Total Pro Sports
Bill Belichick hasn’t even coached his first game at North Carolina, but the program is already under the microscope for what some are calling a fast-track rebuild. The legendary NFL coach is stepping into a much different environment than his predecessor, and Mack Brown isn’t holding back.
In a candid interview on SiriusXM Radio, Brown, who was let go mid-season last year, pulled the curtain back on what’s really changed in Chapel Hill.
“They’ve committed money to it, they’ve helped him with academics. They’ve lowered those standards some,” Brown said. “So, there’s absolutely no reason they shouldn’t be successful.”
UNC made a headline-grabbing move when it handed Belichick a five-year, $10 million deal. But the real eye-opener came with the support system around that contract.
According to USA Today, the Tar Heels jumped their NIL budget from $4 million to a staggering $20 million. That kind of money doesn’t just change recruiting- it changes who’s willing to stay and who you can bring in.
The roster is nearly unrecognizable from last season. Brown claims the team has added more than 60 new transfers. “They’ve changed the roster,” he said. “You’ve got a chance to succeed at the highest level, and I expect him to do that and I’m proud for him.”
Mack Brown opens up on leaving UNC and shares with @DustyDvoracek & @dannykanell why UNC has a chance to be successful quickly with Bill Belichick. pic.twitter.com/Mj9yE3poOk
— College Sports on SiriusXM (@SXMCollege) May 20, 2025
Belichick inherits a team that’s not just retooled but reshaped by significant shifts in policy. Brown pointed to looser academic requirements, saying the university made things easier on the new regime. He recalled struggling to bring in top talent during his final years, citing NIL gaps and stricter admissions. “We were having to get parents with money, we were trying to get kids over a 3.0 because that’s who we could get,” he said. “We signed 26 players… and didn’t pay them a penny.”
Brown also shared a moment with standout running back Omarion Hampton, who stayed for a reported $300,000 despite a $1 million offer from elsewhere. “I told him he should leave,” Brown said. “It was just crazy.”
Belichick and the Tar Heels open their season at home against TCU on September 1. With a new roster, a fattened NIL budget, and relaxed academic hurdles, expectations are sky-high, and now, so is the scrutiny.
