North Carolina could be setting up an early exit plan for Bill Belichick

Sep 20, 2025; Orlando, Florida, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Bill Belichick walks into the field before the game against the UCF Knights at the Bounce House Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-Imagn Images
Sep 20, 2025; Orlando, Florida, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Bill Belichick walks into the field before the game against the UCF Knights at the Bounce House Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-Imagn Images | Mike Watters-Imagn Images

The Bill Belichick era in Chapel Hill has been a dumpster fire to say the very least between the record on the field and all of the drama off the field. From the moment Belichick was hired the drama started to leak out from his relationship to a now second-planned documentary around his takeover of North Carolina, which has been fired.

If you're Bill Belichick and his staff, you're likely at the point with a 2-3 record where the team has looked totally unprepared, where you'd like to just focus on football and lay low. That was likely the case until defensive backs coach Armond Hawkins was suspended for providing alleged extra benefits, violating NCAA rules.

While the story may not seem like a big deal, for North Carolina it may end up being a blessing in disguise while hurting Bill Belichick. It could become possible that Belichick's staff committing violations is the way the Tar Heels are able to move on from Belichick without paying his hefty buyout if they can prove there was cause to fire him.

On Wednesday, it was reported that UNC is already looking at their potential paths forward.

Given the way the seasons unfolded to this point, North Carolina will certainly start to prepare an escape route especially if it's to their benefit.

North Carolina hired Bill Belichick to a 5-year deal which runs through the end of 2029 at a total of $50 million. If Bill Belichick is fired at any point before December 31st, 2027, the Tar Heels would owe him what he's owed to that point which is $26.7 million. The interesting part is that if North Carolina fires Belichick, in order to receive the buyout, he'd need to sign a post termination agreement which means he accepts the decision absolving North Carolina of legal backlash.

Being able to fire Belichick for cause is the lone way out of this terrible situation cheaply for UNC. Along with firing and replacing Belichick, the same would have to be done for the rest of the staff which puts an even bigger burden on the school financially.

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