Tar Heels fans are having an opposite offseason to the one in 2025. Last year was full of hope, excitement and aspirations of success. The trainwreck that followed continues till today. After their General Manager, Michael Lombardi, was temporarily removed from his post, another wheel has come off from the Belichick Bus.
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Ahead of the 2026 season, North Carolina head football coach Bill Belichick has announced the absence of a key member of his staff. UNC’s defensive coordinator and Belichick’s son, Steve Belichick, is taking an indefinite medical leave from the team.
Speaking ahead of the Tar Heels’ training camp practices, the head coach declined to share details regarding the medical condition as reported by Brian Murphy on August 6. There is no exact timeline for his son’s return. They only hope to have him back “as soon as possible.”
Steve was scheduled to speak at the media conference after UNC’s first practice, but he missed it due to his health. For now, the whole defensive staff has taken over to support the team in his absence.
When he was hired by UNC, the former New England head coach also roped in his two sons over to the Tar Heels. Steve would be the defensive coordinator and Brian would function as the Safeties & Defensive Backs Coach.
Steve Belichick is currently the highest-paid assistant coach on the staff. He initially signed a massive two-year, $2.7 million contract to manage the UNC defense ahead of the 2025 season.
Steve brought an impressive resume to UNC, but the results after his first season ended were very mixed. Under his guidance, the UNC defense finished ranked 59th nationally. Some might see it as an improvement, but it did not offset a stagnant offense. They ended their season at 4-8.
His primary adjustment was eliminating the defensive breakdowns that plagued UNC in past seasons. Under his system, the Tar Heels defense finished the year ranked 25th nationally in yards allowed per play at 4.94 yards.
Proving their tactical adaptability, his defense became one of only two units in the ACC to hold opponents to 21 points or fewer in four consecutive games during the season.
His scheme also unlocked major front-line pressure, allowing the Tar Heels to average 2.67 sacks per game (tied for 20th in the FBS), highlighted by standout defensive lineman Melkart Abou-Jaoude, who racked up 10.5 sacks.
And while there has been a lot of outside noise about how Bill Belichick runs things at the program, the narrative from inside is completely different. Safety Will Hardy praised how Steve and Brian Belichick adjusted their defensive playbook.
“They fit the scheme around the players, giving us freedom,” Hardy said. For this safety, the coaching staff helped him better understand the football field. Bill Belichick maintains his famously intense, strict, and tightly controlled regime at the top of the program. Steve Belichick acts as the more relatable bridge to the roster.
After Steve’s departure, there still remains one more son of Belichick, and that is Brian Belichick who has also spent nine seasons with the New England Patriots under his father. He began his career as a personnel and scouting assistant, analyzing college prospects and building his foundation in talent evaluation.
Brian then served as a defensive coaching assistant, contributing to opponent breakdown and weekly game-planning during a stretch that included a victory in Super Bowl LIII. He eventually got promoted to Safeties Coach, where he spent five seasons. He has earned high praise from veteran NFL leaders like former All-Pro safety Devin McCourty and former Patriots Head Coach Jerod Mayo for his teaching clarity and defensive intelligence
Steve Belichick and his career so far
Steve Belichick was a standout lacrosse player before deciding to enter the world of football. He attended Autger University, where he earned a degree in criminal justice while balancing a unique dual-sport collegiate career. After wrapping up his lacrosse eligibility, Steve fulfilled his long-standing goal by walking onto the Rutgers Scarlet Knights team.
He had no. 16 on the back of his jersey. Steve served as a backup long snapper under head coach Greg Schiano. Though he earned a varsity letter in football, he never actually appeared in an official game. Schiano later revealed that Steve’s time on the roster functioned more like a football coaching internship. Because of his sharp mind, the staff had Steve break down game film and execute special analytical projects.
After graduating in 2012, he headed straight to the New England Patriots as a defensive assistant under his father. He spent over a decade with the Patriots. He started as a coaching assistant and rose through the ranks to coach safeties and outside linebackers, eventually taking on primary defensive play-calling duties.
Before joining UNC, Steve took his first job outside of his father’s shadow. He joined the Washington Huskies. During his lone season there, he won praise for dramatically improving Washington’s defense from 99th to 28th nationally.