Bill Belichick monitors North Carolina’s practice in Chapel Hill on March 5 2025. Photo by Chris Seward/AP.
When news broke that Bill Belichick was coming to North Carolina, UNC players couldn’t believe it. Wide receiver Jordan Shipp and his roommates were stunned.
“It was just like, ‘That’s the greatest coach of all time — and he’s about to be coaching us,’” Shipp said.
Belichick, the six-time Super Bowl champion and longtime NFL head coach, joined UNC in December to help elevate the program to new heights. Since arriving in Chapel Hill, he’s overhauled the roster, reshaped the culture, and challenged players in ways they hadn’t experienced before. Now, UNC players are starting to open up about what it’s really like to play under one of the most legendary minds in football.
A New Era in Chapel Hill
Tuesday marked the first time UNC players spoke with the media since their Fenway Bowl loss to UConn last December. That game happened just days after Belichick was officially named head coach for the 2025 season.
Since then, Belichick has been busy. With help from general manager Michael Lombardi, he’s set out to build a “pro-style” model in college — one that mirrors what successful NFL teams do. That effort has included reshaping the roster through the transfer portal and establishing structure during spring workouts.
“Look, these are great kids to work with, they really are,” Belichick said Tuesday. “We’ve had great buy-in. There have really been no problems at all. These guys are on time, they’re early, they work hard, they put in the work in the weight room, out on the field. They spend time on their own, whether it’s doing extra training or coming over and watching film and that type of thing.
“They’ve made a ton of improvement and these guys are a lot better than they were when we started in January, on every level. So it’s exciting to see where that’s going to take us.”
From Watching Him on TV to Being Coached by Him
Many UNC players grew up watching Belichick lead the Patriots to Super Bowls with Tom Brady. Now, he’s standing in front of them at practice — something that felt surreal at first.
“I mean, maybe at first when you see him, all you see is the Super Bowls that he’s won.” Said offensive lineman Christo Kelly, a Holy Crosstransfer and Belichick’s first portal commitment. “But when you get here and you see the way he cares, you see the way that he approaches the game, you see how hard he works, there’s no question why he has the success that he has.
Kelly also praised Belichick’s attention to fundamentals and the way he’s creating competition across the roster.
“The attention to detail, the emphasis on fundamentals, and really just kind of creating competition for the guys, that’s what’s getting built here,” he said. Guys are embracing it. He treats everybody with tremendous respect and it’s been great.”
Surprises Beyond Football
Belichick may be known for his serious, no-nonsense approach — but players say there’s a different side of him showing up at UNC.
Shipp recalled how Belichick opened his first team meeting.
“I feel like that’s the biggest curveball, you’re coming to the first meeting and you’re expecting it to be serious, 100% locked in,” Shipp said. “He comes in and he introduces himself and then he busts a joke. That’s the second thing he said.”
Defensive back Will Hardy noticed it, too.
“There are times when he’ll just crack a joke out of nowhere,” Hardy said. “And just him being kind of monotone sometimes will make those jokes so funny.”
But when it comes time to watch film or correct mistakes, the focus is sharp.
“There’s no hiding” when Belichick highlights a mistake,” Hardy added.
A Big Opportunity for Players
For players like Thad Dixon, a defensive back who transferred from Washington, the chance to learn from Belichick was a no-brainer. Dixon had played under Belichick’s son, Steve — now UNC’s defensive coordinator — and had met Bill before.
“I really just wanted the opportunity just to learn from somebody like that, that had did it in the league for so long,” Dixon said.
Hardy, who has had several one-on-one conversations with Belichick, said it’s been a unique experience.
“I’ve loved having 1-on-1 conversations with him,” Hardy said. “It’s cool to see and meet him personally, because you grow up and see him on TV and everything. And he’s just a completely different coach and guy when you get to be around him all day. It’s cool.”
Looking Ahead
UNC kicks off the 2025 season on Labor Day against TCU in a nationally televised Monday night matchup. As the team adjusts to Belichick’s system and expectations, players seem energized and motivated.
With Belichick bringing his NFL mindset to the college game, North Carolina’s bet on one of football’s all-time greats could end up being a game-changer.
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This report used information from ESPN.
