Bill Belichick was unveiled as the new head coach of the University of North Carolina on Thursday and announced upon his arrival that college coaching was something he had “always wanted.”
The six-time Super Bowl winning head coach has agreed to a five-year contract at UNC, where his late father was an assistant coach for the Tar Heels from 1953 to 1955.
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Bill Belichick left the New England Patriots in January after 24 years and six Super Bowl titles with the franchise
At Belichick's introductory news conference, UNC Chancellor Lee Roberts arrived with a gift: a short-sleeved gray hoodie — a trademark from his NFL coaching days — emblazoned with the UNC logo.
“I've always wanted to coach in college football,” Belichick told the assembled reporters. “It just never worked out.”
“I had some good years in the NFL, so that was fine,” he said, delivered with his usual dry wit.
“This is a dream come true.
It's great to come back home to Carolina and back in an environment I grew up in.”
The school's trustees agreed to the terms of Belichick's contract to hire him as the new football coach earlier Thursday.
He sat between Roberts and UNC athletic director Bubba Cunningham, who offered his own suggestion by adding a suit jacket with the sleeves cut off to resemble Belichick's other side look.
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Neil Reynolds reflected on Belichick's incredible tenure in New England after announcing his departure from the Patriots after 24 seasons
Belichick, 72, has 333 career NFL wins, trailing only Don Shula's 347 for the NFL record, and his 31 playoff wins are the most in league history – and he has has been linked to other NFL jobs since his departure. the New England Patriots at the end of last season, especially the Atlanta Falcons in January.
Asked about fans' concerns that he might leave quickly for the next NFL job, Belichick said: “I didn't come here to leave.”
“I'm here to, as Bubba said, teach, develop and build a program the way I believe. “
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Bill Belichick's final news conference with the team after stepping down as head coach of the New England Patriots
And when asked how long he would like to continue coaching, Belichick said: “It's good to work. My father told me this: when you love what you do, it's not work.
“I love what I do. I love training.”
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