North Carolina Tar Heels new administration did not come cheap. Not surprising since Bill Belichick and Michael Lombardi bring Superbowl experience to the college game. At least that was the expectation. Unfortunately, the results are awful as Belichick’s North Carolina has stumbled to a 2-5 start. However, Belichick still has his fans. Some of whom put the head coach on a pedestal for having a role in making Tom Brady who he is today.

On October 24, Pablo Torre shared a clip of the episode of his latest podcast. The reporter stirred Belichick’s pot with his blunt remark. He shared, “Bill Belichick has never been more hurt, has never felt more vulnerable, has never felt older than he has after Tom Brady went and won a Super Bowl in Tampa immediately after leaving him.” Well, he had his reasons to claim that Belichick has lost his charm.

Back in spring, one of Belichick’s loyal supporters projected that North Carolina would be the NFL’s “33rd team.” Cut to October 2025, the Tar Heels are winless in the ACC and barely clinging to 15th place, with wins over a middling FCS team and a struggling 1-6 in-state foe, and three Power 4 losses by 25+.

For the first time in weeks, Belichick and co. found themselves in a position to win instead of being blown out. Trailing Cal by three in the fourth quarter, quarterback Gio Lopez hit Nathan Leacock across the middle with a clear path to the end zone, a go-ahead touchdown within reach. But just before Leacock crossed the goal line, Cal’s Brent Austin punched the ball loose, recovered it in the end zone, and sealed the Tar Heels’ fate. The Golden Bears ran out the clock, leaving UNC’s comeback hopes buried under a chaotic final play.

So, according to Torre, Belichick might be reliving the ghost of the past. The feeling of disillusionment after Brady jumped out of New England might have come back to haunt him. Brady didn’t mince words in Apple TV+’s Dynasty: there was zero chance he’d suit up for the Patriots again in 2020. But that does not mean that Brady did not benefit from playing under Belichick.

“I certainly could never have accomplished the things in my career without his support and his teachings,” the GOAT said in an interview. No duo has done it longer. Brady’s 20-year run under Belichick is unmatched in American professional sports. So, the fans now jump into the race to defend the Tar Heels’ head coach.

Fans protecting Bill Belichick from outside noise

Across 24 years in total, Belichick and Brady bridged two Patriots dynasties, creating the most successful coach-quarterback partnership in league history. A fan thus put the reporter on the hot seat, “Pablo Torre has never been more obsessed, never been more engrossed, never posted more clickbait than he has with Bill Belichick to try and gain clicks and notoriety.” Making the comment sound like the reporter’s take, the fan charged Torre, who came up with a theory behind the Jordon Hudon-Belichick relationship being about power, and not romance.

Already Torre had been called out for getting too involved in Belichick’s personal life. The Ringer founder, Bill Simmons, claimed Torre has been “pretending” to be a journalist. A fan walked on the same path as Simmons, “Dude needs help. The obsession is out of control at this point.” Torre even tracked down the Airbnb from the 2023 Ring video of a shirtless Belichick and labeled him a “creepy old guy.”

Not just this. Torre recently reported that the Tar Heels barred Jordon Hudson from their facilities, which they denied, and alleged she tried to sneak into a commercial wearing a bikini. This made a fan become irritated with the reporter, “This guy a re—d ? Bill took a rookie to the playoffs in the same year, & should have won coach of the year. If Bill hand picked a super team he would have won as well. STOT CASUAL TAKES 2025.” Overall, 39 players transferred out after Belichick’s arrival, so he could not choose his warriors. 

Torre kept on intruding into Belichick’s personal life. Going by his findings, Hudson argued for a new graphics hire, while Belichick stuck to his guns, insisting on a football person. But a fan raised a call, sharing a meme, telling the reporter that this strategy no longer serves, “it’s getting old @PabloTorre.” Torre should focus on the good parts. For example, San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Kendrick Bourne still speaks fondly of his former mentor. 

Already, Bill Belichick is carrying the burden of a $1 million buyout. A fan thus requests the head coach to keep any noise at bay, “Bill needs a restraining order against this dork, this is legitimately a disturbing obsession.” As if Pablo Torre was not enough. NFL reporter and author David Fleming, too, chose to pester Belichick, recalling how UNC’s 48-14 defeat against TCU made his daughter, Kate, a UNC student, embarrassed. How long can the Tar Heels’ leader withstand the pressure from all sides?