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Bill Belichick surely didn’t envision a world in which he would need to release a statement alongside UNC saying he remains fully committed to the college football program just five games into his tenure.
Unfortunately, that’s the roller coaster he and the rest of the Tar Heels have been on this season.
Belichick’s first opportunity as a head coach in college football has seen a 2-3 record in the books with multiple losses, rumors that the university is already considering his purchase, 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, North Carolina, Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025. (Nell Redmond/AP Photo)
While Belichick maintained that he is “fully committed to UNC Football and the program we are building here,” one of his former NFL players is not at all surprised by what is happening in Chapel Hill.
“I’m not surprised, and I’m just saying it because of this simple fact: Bill Belichick had never coached college football before,” Damien Harris, former New England Patriots running back and current college football analyst, told Pak Gazette Digital, while noting his association with Dr Pepper. “He’s the best coach that’s ever been in the NFL. I respect him. I take my hat off to him. I played for him, I believe him and I respect him. That doesn’t mean you can move up and go to the college level and have the same success.
BILL BELICHICK PROMOTES THAT HE IS ‘TOTALLY COMMITTED’ TO NORTH CAROLINA FOOTBALL DESPITE DIVIDED 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 have. But to go from head coach to head coach, then you have to worry about all the other things.”
It’s true that the college game compared to the NFL is a completely different beast. The X’s and O’s Harris mentions may be the same, but a college head coach has more responsibilities outside of the film room and meeting halls.
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 most that the new leader in Chapel Hill doesn’t do well with such “distractions,” which include a very public relationship with 24-year-old Jordon Hudson.
“I just thought that, because of my experience with Bill and how much he doesn’t care if he doesn’t get involved in winning football games,” Harris explained. “Thinking of [how] he has to go out and recruit. He has to go out, he has to do politics. “He’s in a new relationship now and I’m sure he’s happy, but right now he could be a distraction watching tapes, watching movies and being as smart as he usually is.”
North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Bill Belichick and Jordon Hudson watch before the game against the Richmond Spiders at Kenan Memorial Stadium on September 13, 2025 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Lance King/Getty Images)
Harris noted his belief that the “ideal” path for NFL coaches to the college level is at the coordinator level, much like Matt Patricia with the Ohio State Buckeyes right now. Patricia, who worked with Belichick for years in multiple roles with the Patriots, ended up getting an opportunity to be an NFL head coach with the Detroit Lions, which didn’t work out.
Patricia ended up back with the Patriots and eventually the Philadelphia Eagles before Ryan Day hired him as the team’s defensive coordinator this season. The Buckeyes now have the number one defense in the country.
He may be ideal, but Belichick never wanted to be a coordinator. He was looking for a head coaching job in the NFL following his departure from the Patriots after 23 seasons leading them as their head coach. He was in the media space all of last season as he continued to look for the next opportunity.
While it didn’t come to fruition in the NFL, they offered him the job at UNC and he accepted it. But Harris didn’t see his old coach get to work and take the Tar Heels to the next level.
This is a totally different game, and Belichick may not be right for the long haul.
“When you take all of those 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 the college game and it’s a lot different now than back then, there are more responsibilities that he had to take care of that he normally doesn’t do because it’s a distraction from the game of football itself.”
New North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Bill Belichick speaks to the media at the Loudermilk Center for Excellence. (Jim Dedmon/Image Images)
FUELING RIVALITIES
While Harris offers excellent analysis of Belichick and the rest of the college game throughout the season, he is fully invested in his No. 6 Crimson Tide, especially this week when they host No. 11 Tennessee in Tuscaloosa.
Dr Pepper is hosting a special game day event to introduce “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 Volunteer signal-caller, will be on the road with him.
These two will interact with fans through the Pepper Portal, meet local NIL talent on-site, and share their thoughts on who will emerge victorious on Saturday night.
