The North Carolina Tar Heels football team has officially found its new offensive coordinator for the 2026 season under head coach Bill Belichick.

Belichick announced the hiring of Petrino on Friday.

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"We are fortunate to add an elite coaching talent in Bobby to our staff," Belichick said in a university-issued news release. "He brings an extensive background and a proven record of success on offense at every level of football. Bobby has consistently built great offenses everywhere he has been, and we look forward to having him work with our program."

The terms of Petrino's deal were not immediately made available on Friday.

"I'm extremely excited to join Cocch Belichick and the Carolina football program," Petrino said in the release. "This is an incredible opportunity to work with one of the best at a storied institution. I cannot wait to get started in Chapel Hill alongside this coaching staff and student-athletes."  

Several media outlets reported in December that UNC would hire Petrino.

Petrino's hire comes after UNC fired offensive coordinator Freddie Kitchens after a dismal 2025 season. Belichick led the Tar Heels to a 4-8 record in his first season in Chapel Hill.

In 2025, UNC averaged 19.2 points per game (118th among 134 FBS teams) and 288.8 yards per game (129th among 134 FBS teams).

Petrino, 64, was the offensive coordinator and interim head coach at Arkansas in 2025. In 2025, Arkansas ranked 19th nationally in total offense with 454.8 yards per game. The Razorbacks averaged 32.9 points per game.

Petrino has had a long career in college football and the NFL, including head coaching stints at Louisville (twice), Arkansas, Western Kentucky and Missouri State in college and with the Atlanta Falcons for 13 games in 2007.

On3 first reported that Petrino had agreed to become UNC’s offensive coordinator. ESPN also reported it.

Hiring an offensive coordinator was one of the top priorities for the program heading into 2026.

Petrino is famous for his prolific offenses at nearly all of his stops. In 2025, Arkansas was 18th in the nation in total offense (454.8 yards per game) and 25th in scoring offense (32.9 points per game). UNC ranked 129th nationally in total offense (288.8 yards per game) and 119th in scoring offense (19.2 points per game).

But he was fired from Arkansas in 2012 after admitting to having an affair with a former Arkansas volleyball player who he had hired to work with the football program. The affair came to light after Petrino and the woman were involved in a motorcycle crash.

Despite that incident, Petrino returned to Arkansas in 2024 as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. He’s also been the offensive coordinator at Texas A&M, UNLV, Auburn, Jacksonville Jaguars (NFL), Louisville, Utah State, Nevada, Idaho and Carroll College in Montana, his alma mater, through a long coaching career that began in 1983.

WRAL sports investigative reporter Brian Murphy contributed to this story.