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Bill Belichick surely did not envision a world in which he would need to issue a statement alongside UNC saying he remains fully committed to the college football program just five games into his tenure.
Alas, that’s the roller coaster ride he and the rest of the Tar Heels have experienced this season.
Belichick’s first experience as a head coach in college football saw a 2-3 record in the books with multiple blowout losses, rumors that the university was already considering a buyout, and drama on and off the field.
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North Carolina head coach Bill Belichick watches from the sidelines during the first half of an NCAA football game against Charlotte in Charlotte, N.C., Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025. (Nell Redmond/AP Photo)
While Belichick maintains he is “fully committed to UNC football and the program we are building here,” one of his former NFL players isn’t at all surprised by what’s happening in Chapel Hill.
“I’m not surprised, and I’m only saying that for this simple fact: Bill Belichick has never coached college football before,” Damien Harris, former New England Patriots running back and current college football analyst, told PK Press Club Digital, while noting his partnership with Dr. Pepper. “He’s the best coach of all time in the NFL. Respect. I take my hat off to him. I played for him, I believe him and I respect him. That doesn’t mean you can get to the college level and have the same success.
BILL BELICHICK VOURE HE’S ‘FULLY COMMITTED’ TO NORTH CAROLINA FOOTBALL DESPITE SPLIT RUMORS
“When you see a lot of NFL coaches go to college, they usually take coordinator jobs because they have a higher level of X’s and O’s thinking than most college coaches or college football players. But to go from head coach to head coach, you then have to worry about all the other things.”
It’s true that the college game is a completely different beast than the NFL. The X’s and Os Harris mentioned may be the same, but a college head coach has more responsibilities outside of the film room and meeting auditoriums.
Considering Harris spent his rookie contract in New England under Belichick as the team’s third-round pick out of Alabama in 2019, he knows better than anyone that Chapel Hill’s new leader doesn’t do well with those “distractions,” which include a very public relationship with 24-year-old Jordon Hudson.
“I was just thinking that, based on my experience with Bill and how he doesn’t care about anything that’s not part of winning football games,” Harris explained. “Thinking of [how] he needs to go out and recruit. He has to get out, he has to get into politics. He has a new relationship now and I’m sure he’s happy, but it might be a distraction now watching tapes and watching movies and being as lively as he usually is.”
Head coach Bill Belichick of the North Carolina Tar Heels and Jordon Hudson look on before the game against the Richmond Spiders at Kenan Memorial Stadium on September 13, 2025 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (King Lance/Getty Images)
Harris emphasized his belief that the “ideal” path for NFL coaches to the college level is in the coordinator realm, much like Matt Patricia with the Ohio State Buckeyes right now. Patricia, who worked under Belichick for years in multiple roles with the Patriots, ended up getting a chance to become an NFL head coach with the Detroit Lions, which didn’t work out.
Patricia ended up returning to the Patriots and finally the Philadelphia Eagles before Ryan Day hired him as the team’s defensive coordinator this season. The Buckeyes now have the No. 1 defense in the country.
That may be ideal, but Belichick never wanted to be a coordinator. He was seeking a head coaching position in the NFL after leaving the Patriots after 23 seasons leading them as head coach. He was present in the media space throughout last season, while always looking for the next opportunity.
Although it didn’t pan out in the NFL, the job at UNC was offered and he ran with it. But Harris didn’t see his former coach stepping up and taking the Tar Heels to the next level.
It’s a totally different game, and maybe a Belichick isn’t a long-term fit.
“When you take all these things into account, I can honestly say I’m not surprised,” Harris concluded. “Not because I thought Bill was a bad coach, not because I didn’t think he could do it. I just saw, again because I played college football and it’s a lot different now than it was back then, he’s had to take on more responsibility than he normally doesn’t because it’s a distraction from the football game itself.”
Bill Belichick, new head coach of the North Carolina Tar Heels, speaks to the media at the Loudermilk Center for Excellence. (Jim Dedmon/Imagn Images)
FEEDING RIVALRIES
While Harris provides keen analysis of Belichick and the rest of the college game throughout the season, he is completely invested in his No. 6 Crimson Tide, especially this week as they host No. 11 Tennessee in Tuscaloosa.
Dr Pepper is hosting a special game day event to launch “The Pepper Portal,” which is a one-of-a-kind fan experience connecting rival college towns before the big game. Harris will represent the Crimson Tide, while current Patriots quarterback Josh Dobbs, a former Volunteers signal-caller, will be on the road with him.
These two will interact with fans through the Pepper portal, meet local NIL talent onsite and share their thoughts on who will emerge victorious on Saturday night.
