Now, this might rub some people the wrong way. But Bill Belichick isn’t in North Carolina just to sip sweet tea and mentor DBs. The former Patriots coaching legend walked into Chapel Hill with a $10 million contract, his 24-year-old girlfriend, and the kind of media heat that’s stealing offseason headlines. And it’s not even completely about football. So what’s really going on behind this wild pivot from 6X Super Bowl champ to ACC HC? According to former Tar Heels HC Mack Brown, there’s more than meets the eye, and it might just explain why UNC mortgaged part of its soul to land him. 

But before we get into that, let’s talk about the future of Bill Belichick in Chapel Hill. Folks aren’t convinced he’s sticking around. Well, folks like his No. 1 critic, Pablo Torre, hopped on The Stephen A. Smith Show on May 22 and dropped his bold prediction. “I think he makes it of course to Week 1,” the former ESPN analyst said. “Do I think he lasts for more than a year for a team that didn’t win seven games last year? I would set the line absolutely at one season. A one-and-done scenario.” But considering what he said on The Dominique Foxworth Show, this take is a little more forgiving.

You see, after Pablo Torre put himself deep into the investigation of Bill Belichick and Jordon Hudson following the CBS Mornings drama, he reported that there’s an “absolute real chance, that he doesn’t [coach UNC’s Week 1 game].” That was because of his contract deal. “Everybody who follows contractual language pointed out that on June 1 the buyout of Bill Belichick goes from $10 million to $1 million if Bill wanted to escape hatch,” he stated.

Sure, ESPN Rece Davis called the possibility of Bill Belichick not coaching “preposterous.” And even the ACC defended the UNC HC. “(ESPN) ran to us, before we could even run to them (about televising more UNC games),” ACC commissioner Jim Phillips said. “It’s a great thing for ACC, a great thing for North Carolina & we are all following the massive coverage that Coach Belichick draws.”

But wait, even Colin Cowherd isn’t buying the long-term hype and even threw shade at the conference while at it. “I think the one thing that saves Belichick is the ACC is terrible,” he said. And then there’s Mack Brown giving more insider details on this expensive hire. 

The real deal behind the Bill Belichick hire

You’ve already heard the hype. But behind all the flash, Mack Brown, who had to step down for Bill Belichick to rise, dropped a truth bomb. UNC made a major sacrifice by bending its academic standards to make this hire happen. “They’ve committed money to it, they’ve helped him with academics,” he said. “They’ve lowered those standards some. So there’s absolutely no reason they shouldn’t be successful.”

UNC believes Bill Belichick is worth investing in. After all, he’s an NFL legend, and his transition to college football hasn’t exactly been quiet. And he’s already leaving his fingerprints in the program, which is poised to have more primetime games this season. Sold-out season tickets, 25% price hikes, and fans still buying in like he’s leading a national championship run. Even AD Bubba Cunningham believes there will be more sponsorships to follow.

So yeah, Bill Belichick brought the clout, the cash, and the chaos. But if this really turns out to be a one-and-done season, UNC better hope the cameras stick around after the curtain drops.