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Bill Belichick’s inaugural season in college football didn’t go the way he and the North Carolina Tar Heels hoped, finishing 4-8 and 2-6 in ACC play in 2025.
Nonetheless, the championship pedigree remains in Chapel Hill because of the identity of the head coach. Belichick’s eight career Super Bowl victories, including six as head coach of the New England Patriots, are revered even though his first year with the Tar Heels was not what was expected.
Belichick’s mindset, however, is not thinking in terms of championship or failure, despite what his career record says.
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Head coach Bill Belichick of the North Carolina Tar Heels looks on before a game against the UCF Knights at FBC Mortgage Stadium in Orlando, Florida on September 20, 2025. (Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)
Ahead of his sophomore season with UNC, Belichick, speaking on “Hang Out with Sean Hannity,” discussed how he approaches a bounce-back hopeful campaign in 2026.
“Our goals are much shorter term than that, just like our goals in the NFL,” he told Hannity. “We never talked about the Super Bowl this year or last year. Everything that’s been done is done, and until we got to the game, it wasn’t really relevant. There were too many steps in between. It’s the same for me at North Carolina.
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“Right now our goal is to get ready for training camp in August and what do we need to do between now and then with training, player preparation, practice strategy. Based on what we know about our team, how things do we want to change, what we did in the spring, and so on. How can we have a good week, and if we have a good week, what can we do to step up next week and make that better? Ultimately, continue to try to win on a higher ground.”
Belichick admitted that the team’s “long-term goal” is obviously to compete well enough to make the College Football Playoff and one day play for a national title.
North Carolina football head coach Bill Belichick and general manager Michael Lombardi watch from the sidelines during the game against Texas Christian University at Kenan Memorial Stadium in Chapel Hill, North Carolina on September 1, 2025. (Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)
“But it’s so far,” he added. “What’s most important is enjoying today, tomorrow and this week. Those are really our goals – how do we maximize these few days?
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“If we don’t take care of the daily steps, we won’t accomplish much.”
Belichick was known for his “no days off” mantra with the Patriots, but it’s similar here in that he’s focused on how to get better every day instead of looking too far ahead.
Bill Belichick watches the Miami Hurricanes take on the Indiana Hoosiers during the first half of the College Football Playoff national championship game at Hard Rock Stadium on January 19, 2026. (Kirby Lee/Imagn Images)
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After their disappointing season, Belichick and his staff at UNC also took advantage of the transfer portal, strengthening key positions including Edge Rushers and Tight Ends to give them a better chance to improve.
