North Carolina Tar Heels HC Bill Belichick Admits He’s Open to Controversial Moves Ahead of Critical Season

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In his first season as a college football head coach, Bill Belichick created more headlines for the North Carolina Tar Heels regarding his girlfriend and close confidants than victories on the field. Ahead of a crucial 2026 college football season for the legendary NFL coach, he’s open to a move that has caused major controversy in both college football and the NFL.

Belichick told reporters this week that he and the Tar Heels coaching staff are looking into some of the players who were granted a fifth year of eligibility following a ruling by a Louisiana judge that impacts the 2022 recruiting class.

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“We’ve looked at a number of them. Each case is a little bit different. If it works, it works. If it doesn’t, it doesn’t. I don’t think there’s anything we’re counting on, but we’re always open to anything that will help the team.”

North Carolina tar Heels HC Bill Belichick on potentially adding players impacted by Louisiana court ruling (via Tar Heels 247)

The aforementioned ruling by a Louisiana judge served as a temporary restraining order for 16 college football players from the 2022 class, granting them another year of eligibility and permitting them to enter the transfer portal. Among those players impacted—Dae’Quan Wright (Cleveland Browns), Wydett Williams (Arizona Cardinals) and TJ Harden (Seattle Seahawks)—were several with NFL teams in training camp.

Some college football coaches immediately looked to take advantage of the ruling and similar decisions, including LSU Tigers head coach Lane Kiffin. However, Cleveland Browns head coach Todd Monken and Oregon Ducks coach Dan Lanning have blasted the decision, and it’s since been halted by the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals following an appeal filed by the NCAA.

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Belichick made the college football transfer portal a top priority in his first year on the job, landing 41 commitments (third-most), but the strategy didn’t pay off as North Carolina finished with a worse record (4-8) than its previous season under Mack Brown (6-6). So, North Carolina pivoted this offseason with a smaller class of incoming transfers (19 commits) with a greater emphasis on high school commitments.

It’s worth noting entering the 2026 season that many of those closest to Belichick (general manager Michael Lombardi and defensive coordinator Steve Belichick) are away from the team, and the Tar Heels’ board member who was heavily responsible for the hiring of Belichick, John Preyer, resigned in January.

Belichick is on the hot seat this fall, and the Tar Heels are not projected to be a bowl-eligible team in 2026, especially with all the youth on the roster and the uncertainty at quarterback. Given that, it shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise that he was willing to go to lengths some of his peers wouldn’t in order to try to win a few more games.

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