Mack Brown fired by North Carolina officials one day after promising to come back in 2025

Mack Brown raised eyebrows in September when he told his North Carolina players “I’m not resigning” after a 70-50 loss to James Madison.

Then on Monday, Brown told reporters he planned on coaching the Tar Heels in 2025.

On Tuesday morning, North Carolina fired the 73-year-old but will allow him to coach the regular season finale against North Carolina State. It’s unclear whether he will coach the Heels (6-5) in a bowl game.

“While this was not the perfect time and way in which I imagined going out, no time will ever be the perfect time,” Brown said in a statement. “I’ve spent 16 seasons at North Carolina and will always cherish the memories and relationships Sally and I have built while serving as head coach.

“We’ve had the chance to coach and mentor some great young men, and we'll miss having the opportunity to do that in the future,” he added. “Moving forward, my total focus is on helping these players and coaches prepare for Saturday's game against N.C. State and give them the best chance to win. We want to send these seniors out right and I hope our fans will show up Saturday to do the same.”

If this is the end for the College Football Hall of Famer, it’s been a heck of a run. Brown had two stints at North Carolina but is best probably known for his 16 years at Texas.

Brown had nine 10-win seasons with the Longhorns from 2001-09 and was 158-48 overall. Brown unleashed quarterback Vince Young in 2005 and led the Horns to the national title, the school’s fourth in history. Texas also played for the national title at the end of the 2009 season. But Colt McCoy suffered a shoulder injury on the game’s fifth play against Alabama, and the Crimson Tide won it all.

Brown’s program grew stale after the following season, and UT administrators tried to force him out after the 2013 campaign. Brown battled to keep his job but UT ultimately forced the change.

Brown went into TV work with ESPN but got back on the sideline in 2019. He coached North Carolina from 1988-97. His second stint in Chapel Hill culminated with a nine-win season in 2022. Overall, Brown is 113-78 at North Carolina.

“Mack Brown has won more games than any football coach in UNC history, and we deeply appreciate all that he has done for Carolina football and our university,” North Carolina athletic director Bubba Cunningham said in a statement. "Over the last six seasons — his second campaign in Chapel Hill — he has coached our team to six bowl berths, including an Orange Bowl, while mentoring 18 NFL draft picks.

“Coach Brown has led the Carolina football program back into the national conversation as we improved the program's facilities, significantly increased the size of the staff, invested in salaries and bolstered our nutrition and strength and conditioning programs. He also has been a dedicated fundraiser, strengthening the football endowment while also supporting our other sports programs. We thank Coach Brown for his dedication to Carolina, and wish him, Sally and their family all the best.”