Bill Belichick provided a winning quote on Thursday during his introductory press conference as the new head coach at North Carolina.
When asked if the NFL remains an option should he enjoy immediate success in Chapel Hill, Belichick had a quick response.
“I didn’t come here to leave,” the 72-year-old Belichick said with a smile.
His quick wit prompted a round of applause from those in attendance.
The Tar Heels are banking on more wins — those that come on the field — during this tenure with the team.
The six-time Super Bowl-winning head coach signed a five-year contract with North Carolina, a program that has not won a conference title since 1980.
So, why is Belichick trying his hand at the collegiate coaching level?
Well, Belichick’s father, Steve Belichick, was an assistant coach at North Carolina from 1953-55 before enjoying a lengthy career at Navy. Bill Belichick honored that on Thursday by pulling out an old sweatshirt worn by his father during the latter’s time at Chapel Hill.
“This is really kind of a dream come true,” he said. “I grew up in college football with my dad, he was a coach at Navy for 50 years, so as a kid all I knew is college football. It’s great to come back home to Carolina and back in an environment that I really grew up in.”
Belichick also noted that his love of coaching was the inspiration to accept the position at North Carolina.
“Beats working,” he said. “When you love what you do, it’s not work. I love what I do. I love coaching. I love the interaction with the players, the building a team, working, the assistants, game planning, the games itself.”
Belichick replaces Mack Brown, whom North Carolina fired at the end of the regular season. The Tar Heels (6-6) will play UConn in the Fenway Bowl on Dec. 28 in Boston.
Belichick parted ways with the New England Patriots following the 2023 season after 24 years with the franchise. He was out of coaching this year despite interviewing for multiple NFL vacancies last offseason, and has been working multiple roles in the media.
Belichick has 333 wins as an NFL coach (including playoffs) and needs 15 more to break the all-time record held by Don Shula. However, according to reports earlier this week, he was surprised not to hear from the NFL teams with existing vacancies.
It will be his first coaching position at the collegiate level. His son, Steve, is the defensive coordinator at the University of Washington and a prominent role for him at UNC was reportedly a part of his father’s pitch to the Tar Heels. Huskies head coach Jedd Fisch was a former assistant for Bill Belichick, who spent significant time around the Washington program over the past year.
