Bill Belichick’s tenure at North Carolina is on shaky ground as the Tar Heels’ poor 2-3 start in his inaugural college season has led to rumors of potential exit strategies. According to reports, UNC has had ‘potential exit strategy discussions’ on Tuesday, which could ultimately result in the firing of Belichick, who would be required to pay a $20 million buyout as part of his contract. However, there is speculation that a potential rules violation could either eliminate or reduce the buyyout amount. Belichick, meanwhile, has reportedly discussed buyout options with UNC’s hierarchy, where he has indicated a willingness to trigger his own $1 million buyout if he can find a soft landing with another team or in media. Other off-field issues, including a suspension of corners coach Armond Hawkins for allegedly giving extra benefits to players, have added to the turmoil.
A lawsuit has also been filed against the university board for allegedly hiring Belichick illegally. This has contributed to a significant amount of controversy surrounding Belichick’s leadership, and it seems that things have gotten so bad for the Tar Heels that the Hulu docuseries that was supposed to follow Belichick through his college football journey has been scrapped. The project was announced in August, but it’s unclear how that came to be. Belichick’s latest loss was a blowout at the hands of Clemson at home, where the Tigers put up 28 points in the first quarter and went on to win comfortably. The Tar Heels were down 35-3 at halftime, leading Dabo Swinney to pull some starters down the stretch.
Belichick’s program is also facing additional scrutiny from the media and fans regarding his 24-year-old girlfriend, Jordon Hudson, who has been regularly seen on the sideline before games and even spoke with ACC commissioner Jim Phillips this past week. Despite facing these challenges, Belichick will use the bye week to prepare for the Tar Heels’ next game against the California Golden Bears on October 17. However, the possibility of him leaving UNC remains a real concern for both the university and himself.