Bill Belichick has unique clause in $50m North Carolina contract that keeps NFL speculation alive
Bill Belichick, a six-time Super Bowl winning coach, is taking on a new football challenge. The 72-year-old has agreed a five-year deal to become head coach at the University of North Carolina – but a unique contract clause means he might not be sticking around for that long. Belichick has swapped the NFL for college footballGetty Belichick’s name surfaced last week as an unlikely candidate to replace the Tar Heels’ winningest all-time coach, Mack Brown. The school announced in November that Brown, 73, wouldn’t return for a seventh season in his second stint in Chapel Hill. Instead, they have turned to Belichick, who spent 24 seasons with the New England Patriots before departing the NFL earlier this year. He has spent his entire career to date in the professional league, and is second only to Don Shula (328) with 302 regular-season wins. Belichick though, has always wanted to coach in college. “It just never really worked out,” he said at a news conference on Thursday. “Had some good years in the NFL, so that was OK, but this is a dream come true. I grew up in college football with my dad. As a kid, all I knew was college football.” During his time with the Patriots, Belichick managed to keep details of his contract pretty secret. At UNC, he’ll have no such luck. As a public institution, the school has posted details of Belichick’s deal and it makes for interesting reading. His base contract covers five years, at $10million per year. The first three years are guaranteed. Belichick’s UNC deal comes after he departed the NFL in 2024Getty The agreement also includes up to $3.5m in annual incentives, based on regular season wins, conference championship appearances, postseason success and final poll rankings. While the money involved will no doubt make headlines, the legendary coach also has an NFL escape clause. Belichick’s buyout to leave UNC is $10m, but only until June 1, 2025. After that date, it drops to just $1m. The decrease allows the 72-year-old to make the jump back to the NFL if a team poaches him in the offseason. However, Belichick has played down the idea of jumping ship, even if he has immediate success in college football. “I didn’t come here to leave,” he said. Belichick has insisted he wants to stick around at UNC despite a unique contract clauseGetty “I feel like doing it a long time. I’m good to go.” Belichick’s term sheet also gives him a budget of $10m per year for assistant coaches, $1m for strength and conditioning staff, and $5.3m for support staff, suggesting he will have plenty of money to lure more big names to Chapel Hill ahead of the 2025 season.
Bill Belichick, a six-time Super Bowl winning coach, is taking on a new football challenge.
The 72-year-old has agreed a five-year deal to become head coach at the University of North Carolina – but a unique contract clause means he might not be sticking around for that long.
Belichick’s name surfaced last week as an unlikely candidate to replace the Tar Heels’ winningest all-time coach, Mack Brown.
The school announced in November that Brown, 73, wouldn’t return for a seventh season in his second stint in Chapel Hill.
Instead, they have turned to Belichick, who spent 24 seasons with the New England Patriots before departing the NFL earlier this year.
He has spent his entire career to date in the professional league, and is second only to Don Shula (328) with 302 regular-season wins.
Belichick though, has always wanted to coach in college.
“It just never really worked out,” he said at a news conference on Thursday.
“Had some good years in the NFL, so that was OK, but this is a dream come true. I grew up in college football with my dad. As a kid, all I knew was college football.”
During his time with the Patriots, Belichick managed to keep details of his contract pretty secret.
At UNC, he’ll have no such luck. As a public institution, the school has posted details of Belichick’s deal and it makes for interesting reading.
His base contract covers five years, at $10million per year. The first three years are guaranteed.
The agreement also includes up to $3.5m in annual incentives, based on regular season wins, conference championship appearances, postseason success and final poll rankings.
While the money involved will no doubt make headlines, the legendary coach also has an NFL escape clause.
Belichick’s buyout to leave UNC is $10m, but only until June 1, 2025. After that date, it drops to just $1m.
The decrease allows the 72-year-old to make the jump back to the NFL if a team poaches him in the offseason.
However, Belichick has played down the idea of jumping ship, even if he has immediate success in college football.
“I didn’t come here to leave,” he said.
“I feel like doing it a long time. I’m good to go.”
Belichick’s term sheet also gives him a budget of $10m per year for assistant coaches, $1m for strength and conditioning staff, and $5.3m for support staff, suggesting he will have plenty of money to lure more big names to Chapel Hill ahead of the 2025 season.
