Bill Belichick gets enthusiastic reception at UNC basketball game having been unveiled as the school’s new football coach

By George Ramsay, CNN

(CNN) — Bill Belichick received a warm reception when he was introduced to the crowd at a University of North Carolina men’s basketball game, days after he was named as head coach of the school’s football team.

Belichick was invited onto the court at halftime of the Tar Heels’ game against La Salle in Chapel Hill on Saturday, waving to the crowd and soaking up the applause.

“Welcome to the Smith Center, Coach Belichick!” the Tar Heels wrote on social media, alongside photos of the 72-year-old being introduced to the crowd.

Belichick is taking on his first coaching job since leaving the New England Patriots in January having cemented his status as the second most successful coach in the NFL.

He won six Super Bowls during his time with the Patriots and amassed 333 career wins, the most in history behind Don Shula. He also won two Super Bowls as assistant coach with the New York Giants, on top of his six with New England.

This will be Belichick’s first job in college football, something that he described as “really kind of a dream come true” in a press conference earlier this week.

According to multiple reports including from The Associated Press, Belichick inquired about the vacant coaching position with the New York Jets before moving to UNC, though no meetings or formal discussions took place.

When asked about potential future NFL vacancies, Belichick said that he “didn’t come here to leave” and has agreed to a five-year deal with the Tar Heels running through December 2029.

The famed coach has family ties with UNC through his father, Steve, who was an assistant football coach from 1953 to 1955.

“My dad told me this … when you love what you do, it’s not work,” Belichick told reporters earlier this week. “I love what I do, I love coaching, I love the interaction with the players, I love building a team, working with assistants, game planning, the game itself.”

The Tar Heels were looking to fill their head coach vacancy after announcing that Mack Brown would not return next season following UNC’s loss to in-state rival North Carolina State. The team is 6-6 and will face Connecticut in the Fenway Bowl on December 28.

The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2024 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.

CNN’s Thomas Schlachter and Jill Martin contributed to reporting.