Bill Belichick Marriage With North Carolina Might Work Out, But It Definitely Created A Splash Few Expected

Even though the graphics were sent out, and a press conference was called, we had to wait for the legendary NFL coach to take the podium on Thursday for the situation to truly become a reality. That's exactly what we saw as Bill Belichick sat at the podium to be introduced as the new North Carolina head football coach. 

While it all still feels weird, and rightfully so, Bill Belichick answering questions from the assembled media in Chapel Hill has sent Shockwaves around the football world, from NFL circles all the way to college coaches across the country. 

While there was a strong contingent of North Carolina folks that thought this whole thing was a ploy from the Super Bowl winning coach to garner more interest from NFL GM's across the league, it certainly became a reality when he signed his name on the dotted line of a contract that obviously works in his favor. 

"I didn't come here to leave," Belichick said when asked about how long he planned on coaching the Tar Heels. It was a question that needed to be asked, and the new North Carolina coach gave an answer that appeased the boosters and folks that worked hard to nail this hire down. 

But, one of the main talking points surrounding his deal with North Carolina centers around the length of his contract, along with a buyout that leaves the door open for an NFL return, even if the chances are small. 

CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA - DECEMBER 12: Head Coach Bill Belichick of the North Carolina Tar Heels poses with Athletic director Bubba Cunningham during a press conference on December 12, 2024 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

Bill Belichick Gets A 5-Year Deal, But With A Catch

As head coach for North Carolina, Mack Brown was receiving around $5 million per year. But to show the college football world that the Tar Heels were in this for all the right reasons, besides the massive amount of attention the hire has created, Belichick will receive $10 million per year, guaranteed for the first 3-years of his deal. 

Yes, even though he signed a five-year contract, it's not clearly laid out where the money will come from after that third year. Obviously, a three-year contract in college football is short, but you can chalk this up to an NFL-like structure, where the remaining years are more less an option. 

This gives the school some wiggle room, if needed, along with Belichick. But that wasn't the main aspect of the deal with North Carolina that had fans scratching their heads. 

According to the agreed-upon deal, the buyout if Belichick were to leave Chapel Hill is interesting, to say the least. If Belichick were to leave North Carolina after June 1 of 2025, the buyout would decrease from $10 million to just $1 million. 

Yes, you read that right. The legendary NFL coach could leave before even coaching a game, and be off the hook for $9 million, as long as it comes after June 1st of next year. Now, I don't know what NFL team is going to be looking for a new head coach in the midst of the summer, but the option is there, and it would cost less than a top-tier quarterback from the transfer portal. 

How Will Bill Belichick Handle Assistant Coaches, NIL? 

If you're going to make an investment in a coach like Bill Belichick, who has zero college coaching experience, the school had better make sure that assistant coaches are a main priority. That's exactly what North Carolina is doing in this situation, giving the head coach a $10 million salary pool to go out and hire the best assistant coaches he can find. 

Obviously, to succeed at this level, he'll need a number of assistants to have experience at the college level. It's not as if Belichick can just hire a bunch of NFL coaches to come in and have success on the recruiting trail. During his introductory press conference, Belichick made it clear he's going to try and hire the best coaches available. 

"On the staff, we’ll hire the best coaches we can hire. I want to do everything I can to help this program, make it as strong as possible," Belichick said. "We’ll hire the best ones we can get. There are several college coaches that are involved in bowl games and so forth. I wouldn’t interfere with the process at those schools, with their commitments to their teams. We’ll see how it goes." 

CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA - DECEMBER 12: Head Coach Bill Belichick of the North Carolina Tar Heels speaks to the media during a press conference on December 12, 2024 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

As for NIL, which is going to be a massive factor in finding success during his first season at the helm, the school gave into his demands to increase the budget. North Carolina will increase its NIL fund to compete with other prominent schools around the country, making a sizable investment of over $13 million, which will also include the upcoming revenue sharing in college athletics. 

I have no idea if this is going to work out for all parties involved, and contending for a national championship, or even an ACC title, will take some serious work. 

But if North Carolina was looking to make a splash in the news cycle, consider that done. Now we're about to find out if this is all worth it, though it will take a few years to see a potential return on investment. 

If this whole situation gets too difficult for Bill Belichick over the next six months, at least he has that cheap buyout that goes into effect in June 2025. .