Woah, now that’s some scoop, folks! North Carolina Tar Heels are already the talk of the town. After all, they just hired 72-year-old New England Patriots HC Bill Belichick. That alone was enough to get college football fans buzzing. And here comes even more wild news. Word on the street is Belichick and the Tar Heels might just land an appearance on the (in)famous Hard Knocks show. Sounds crazy, right? It’s always been an NFL Giants thing. But last season’s New York Giants’ drama changed all that. So, what’s Belichick’s right-hand man, Michael Lombardi, saying about these rumors?

Belichick taking a college HC role was shocking enough. But he’s not hitting the ‘SETTLE’ button. And now, even more surprising news is dropping. It’s not just rumors either. College football analysts are chiming in too. NFL Spotlight host Ari Meirov tweeted, “Just in: Bill Belichick and UNC will be featured on the offseason edition of ‘Hard Knocks’ after NFL Films was unable to secure an NFL team following last year’s #Giants experience, per @sportsrapport.” So, an HBO Hard Knocks: Offseason crossover is on the horizon? And even though Lombardi tried to keep it under wraps, he finally broke his silence, hinting that conversations are happening

On the Pat McAfee Show, the newly hired GM of North Carolina stated, “There’s a lot of conversations going on right now about that.” Well, did Belichick and Co. sign the deal? Not yet. As Lombardi confirmed, “We’ve had a lot of offers from people all over to have us come in and look at our program and kind of do the behind-the-scenes things. But I don’t think anything’s yet been official or signed.” Now this would be a move that dares to defy tradition. 

The ‘Hard Knocks’ series, after all, has always focused on NFL programs, highlighting a franchise’s major offseason storylines. It typically delves into roster construction and the crucial fates of that season’s rookie class. However, last time the Giants became a controversy magnet after their GM Joe Schoen basically told Saquon Barkley to test the market, which didn’t sit right with a lot of folks. Plus, they aired him talking shop about quarterback Daniel Jones and their whole draft strategy, like it was no big deal. So, this might have scared the NFL teams, and no team agreed to be the focal point of the offseason version of the show.

But Belichick is going to tick off the pointers, “You got to make sure that everything’s done right all the T’s are crossed. Obviously Bill has been talking to different people.” Now what about Belichick’s stance on Tar Heels? 

Bill Belichick’s old stance about Hard Knocks

Well, Belichick might have six Super Bowls under his belt. However, during his time as the New England Patriots HC, he used to be really scared of Hard Knocks. Despite coaching the New England Patriots for 24 years, the team was never featured on the show. After all, he was skeptical that the NFL rivals might pick up sensitive information that could sway game outcomes. Do you remember Belichick’s interview back in 2021? The HC openly stated his dislike for the show.

“There’s a lot of reasons I wouldn’t (be) excited about it,”  that’s how privacy has always been the priority for the now-UNC HC. However, he was okay with selective sharing. As he shared, “Yeah, we have somebody that studies each team. Whether it’s any relevant comments or information that we think’s relevant to the preparation for the team, then that could be shared, sure.” Well, we all know what came a few years later!

Then came Apple TV’s “The Dynasty: New England Patriots” docuseries, spilling all the Patriots’ tea. And Belichick played a small part in it. So, a year later, he’s cool with giving HBO a peek behind the curtain, maybe not as deep, but still. What’s flipping the switch for Belichick now?

The show will give fans a fly-on-the-wall view of the Tar Heels’ spring portal period, spring practice, and fall camp. However, adapting to his new role in college football, Belichick will likely maintain some secrecy around his methods. But at the same time, the HC would definitely like some breach of privacy to get some increased exposure. After all, he will have to fight the race with big runners like FSU and Clemson in ACC.