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The College of North Carolina at Chapel Hill formally launched Invoice Belichick as its head soccer coach at a Thursday press convention after negotiating a $50 million contract over 5 years.
It’s Belichick’s first time teaching school soccer after 24 years with the New England Patriots of the Nationwide Soccer League. He led the Patriots to 9 Tremendous Bowl appearances and 6 victories, and received an extra two championships as an assistant coach with the New York Giants for an NFL-record of eight Tremendous Bowl wins. He began his professional teaching profession as an assistant with the then-Baltimore Colts in 1975.
UNC introduced the choice on Wednesday. Belichick is changing Mack Brown, who was fired from the top coach place final month.
“I’ve all the time needed to educate in school soccer, and it simply by no means actually labored out,” Belichick stated. “I had some good years within the NFL, in order that was okay, however that is actually a dream come true.”
The contract permits for a wage of $10 million annually, a colossal, however removed from unprecedented, quantity for school soccer. Solely seven school soccer coaches made greater than $10 million in 2024. Belichick turns into the very best paid state worker in North Carolina historical past.
It’s double the wage Brown earned throughout his remaining season at UNC.
The college additionally reportedly agreed to extend its NIL — title, picture, and likeness — package deal for soccer from $4 million to $20 million whereas recruiting Belichick, in response to USA At the moment.
“As I’ve stated many occasions, we need to be one of the best public college in the USA, and meaning excellence in the whole lot we do,” UNC Chancellor Lee Roberts stated. “We need to compete with one of the best, and we’ve employed one of the best coach.”
Though the ultimate two years on his contract should not assured, there are alternatives for bonuses of as much as $3.5 million yearly. Belichick additionally receives advantages like membership to the Chapel Hill Nation Membership.
Earlier within the day, the college’s board of trustees voted to approve the phrases of employment for Belichick and ladies’s soccer coach Damon Nahas throughout a closed session.
The UNC System Board of Governors College Personnel Committee and the complete board held back-to-back emergency conferences Thursday, discussing the contract in closed classes.
Neither group formally revealed what they mentioned, however one member congratulated Chancellor Roberts.
“Thanks to everybody, particularly to Chancellor Roberts and his group, and we’re very excited for you,” Chair Wendy Murphy stated.
Sure phrases of coaches’ contracts require the approval of the UNC System president and the Board of Governors, in response to UNC coverage.
“The Board of Governors doesn’t approve the ultimate contract, however did authorize sure proposed phrases, as required by coverage, previous to the establishment executing the contract,” spokesperson Andy Wallace wrote to NC Newsline in an e mail.
Requested at Thursday’s press convention if on this new period of income sharing and participant compensation, it was financially sound for the college to commit a lot to soccer and males’s basketball (head males’s basketball coach Hubert Davis is paid slightly below $3 million in whole compensation), athletic director Bubba Cunningham stated he believed on this strategic funding.
“I feel when you go all in on these two sports activities, these two sports activities present the entire funds for the remainder of the division,” stated Cunningham. “The extra profitable we’re on soccer, the extra profitable we’re on basketball, the extra alternatives we’re going to have the ability to present for everybody else right here. So, I’m delighted with it. And I feel our future is extremely vivid.”
Whereas others have expressed some considerations in regards to the high-profile rent and the place the soccer program could also be headed, the 72-year-old coach sought to allay these fears.
“Excited for the chance to construct and develop younger student-athletes, younger males, and put together them for his or her life, both within the NFL or professionally. However the classes they be taught will likely be skilled classes,” Belichick stated.
Constructing a extra skilled program will value the college and its donors more cash.
The contract additionally stipulates the college will work in good religion with the brand new head coach to contract with a normal supervisor for the soccer program for a length that matches that of Belichick at a compensation degree to not exceed $1.5 million. A number of media shops have reported Michael Lombardi, who has labored for a number of NFL groups, will maintain that place at UNC.
The Tar Heels final received a soccer convention championship in 1980. After a 6-6 season, they’ll face the UConn Huskies in Boston’s Wasabi Fenway Bowl on Dec. 28.
NC Newsline is a part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit information community supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. NC Newsline maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Rob Schofield for questions: data@ncnewsline.com.
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