Rumors ran rampant in Chapel Hill this week that the University of North Carolina and Bill Belichick were negotiating a potential buyout. The speculation reached such a fever pitch that Belichick and UNC Athletics Director Bubba Cunningham released statements Wednesday to quell it.
“I’m fully committed to UNC Football and the program we’re building here,” Belichick said, while Cunningham added that the six-time Super Bowl-winning head coach has the university’s “full support.”
Statements from Carolina Athletics. pic.twitter.com/g8zn6WoxTW
— UNC Tar Heels (@GoHeels) October 9, 2025
The statements came amid mounting controversies. Cornerbacks coach Arnold Hawkins was suspended for recruiting violations, and a WRAL-TV report claimed players and their parents are blaming Belichick for toxicity surrounding the program.
“It’s an unstructured mess,” a source with firsthand knowledge of the program told WRAL. “There’s no culture, no organization. It’s a complete disaster.”
Belichick, Lombardi Have No Plans to Leave Despite Criticism
Despite the turmoil, Belichick and general manager Michael Lombardi aren’t going anywhere, according to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini.
“Amid a tidal wave of recent reports on the dysfunction at UNC involving head coach Bill Belichick and GM Michael Lombardi — including a report in The Athletic on the chaos and lack of familiarity with college football that critics say is hurting the program — sources in both the college game and the league say the duo has no plans to leave Chapel Hill. People inside the football operation believe the criticism is intended to hurt the program,” Russini reports.
“Belichick, who was on the road Friday recruiting in Olney, Md., has told those close to him that he loves coaching at the college level. More than that, he believes they’re building something meaningful at UNC, a program with staying power. Lombardi is fully on the same page.”
It’s been a nightmare for Belichick both on and off the field. The Tar Heels are 2-3 and have been outscored by power conference opponents 120-33. There’s also been the distraction of the 73-year-old’s relationship with 24-year-old Jordon Hudson, and Hulu has scrapped a documentary that was planned on UNC’s season.
The Tar Heels have a bye before facing California on the road Friday, Oct. 17. They still have time to turn it around, but it’s hard to imagine with a UNC offense that ranks 128th out of 136 FBS teams.
