Bill Belichick, who led the New England Patriots to six Super Bowl titles as a head coach, will take the helm of the North Carolina (UNC) Tar Heels, the university said on Wednesday.
Belichick, 72, agreed to a five-year deal pending approval by UNC¡¯s board of trustees and board of governors, the university said in a release.
Financial terms were not disclosed, but the Athletic reported that the contract could be worth up to $30 million.
¡°This is an exciting day for Carolina football and our University,¡± North Carolina chancellor Lee H. Roberts said.
¡°Carolina is committed to excellence and to creating an opportunity to succeed in everything we do, from the classroom to the field of competition.
¡°I know after speaking with Coach Belichick that he shares that commitment. His legacy speaks for itself, and we look forward to working together on the next chapter of Carolina football.¡±
Belichick spent 24 seasons as the Patriots¡¯ head coach and during that time New England won 17 AFC East titles, made 13 AFC Championship appearances, and reached nine Super Bowls.
Belichick¡¯s 333 wins as a head coach in the NFL is second only to Don Shula¡¯s 347.
He replaces Mack Brown, who UNC fired at the end of the regular season. The Tar Heels have not won a conference title since 1980.
¡°I am excited for the opportunity at UNC-Chapel Hill,¡± said Belichick, who has never coached at the collegiate level before.
¡°I grew up around college football with my dad and treasured those times. I have always wanted to coach in college and now I look forward to building the football program in Chapel Hill.¡±
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.