Bill Belichick, the hooded genius himself, pulled up to Chapel Hill with a five-year deal to run Tar Heels football, back in December. But hold up — this ain’t just about Belichick making a pit stop in CFB. The man brought his son, Steve Belichick, with him after two weeks of signing for the DC job at Chapel Hill from Washington. And you already know how the college football streets reacted — folks wasted no time throwing the N-word around. Nah, not that one. Nepotism. Bill Belichick finally breaks the silence on the nepo hire allegation with facts and receipts during the spring game press conference.

On March 5, Bill Belichick finally addressed the noise. When asked about building his staff and — more specifically—his sons’ roles, he didn’t dodge. “You know, it starts with the coordinators,” he said. “Steve [Belichick], Freddy [Kitchen], and Mike [Priefer] have a ton of experience. They’ve performed well in multiple situations. Certainly, you know, Steve [Belichick]’s coached our defense for a long time. and, um, whatever his years as a coach were, um, he was involved way before that.” 

Translation? My son’s been in the trenches. Steve Belichick ain’t just some coach’s kid handed a whistle and a headset. He ran with his pops in New England for 12 years, calling the shots on defense for five seasons. He learned from one of the greatest minds in football (his pops), and even played a key role in that 2018 Super Bowl where the Patriots defense held the Rams to three measly points. Not to mention, he spent the last year as Washington’s defensive coordinator, where his squad ranked 27th in total defense. Ain’t no free rides over here.

But wait — there’s more. Because Bill didn’t just bring Steve on board, he also scooped up his other son, Brian Belichick, as UNC’s safeties coach after six years with the Patriots. Bill Belichick kept it real. “We’re just trying to put together the best staff that we can,” he explained. “It’s a combination of pro experience and college experience… I love the guys that we’re working with. They work hard, and, and we’re doing all we can to help our team improve and help the players play better. And that’s our job.”

And he’s not lying. His staff literally stacked with big names: Freddie Kitchens, a former Browns head coach, is running the offense. Mike Priefer, an elite special teams mind, is handling that phase. And then there’s a blend of college and pro guys to create the perfect storm. Belichick didn’t just slap together a coaching roster filled with his buddies — he built a powerhouse.

Bill Belichick’s revived Patriots playbook move at Chapel Hill

Spring football in college? That’s a new beast for Belichick. But in classic Bill fashion, he brought an old-school NFL trick with him, and UNC fans are already buzzing. During the Tar Heels’ second spring practice, media members were allowed to watch the first 15 minutes. What did they see? No player numbers. That’s right. Carolina blue on offense, white on defense, red for the QBs — but no digits.

“That’s just what we do. We go out there and we earn it,” Belichick said, throwing it back to his New England days when the Patriots ran the same system. “The numbers and what color gloves we wear, and all that, is not as important as doing your job.” If that sounds familiar, it’s because this is straight from the Belichick playbook. Back in New England, he made players earn their jersey numbers every offseason until the NFL forced him to stop. But in Chapel Hill? No rules against it. And just like that, UNC football is getting a full Belichick makeover.

This move isn’t just about numbers. It’s about accountability, grit, and setting the tone. No one is walking in with a starting job — everything has to be earned. And considering UNC opens its 2025 season against TCU on September 1, the Tar Heels are already being pushed into a pro-level mindset. Belichick is making it crystal clear — this isn’t just a retirement gig for him. He’s out here scheming, developing, and setting up UNC to be a force in the CFB world. And if the skeptics still want to call it nepotism? They might want to check the resume first.