When Bill Belichick came to Chapel Hill in December 2024, many assumed he would run a “no BS” program in North Carolina like he did with the Patriots. After all, Belichick sold the promise that Chapel Hill would be the “33rd NFL team.” Fast forward two months into college football, and Belichick is making headlines for all the wrong reasons – how the tides have turned!

UNC is now one of the worst programs in the ACC and has arguably the weakest coaching staff. Despite all the evidence and speculation pointing at Belichick and his staff, the six-time Super Bowl-winning coach is trying to downplay behavioral issues among his coaches. Before we get to the main tea, let’s recap quickly.

According to reports from WRAL and other sources, there’s been serious drama surrounding the UNC football team and Coach Belichick. Reports indicate the locker room is riven with conflict. Players already on the team aren’t vibing with the recent additions Belichick brought in. Parents are also raising concerns, claiming that many staff members lack experience and don’t communicate with them or their sons, which is pretty wild for a national-level program.

On October 15, WRAL’s Pat Walter shared a clip on his IG calling out Belichick and his staff for their coaching shortcomings and the division in the locker room. Belichick, however, turns a blind eye. The six-time Super Bowl-winning coach tried to shut it down: “We’ve shown a lot of improvement. You know, we made a lot of improvements. I think that’s exciting for all of us to see. I don’t know what kind of perspective some of those people have that are saying that.” Belichick outright denied there were cultural or behavioral issues within the program.

Some question whether Bill Belichick’s crew is experienced enough for college football, and there’s some information about his sons, Steve and Brian, being on staff. According to some fans, shades of nepotism float around. WRAL even reported that the defensive coordinator, Steve Belichick, isn’t the best at communicating with the players.

Steve defended himself rather than taking complete accountability for allowing 373.2 yards or his communication issues with the team: “Still building those relationships out on the field where you need a little more verbal communication. Sometimes you can just have visual communication and look at somebody and know what’s going on out there. But we’re working through those things,” he said.

If that’s not enough, there are rumors that certain players, especially those recruited by Belichick, are getting special treatment, like better parking and extra tickets. It’s hardly rocket science that this produces bad blood. Adding to the mess, the team has even faced some off-field issues. A coach, Armond Hawkins, was suspended for allegedly giving players some shady benefits, according to WRAL. There were also reports of a fight breaking out between players in the locker room, and a planned documentary about Belichick’s first year apparently got shelved because of all the chaos.

Belichick tried to shut down some of these rumors, saying he’s not trying to bail and that the team is progressing. But with all the talk about a divided team, communication problems, and the team’s struggles on the field, it’s a sticky situation right now at UNC. How do the fans reply? Halloween is nearing, so can you take guesses for the central theme?

The Bill Belichick-Jordon Hudson drama spooks fans this Halloween

A college football fan in Greensboro, North Carolina, is getting into the Halloween spirit with a funny and eerie decoration of UNC head coach Bill Belichick and his girlfriend, Jordon Hudson. The display shows a skeleton dressed like Belichick in a UNC sweatshirt and visor, holding a clipboard and a skeleton version of Hudson beside him. UNC sports podcaster Ross Martin spotted the setup and caught people’s attention because fans often saw Hudson on the sidelines during Bill Belichick’s first season coaching the Tar Heels.

Belichick’s debut season at UNC has been one to forget. The Tar Heels have a 2–3 record, with all three losses coming in significant defeats to major Power 4 opponents. UNC was outscored 120–33 in those games, raising questions about the team’s performance and direction under the new coach. Many fans predicted better results from a coach with Belichick’s NFL background.

Several off-field controversies involving Belichick and Hudson have added to the team’s struggles. Some reports suggested Belichick vacationing with her during a bye week, which irritated some fanatics. Rumors even suggested that Belichick was limiting his connections with his former team, the New England Patriots, by banning scouting visits and social media posts about them.

Also, WRAL quoted a team source saying UNC was “an unstructured mess” with “no culture.” This led to speculation that Belichick might already consider a buyout from his contract. However, Bill Belichick and UNC athletic director Bubba Cunningham denied these claims, saying the coach remains committed to staying in Chapel Hill.

Belichick will now try to shift attention back to football as UNC prepares to play California on Friday night, hoping to earn its first ACC win of the season.