired without costing the university a dime.

So, if you were Belichick, wouldn't you rather continue to spend your retirement with your girlfriend in sunny North Carolina while moonlighting as an FBS head coach until you're so checked out that the program pays you $30 million over the next three years to not step on campus? It would be smart for both parties to part ways by the end of the season, but I just don't think it will happen by Nov. 1.

⏰ Bill Belichick's timeline at North Carolina

• Nov. 26, 2024: North Carolina head coach Mack Brown is fired after six seasons by AD Bubba Cunningham after going 44-33 in his second stint as UNC head coach (tight ends coach Freddie Kitchens was named interim head coach)
• Dec. 11, 2024: Bill Belichick is announced as the 35th head coach in North Carolina football history with a five-year, $50 million contract
• Feb. 13, 2025: The first deep dive from Pablo Torre Finds Out on Belichick and Hudson, specifically focused on whether Hudson is his manager ("momager")
• Feb. 28, 2025: Multiple sports media outlets report that North Carolina will be the first college team to star on HBO's Hard Knocks
• March 13, 2025: Matt Hartman reports that Belichick has asked UNC to copy his partner, Jordon Hudson, on all emails sent to him
• April 15, 2025: Matt Baker reports the heavy involvement of Hudson at UNC in a story for The Athletic
• April 28, 2025: CBS Sunday Morning puts out a clip on social media of its interview with Belichick, referring to Hudson as a "constant presence" during the interview, with TMZ later reporting Hudson "stormed out of the room"
• April 30, 2025: Belichick and UNC put out a statement following the CBS Sunday Morning interview, calling it a "false narrative" that Hudson was attempting to control the interview
• April 30, 2025: That same day, The Athletic's Matt Baker, Andrew Marchand, and Brendan Marks reported that Hudson played an "instrumental role" in stopping production of HBO's Hard Knocks, "related to her request to be heavily involved in the project"
• May 9, 2025: Pablo Torre Finds Out publishes an episode in which Torre reports that Hudson is banned from UNC's football facility and that one Belichick family source says "there is deep worry for how detrimental Jordon can be for not just North Carolina but Bill's legacy"
• May 13-20, 2025: The Washington Post and New York Times put out seperate reports regarding Hudson and UNC, with the Post reporting Hudson's heavy involvement in Belichick's PR and NYT reporting that Hudson was seeking content approval and partial ownership of Hard Knocks
• May 23, 2025: Torre takes the story to another level by investigating the Ring camera footage of Belichick shirtless that went viral in 2023, and connecting that situation to Hudson while also noting she had been around the New England Patriots facility since 2021
• July 18, 2025: Front Office Sports reports that North Carolina will be the focus of a Hulu documentary, similar to in-season Hard Knocks
• Aug. 27, 2025: Darren Rovell reports that Belichick's company, managed by Hudson, filed several trademark applications in early 2025, including for "Gold Digger," "Chapel Bill," and "Trail of Salty Tears"
• Sept. 4, 2025: ESPN's Kalyn Kahler reports that Belichick has banned Patriots scouts from accessing North Carolina's program, and Belichick confirms the ban on Sept. 6, stating, "it's obvious I'm not welcome at their facility, so they're not welcome at ours"
• Oct. 6, 2025: Ross Martin of 247 Sports reports that the social media team at North Carolina was banned from posting on social media about Patriots QB, and former UNC star, Drake Maye ... less than two hours later, the UNC football account finally posts about Maye
• Oct. 7, 2025: Multiple media outlets report that North Carolina has suspended cornerbacks coach Armond Hawkins due to extra benefit allegations that came to light in a story published by WRAL about the dysfunction at UNC
• Oct. 7, 2025: Inside Carolina reports that after months of silence regarding the Hulu UNC docuseries, the docuseries has been cancelled
• Oct. 8, 2025: Ollie Connolly reports that Belichick has discussed buyout options with North Carolina and has "signalled a willingness to trigger his own $1 million buyout if he can find a soft landing with another team or in media"
• Oct. 8, 2025: North Carolina's athletic department puts out a statement from Belichick and Cunningham stating that the head coach is fully committed to the program

❓ Bill Belichick FAQs

What is Bill Belichick's record at North Carolina?

Heading into Week 7 of the college football season, Bill Belichick's record at North Carolina is 2-3. His two wins are against Richmond, an FCS program, and Charlotte, a 1-4 Group of Five team.

What is Bill Belichick's buyout at North Carolina?

If North Carolina fires Bill Belichick this season, his buyout is $10 million per year for three years. If Belichick pays his own buyout to leave UNC this season, he owes the school $1 million. 

How much does UNC pay Bill Belichick?

North Carolina gave Bill Belichick a five-year, $50 million contract when it hired him to replace Mack Brown on Dec. 11, 2024.

Will Bill Belichick leave UNC?

It's unclear if Bill Belichick will leave UNC this season, but Ollie Connolly reported that the Tar Heels' head coach is considered paying his $1 million buyout to leave the program. North Carolina's athletic department has since put out a statement from Belichick and AD Bubba Cunningham confirming Belichick's commitment to the school.