Belichick bringing ‘Patriot Way’ to UNC; minimizing radio appearances

Invoice Belichick is embracing his Patriots previous in his first yr in Chapel Hill.

The primary-year North Carolina head coach has been displaying his Tar Heels gamers tape of some Patriots greats forward of the 2025 season. Belichick’s additionally taking an method he had with the media throughout his time in New England to UNC as effectively, opting not to appear on the team’s coach’s radio show on a weekly foundation this season, this system shared on Friday.

Belichick will seem on the primary episode of “Carolina Soccer Dwell” forward of UNC’s season-opening matchup in opposition to TCU on Sept. 1. Nevertheless, normal supervisor Mike Lombardi will seem within the head coach’s spot in each episode for the rest of the season, based on a information launch.

The overwhelming majority of faculty head coaches have weekly appearances on radio exhibits that embrace their title within the title, as noted by The Athletic’s Chris Vannini. Nick Saban was amongst that group, even taking calls from followers till he retired from his put up at Alabama following the 2023 season. Mack Brown, who was UNC’s coach earlier than Belichick, additionally had his personal weekly radio present referred to as, “Mack Brown Dwell.”

Belichick wasn’t a stranger to creating weekly radio appearances throughout his time with the Patriots, both. He appeared on WEEI exhibits the day after Patriots video games over his two dozen years with the group.

Nonetheless, at the same time as he made common appearances on a number of exhibits in his yr away from the sport in 2024, Belichick’s distaste for making media appearances part of his model throughout his time with the Patriots. So, it isn’t a lot of a shock that he’s opting to do the group’s weekly radio present as little as attainable.

As for on-field issues, Belichick was keen to do an interview with the ACC Network and shared which former Patriots gamers and NFL greats UNC has studied to assist the Tar Heels in 2025.

“In all honesty, we’ve proven loads of Patriots movie and different nice gamers within the NFL too,” Belichick stated. “However, loads of Patriots movie on right here’s what we would like you to do and right here’s do it. Watch [Dont’a] Hightower, watch [Tom] Brady, watch [Rob] Gronkowski, watch [Julian] Edelman, watch Lawrence Taylor, watch these guys do it as a result of they had been nice at it.”

In fact, these gamers helped Belichick obtain nice success with the Patriots, or within the case of Taylor, with the Giants. Past re-living the glory days, although, there’s a motive why Belichick is utilizing movie of these gamers at Chapel Hill.

“It’s truly been enjoyable to return and watch a few of these guys,” Belichick stated. “Present them how good they had been and why they had been so good due to the best way they performed, the method, and the way they understood the sport.”

Whereas these gamers helped Belichick win eight complete Tremendous Bowls in his teaching profession, he isn’t coping with championship expectations in his first yr at UNC. The Tar Heels had been picked to complete eighth within the ACC’s preseason ballot and their projected win complete sits at 7.5 wins at DraftKings Sportsbook.