Bill Belichick, a CFB coach—doesn’t quite roll off the tongue, does it? Bill Belichick, smiling and posing with a teenage recruit—still hard to picture, right? After 24 years of iron-fisted rule in New England, the 72-year-old coaching legend is swapping the relentless grind of the NFL for the energy and unpredictability of college football. And in his early days at North Carolina, one thing is already clear—this isn’t the same Belichick we’ve known for decades.

Gone are the monotonous press conferences. Gone is the icy, hoodie-clad demeanor. Instead, here he is at a UNC basketball game at the Smith Center, mingling with recruits and—of all things—trying to dap them up. The problem? His execution needs work. And that’s where “Dapenomics 101” comes in!

Cam Newton reviewed Bill Belichick’s actions after watching a clip of his former coach greeting his players. In an X post on 4th&1 with Cam Newton on March 15, the 2010 Heisman winner reacted like a disappointed teacher grading a quiz. The caption—“CLASS IS IN SESSION: @CameronNewton breaks down the fundamentals of dapping up after watching Bill Belichick greeting his recruits.” “That’s bad,” he flinched and chuckled at the UNC HC’s style and said, “This goes out to all my white constituents that’s out there, because we all get into a setting where there’s some soul brothers, and we go in for an expected dap.” And then he broke down the mechanics in detail. 

Cam Newton wasn’t about to let this slide. “A dap can be considered a way of embracing,” he said. “When all else fails, you have to keep your palm straight and have to match the intensity of the giver.” Bill Belichick might be a mastermind when it comes to football. But when it comes to breaking down the art of dapping? Let’s just say he’s still in preseason mode. 

“You gotta go in with the same force that the receiver is giving you,” Cam Newton continued. “So, boom, you gotta match it. But, this is the thing that a lot of people don’t necessarily understand.” Let alone Bill Belichick, who isn’t used to mingling with the younger generation of football players. “There’s a form of resistance that when they give it, you gotta resist it, too, and you can’t falter,” he pointed out. And what comes next?

“Then you gotta cuff it and tuck it,” the former NFL star said. “And then this phase right here—this is when you make eye contact.” Who knew a dap could be this complex? But that’s just the first half of the equation.

“If that’s too much to ask, when all else fails—slap, hug,” Cam Newton advised, emphasizing that the length of the hug doesn’t matter. What does? Confidence. “You transfer an energy,” he explained. Then comes the shoulder touch—perhaps a bit much for some—but Newton breaks it down further: “We went from basic math to algebra, and now we’re about to get to trigonometry.” So, did Belichick flunk this ‘dapenomics’ test? According to Newton, maybe. But let’s give the Tar Heels’ head coach an A for effort—he definitely won over the fans.

The new, chill Bill Belichick is winning over people 

Bill Belichick’s dap video sent shockwaves through the college football world. Fans are accustomed to seeing him as a stone-faced strategist behind six Super Bowl wins with Tom Brady. So, most were caught off guard with this new version of him. “Holy adaptability,” a bewildered fan wrote. And some were genuinely happy for this transition, saying, “I’m happy for him. For the first time ever we’re seeing a stress free coach. Wish him the best at NC. Patriot GOAT coach.” 

Despite being released from the Patriots, Cam Newton, for his part, has long defended Bill Belichick against critics who see him as robotic. Back in 2021, he called him the “most misunderstood person in all of sports” and added, “He dope as s—. He is a cool dude who understands the game. He’s like a historian of the game.” And his transition to college football isn’t just about handshakes; it’s about reshaping a program.

So while Bill Belichick’s dap game might need some work, one thing is clear — he’s here to win. And if history has shown us anything, it’s that doubting him is usually a bad idea.