In a North Carolina side that struggled on all fronts, the offense drew the most criticism in 2025, and rightly so. And even on offense, a particular unit completely underperformed and was arguably the team’s weakest group, as none of its players met the basic threshold. Ahead of the 2026 season, Belichick has not only identified the problem but also found a solution to reduce issues in the coming season.

“Yeah, I mean that room’s been a total makeover,” Belichick said about the tight end unit during his press conference ahead of the fall camp on July 30. “I mean, you hit the nail right there on the head. It’s a lot of new players, a lot of talented players. These guys have really worked hard. Excited to see this group come together. And we had more production from those guys in the spring than we had the entire year last year.”

“So, you’re right, the production from that position was very limited, and with both the players there, it’s a position that Coach Petrino and I both crave. We weren’t able to really get much production there last year. I hope that’ll balance us out more this year. But certainly, those guys are off to a good start.”

Belichick’s desire is clear: he wants a team as similar as possible to the one he had in the NFL. The best technicians work best with the best tools, and as far as his NFL record is concerned, he remains one of football’s masterminds. Overall, the offense averaged 174 passing yards/game and 19.2 points per game. The team’s 4-8 record was the result of many problems that plagued the Tar Heels from unit to unit, with the tight ends being the weakest.

After the exit of Bryson Nesbit and John Copenhaver in 2024, the tight end unit struggled to transition smoothly into a new group. Featuring the likes of Jake Johnson, Connor Cox, and Shamar Easter, the unit was complemented by a heavily stagnant passing offense. Johnson, the most experienced of the bunch, had just 297 snaps, while Cox, the most statistically efficient of the group, had limited targets. Easter had less playing time and was only able to manage 53 snaps in seven games.

Now, it is out with the old and in with the new for the Tar Heels, as they have brought in tight ends from Ohio State, Texas, and Colorado State to replace Johnson and Cox, who both left via the transfer portal. Jelani Thurman, Jordan Washington, and Jaxxon Warren are the new tight ends Belichick has. One interesting thing about the current group is its nostalgic effect on Belichick, as it brings back memories of his legendary NFL tight ends.