CHARLOTTE – North Carolina coach Bill Belichick confirmed Saturday night that personnel from the NFL team that he led to six Super Bowl titles aren’t allowed at the Tar Heels’ football facilities.
Belichick guided the New England Patriots to six Super Bowl titles and nine AFC championships during a 24-year tenure with the franchise. But since his departure after the 2023 season, he and the Patriots, particularly owner Robert Kraft, have been at odds.
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Belichick was asked after Saturday’s 20-3 victory against Charlotte, his first collegiate win, to address earlier reports that he had banned Patriots scouts from the facilities at UNC.
“It’s clear that I’m not welcome there around their facility,” Belichick said. “So they’re not welcome in ours. It's pretty simple.”
The Patriots have two UNC players on their roster, wide receiver Mack Hollins and starting quarterback Drake Maye. New England selected Maye with the third pick in the 2024 draft, after Belichick left the NFL franchise.
Current New England coach Mike Vrabel, who played for the team under Belichick, said during a radio appearance Monday that Belichick is welcome at the team’s facilities “to the best of my knowledge.” Vrabel said that since Belichick left the franchise, he has been back.
Belichick was present at a June 2024 event honoring former quarterback Tom Brady. And Brian Belichick, the Tar Heels’ current defensive backs coach, coached for New England in 2024.
New England owner Robert Kraft recently suggested that Belichick would get a statute outside of the Patriots’ stadium.
But there has been bad blood between the owner and the coach in recent years. An ESPN report indicated that Kraft had unflattering things to say about Belichick during his interview process with the Atlanta Falcons, and Belichick wasn’t portrayed well in a Kraft-backed documentary about the Patriots’ success. Belichick didn’t include any mention of Kraft in his recent book.