Bill Belichick’s first season at North Carolina ended with a 42-19 loss to N.C. State, dropping the Tar Heels to 4-8. After the game, Belichick seemed to be a little salty, even in comparison to his usual press conference demeanor.
Here’s the full session, all four minutes of it.
The first question focused on whether there were any common themes from three straight losses to end the season. Belichick’s response was brief and unintelligible.
Later, Belichick was asked about the things that made his first season at UNC a challenge.
“We’ll take a look at the season later,” Belichick said. “Just finished with the game ten minutes ago, so.”
Later, a simple and fair question: “What did this season teach you, Coach?”
“Yeah, we just got done with the game, OK?” Belichick said. “So . . . yeah, so we’re not gonna do a season recap. I’m just finished with the game here. We’ll do a season recap when we get done, you know, alright? I mean, sorry.”
The same concept came up again.
“I mean, look, the season just ended a few minutes ago, and so now we’re gonna move into the offseason,” Belichick said. “That’s what we’re gonna do.”
One reporter tried to explain to Belichick that they won’t have access to him moving forward, and that they’re simply asking about the plan moving forward. Belichick still wasn’t having any of it.
The dismissive attitude works when a coach is winning. When a coach is struggling, it has a much different feel. As I’ve said time and again about Belichick, if he wants to avoid answering fair and reasonable questions from reporters on a regular basis, he should go coach high-school lacrosse — and be compensated accordingly.
He works for a public institution now. He makes $10 million per year from that university. He’s the primary face and voice of the football program. Short, chippy, and argumentative answers become an even worse look when he’s working for a school that is funded by the people and that ultimately belongs to them.
The practical impact is that, as Belichick moves forward to his second season, the same reporters he has stonewalled will be the ones shaping the narratives around the program. And, quite possibly, making the case for Belichick to be fired after a second bad season, if 2026 is a repeat of 2025.
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