Belichick Debuts with Victory at UNC and Confirms Patriots Ban

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Bill Belichick, the coach with the most Super Bowl wins in NFL history, has secured his first win as a college coach.

Last Saturday night, Belichick added his first victory in college football, and the number 334 in his career, when the North Carolina Tar Heels recovered from their disappointing performance on Monday against TCU and defeated Charlotte with a score of 20-3.

It’s fantastic, but it’s really about the team. It was disappointing on Monday night against TCU, but these guys bounced back: players, coaches, staff, support staff, and they just went back to work. They were determined to have a better result. I’m very proud of what they did. They deserve the credit for tonight.

Bill Belichick

After a 48-14 defeat that included two defensive touchdowns by the Horned Frogs, Belichick praised the team’s ability to put the performance behind them and focus on the fundamentals. The University of North Carolina led 17-3 at halftime, ran for 148 yards and did not turn the ball over against Charlotte. Meanwhile, the criticized Tar Heels defense limited the 49ers to just 21 yards on the ground, five days after TCU ran for 258. The atmosphere after Monday’s defeat was complicated for Belichick and the Tar Heels, with “a lot of negativity from outside,” in his own words. Belichick confirmed the reports from Saturday, stating that the decision was in response to a closed-door mandate in New England.

It’s obvious that I am not welcome at their facilities, so they are not welcome at ours.

Bill Belichick

The relationship between Belichick and the Patriots, as well as with their owner Bob Kraft, has been tense since he left the team after the 2023 season, with several media conflicts in recent months. Belichick questioned Kraft’s comments, who said that hiring him had been a “great risk”, and issued a statement in July stating that he was the one who took the risk by accepting the job.

On Saturday, Belichick seemed in better spirits, although not exactly euphoric in his celebration. When asked if the team had given Belichick a game ball to celebrate his first win with the Tar Heels, senior Gavin Gibson laughed and said, “If we had tried, I think he would have looked at us like, ‘No'”. Instead, Belichick highlighted UNC’s determination to wipe the slate clean after Monday’s ugly loss and offer some renewed hope that the Tar Heels wouldn’t give up.

It was clear in the locker room and when we went out to the practice field, there was a… greater level of determination and commitment. It was good to see that we improved.

Bill Belichick

North Carolina will host Richmond next week before heading to UCF to close out their non-conference schedule.