Belichick first sent word of his interest in the UNC job through political allies. He reached out to a longtime friend, then-Senator Marco Rubio of Florida, who then contacted Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina, hoping to light a fire in Chapel Hill in support of Belichick.

Bill Belichick made the biggest splash by far in college football’s coaching carousel this offseason, but he may not have been North Carolina’s first choice to

New North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Bill Belichick has implemented a tradition he installed with the New England Patriots.