Ahead of the 2026 season, North Carolina head football coach Bill Belichick has announced the departure 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 two sons to the Tar Heels. 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 Belichick 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.

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 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.

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.