North Carolina’s $50 million bet on Bill Belichick was supposed to usher the Tar Heels into a new era of college football. Instead, it is becoming increasingly difficult to defend as turmoil inside the program continues to escalate. ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith has weighed in on whether the whole thing was a mistake from the start.
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“I think that UNC should regret hiring him, and I think he should regret having taken the job,” Stephen A. Smith said on ESPN’s First Take on September 4. “When you talk about his legacy, now obviously five years, $50 million, $10 million per year, first three years guaranteed, that’s 30 million to put in your pocket. That’s nothing to sneeze at. We understand that reality.”
“But when you’re going to a college campus, and you’re a lifelong pro coach, there are things you didn’t take into consideration. I feel bad for Belichick because you’re hearing some of the stories emanating out of UNC. It’s Lambardi, it’s Belichick’s son Steve, it’s a college campus.”
The ESPN broadcaster further added that there are things at the collegiate level that Belichick didn’t necessarily have to concern himself with at the NFL level. In his role at UNC, Smith argues, Belichick has to be the ‘guardian of the kids.’ At his age, the UNC head coach is not suited for that. “That’s not for him,” Smith concluded.
Smith’s comments come days after he praised Bill Belichick for UNC’s victory over TCU in Week 0 to start his second year at the program on a high note. However, the celebrations couldn’t last long as the Tar Heels found themselves embroiled in another drama.
Belichick’s decision to implement the insular “Patriot Way” hasn’t turned out well for the head coach. He hired long-time NFL associates like Michael Lombardi, who had zero college football experience, and it backfired. There has been an ongoing investigation into Lombardi’s departure.
On September 3, UNC GM Michael Lombardi resigned from his position, a month after the program placed him on paid administrative leave. The university has kept the specific details of the initial HR complaint against Lombardi strictly confidential.
But hours after his resignation, a WRAL report alleged that the investigation into the GM is also looking into several other issues in the program. There are allegations of drug abuse against Bill Belichick’s son, Steve, who has been on a medical leave for several weeks. The investigation has brought embarrassing scrutiny to UNC a week into the 2026 college football season.
Despite the mounting pressure from the internal university investigation, Belichick’s squad still went out and secured a 15-10 season-opening upset victory over TCU in Ireland. For many, winning games is the ultimate metric of success, and Belichick proved his elite tactical capability right out of the gate.
UNC has a timely bye week to navigate the external pressure that has been building up. The Tar Heels will return to action for their home opener against East Tennessee State on September 12. All eyes will remain on how the team handles the immense pressure.