Bill Belichick has faced intensified public scrutiny during a disappointing start to his head coaching reign at North Carolina. The program reportedly believes his former employer is partially responsible.
Members of UNC’s football program suspect the New England Patriots of sourcing some negative reporting about Belichick, according to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini.
North Carolina is 2-3 with three blowout losses behind Belichick, who surprisingly joined the ACC school in December. The ugly start has fueled speculation over whether the 73-year-old and the program could quickly try to part ways, but they released a joint statement confirming their commitment to each other on Wednesday.
Russini also said Belichick and general manager Michael Lombardi are committed to UNC “for the foreseeable future.” Buying out Belichick and his staff would cost the school approximately $30 million.
Several stories have raised questions over how Belichick has handled his college transition. Pat Welter of WRAL News spoke to staffers, Board of Trustees members and parents of players who described a “divided locker room, a disorganized coaching staff and a failure to communicate.”
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Shortly before Russini’s report, The Athletic published a piece from Bruce Feldman, Brendan Marks and Stewart Mandel detailing dysfunction in Chapel Hill. Sources “described a culture of arrogance and ignoring of steep differences between college and pro football.”
Russini’s report could stem from recent news that portrays Belichick as petty toward his former NFL team. The six-time Super Bowl champion banned Patriots scouts from attending UNC practices.
“It’s clear I’m not welcome there at their facility, so they’re not welcome at ours,” Belichick said last month. “It’s pretty simple.”
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Reports on Monday morning claimed Belichick directed the athletic program’s social media department not to post about Patriots players, a notable decree since Drake Maye played for the Tar Heels. They tweeted about the quarterback’s Week 5 performance against the Buffalo Bills shortly after that story surfaced.
