Bill Belichick Makes Decision On Attending North Carolina's Bowl Game
Despite being named the new head coach of the North Carolina Tar Heels a few weeks ago, Bill Belichick won't be coaching the team against UConn in the Fenway Bowl. That duty goes to interim coach Freddie Kitchens. But will Belichick at least be there to see his new players up close?
The answer appears to be no.
According to ESPN college football insider Pete Thamel, Belichick will not be attending the game tomorrow. According to UNC athletic director Bubba Cunningham, Belichick is "totally dialed into building the roster" and didn't want to "be a distraction to the kids or the coaches" at the bowl game.
"I think it's been really exciting," Cunningham said. "People are excited about the future. We've talked about how college sports is really changing. The idea of having Bill and someone with his background in professional sports is something that we're all excited about. This is where we're headed, and it's good to be an early adopter."
"He's totally dialed into building the roster. He didn't want to go to practice or be a distraction to the kids or the coaches for the bowl game."
Cunningham added that Belichick and newly-minted team general manager Mike Lombardi have essentially "locked themselves in a room" and have been working non-stop to set up the roster for Belichick's first year at the helm.
"It's been great. He and Mike Lombardi have locked themselves in a room and really spent all the time since he's been announced, building the roster for this spring and next year."
Kitchens, however, is expected to remain at North Carolina as part of Belichick's staff. So the Fenway Bowl will serve as an audition of sorts for the other players when Kitchens reports to his new boss.
CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA - DECEMBER 12: Head Coach Bill Belichick of the North Carolina Tar Heels speaks to the media during a press conference on December 12, 2024 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
By all accounts, Belichick is working hard to set up the Tar Heels football program to be built in his image. Though that hasn't stopped plenty of fans and analysts from speculating that he could dip weeks before the season to take an available NFL job.
At this point it would be substantially more humiliating for Belichick to go through all of this preparation and suddenly bolt.
