Bill Belichick, an eight-time Super Bowl champion and second on the all-time wins list among coaches in NFL history, has agreed to a five-year deal to become the head football coach at the University of North Carolina. Pending approval from the University Board of Trustees and Board of Governors, Belichick is joining the program to lead the Tar Heels as the team looks to win its first Atlantic Coast Conference title since 1980. Earlier in the year, Belichick and the New England Patriots agreed to mutually part ways after he had served a 24-year tenure as head coach of the team.
Throughout the NFL season, he has been contributing to sports media content, working with companies such as ESPN, Omaha Productions, Underdog Fantasy, NFL Films, The CW and SiriusXM. Belichick is familiar with the institution, attending team meetings and film sessions with his father, Steve, who was an assistant football coach for three years with the organization. It remains unknown whether or not Belichick will be able to continue working in sports media as he awaits approval from entities associated with the University of North Carolina.
“I am excited for the opportunity at UNC-Chapel Hill,” Belichick said in a statement. “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.”
Belichick is not the only member of the sports media industry heading to the Tar Heels with experience working in the NFL. Michael Lombardi, a three-time Super Bowl champion as an executive who spent over three decades across four organizations, is joining Belichick at the school to serve as its general manager. Lombardi has been a host with VSiN since 2018, taking part in programs such as The Lombardi Line and the GM Shuffle. Over the last several months, he has been co-hosting the program in the mornings alongside Dave Ross after previously working in afternoons with Stormy Buonantony.
“I’m excited to join Coach Belichick at North Carolina,” Lombardi said in a statement. “Although leaving my VSiN family will be hard, I’m excited to return to helping build a winning program. I’m forever thankful for all the great people at VSiN, especially Bill Adee and the Musburger family.”
Lombardi will finish out his time with VSiN over the next several weeks as he prepares to reunite with Belichick surrounding the world of football. NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport divulged that Lombardi was an “essential” part of bringing Belichick to the University of North Carolina. Belichick has referred to Lombardi as “one of the smartest people” with whom he has ever worked and someone who studies and knows the game of football very well. Outside of his time in the NFL, Lombardi has thrived in sports media, working with entities such as CBS Sports, NFL Network and Showtime, along with writing for NFL.com and Sports Illustrated.
“VSiN and its audience have been fortunate to have Michael Lombardi’s unmatched football insights at their fingertips for the past several years,” Brian Musburger, co-founder of VSiN, said in a statement. “We wish Michael all the best on this new adventure and congratulate him on this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The VSiN team looks forward to rooting for him and his new team.”
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