Bill Belichick‘s inaugural year at North Carolina has been sheer chaos. Through five games of his first season, the six-time Super Bowl champion has not meshed well with college life. Amid the intense media pressure and speculation about his tenure at UNC, former New York Jets wide receiver has brought about a fresh round of drama by interrogating Belichick’s camaraderie with his close friend, Nick Saban.

Keyshawn Johnson took to Instagram and spoke with a firm reminder, imagining that Belichick made a call to the college level without ringing up one of the sports great legends. “Bill Belichick didn’t talk to Nick Saban before he took this UNC job, and Nick didn’t tell him as his good friend, successful college coach. It was going to be different. Didn’t let him know,” Johnson spoke in his video message.

His words rang true to the football community, considering Belichick’s incessant frustration at UNC starkly contrasts Saban’s consistent greatness at the college level. Although Saban never directly coached Belichick, his resume speaks for itself.

In 28 years, Saban became the pillar of college football, winning seven national titles, six at Alabama and one at LSU, and solidifying himself arguably as one of the best college coaches in history.

Belichick, meanwhile, has been awakened in the middle. North Carolina is 128th in the country in scoring game after an embarrassing 38-10 home loss to Clemson. What had been billed as the “33rd NFL team” then revealed itself to be one of the country’s poorer teams.

Johnson didn’t mince words. He then criticized the UNC decision to break up with Mack Brown, a man with strong roots and achievements in Chapel Hill. “What a monumental f— up UNC has put themselves in. You have Mack Brown right there. You had him right there,” Johnson said.

His comments called forth the Hall of Fame lineage. Brown ranks as North Carolina’s all-time wins leader (113) and Texas’ all-time runner-up (158), where he guided the Longhorns to a national championship in 2005. UNC administrators announced in November 2024 that Brown would not again coach in 2025, paving the way for Belichick’s contentious hiring.

Former NFL lineman Geoff Schwartz dissected the situation on X and wrote, “The Belichick disaster seemed so inevitable. Old grumpy NFL coach who lost his touch in the league. Going to college for the first time with almost no connections to the sport. Portal + NIL era has been difficult for even established coaches. Roster bad. Couldn’t connect with the players, etc.”

Since taking over in December, he has hired his old NFL friend Michael Lombardi as general manager and hired both of his sons, Steve and Brian, to defensive coaching positions. UNC overhauled its roster with 70 players entering the transfer portal and recruiting class.

They’ve been outscored 120-33 by Power Four teams and have had no energy, cohesiveness, and chemistry necessary to compete at this level. More puzzling still, Belichick forbade New England Patriots scouts from attending campus visits, leaving recruits and their families astonished, thinking his NFL pedigree would be key to the pros.

All this chaos gave rise to rumors about his future at UNC.

Belichick’s UNC future in jeopardy?

With speculation about his possible future in the air, Johnson fanned the flames by suggesting that maybe Belichick was already considering premature retirement.

“Bill Belichick is talking to officials at UNC about a buyout? You halfway through the season and you want a buyout already? I know this has to be a false report. Can’t be real because that just doesn’t go with Bill Belichick,” Johnson stated. The Tar Heels’ 2-3 record and their woeful 38-10 home loss to Clemson stoked those rumors further.

As per sources, Belichick has signaled openness to finding new opportunities, either as a coach or in the broadcast booth, that would equal the $1 million buyout UNC is obligated to make to Belichick if he were to leave voluntarily for a new opportunity.

UNC is compelled to pay Belichick $20 million; on the other hand, if it were to fire him for cause, a very fine line between being financially responsible and more heat from fans and boosters.

And to make matters worse, the program had already been sullied by a prior scandal. Assistant coach Armond Hawkins had been suspended for allegedly granting special favors to the players’ relatives through sideline passes, contributing to a tenuous environment.

However, UNC and Belichick quickly moved to shut down the speculation. In a joint statement posted to the Tar Heels’ social media, Belichick said, “I am fully committed to the UNC program and what we’re building here.” Bubba Cunningham, the university’s athletic director, echoed that sentiment: “Coach Belichick has the full support of the Department of Athletics and University.”

However, with each defeat and growing tension in the locker room, questions are raised about whether Belichick’s measured NFL approach can be used in a college world.