Stunning details on Bill Belichick's UNC contract emerge

As a state employee at a public university, Belichick’s contract is available in the public record, per Ben Volin of the Boston Globe. It includes $10M per year — $1M in base salary and $9M in “supplemental income” — for a period of five years, the first three of which are guaranteed. That translates to a five-year, $50M contract with $30M guaranteed, a considerable drop from the $25M per year Belichick was rumored to earn at the end of his tenure with the Patriots.

Belichick can also receive up to $3.5M per year in bonuses tied to the Tar Heels’ regular-season record, appearances and victories in the ACC championship, bowl games and the College Football Playoffs, and placement in the final CFP poll of the season. Bonus incentives also include Coach of the Year awards and the team’s academic performance.

The contract also includes a buyout that Belichick can exercise for $10M, which drops to $1M after June 1, 2025. That particular language is meant to dissuade the longtime NFL coach from returning to the pros during this offseason’s hiring cycle.

Belichick’s demands to join the Tar Heels also included additional funding for his staff, which is reflected in the deal. He will have $10M for assistant coaches, $1M for strength staff, $5.3M for support staff (including a new general manager) and an additional $13M as “revenue sharing,” per USA Today’s Steve Birkowitz.

Belichick also received a number of personal considerations in his contract, including $100K in annual expenses, membership at Chapel Hill Country Club and the right to retain his “outside income opportunities.” That includes his appearances on the Manningcast and "The Pat McAfee Show," per The News & Observer’s Andrew Carter. Not only will Belichick continue his presence in football media, he’ll now bring additional visibility to his new football program.

The contract reflects Belichick’s desire for complete, Patriots-like control over the Tar Heels’ football program as well as North Carolina’s concern that Belichick could jump ship back to the NFL if the opportunity arises. He received little interest from the league this past offseason and was not expected to be a top candidate in 2025. Belichick could still attempt an NFL comeback after the 2025 season, but he will be 73 at that point. A return to the NFL at that age would be unprecedented; the oldest hire in history was Bruce Arians at 66 years old in 2019, and Andy Reid is the oldest current coach at the same age.

For now, Belichick seems focused on his new job at the school where his father once coached. He will look to forge a new legacy at North Carolina and cement his status as one of the greatest coaches in the history of the sport.