North Carolina’s preseason has taken another sharp turn, and this one hits the coaching staff directly.
On Thursday, Bill Belichick told reporters that his son, Stephen Belichick, is on medical leave during the second week of training camp. That leaves the Tar Heels without their defensive coordinator less than a month before the regular season begins, with no timeline given for his return.
Belichick did not say how long Stephen would be out or whether he would be back in time for North Carolina’s Aug. 29 opener against TCU in Dublin, Ireland.
“We look forward to getting him back as soon as possible,” Bill Belichick said, via WRAL.
Stephen Belichick, 39, came to UNC in 2025 after spending 2024 at Washington, where he served as defensive coordinator and outside linebackers coach. Before that, he was a longtime defensive assistant with the Patriots and was part of three Super Bowl-winning teams.
The timing is especially awkward for a program already dealing with personnel turbulence. North Carolina opened training camp without general manager Michael Lombardi, who was placed on paid administrative leave in July.
The Tar Heels’ defense was the bright spot on a 4-8 team last season, finishing No. 38 nationally in total defense. Even with offseason changes, including the arrival of new offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino, that side of the ball is still expected to carry the team.
For now, the defensive staff will handle things collectively while Stephen is away.
Belichick has already spent much of the offseason answering questions about a rough start to his time in Chapel Hill, and the added uncertainty only increases the pressure on North Carolina to show real progress once the season kicks off.
"If you don't recruit good players, then you're probably going to have a hard time breaking into that level. So I think we have to consistently bring in good players, continue to work hard, improve and develop them.
And I'm confident that we'll be there. It's a process."
In Other News...
UNC Defense Faces New Concern Right Before The Season Opener
With the season opener closing in, North Carolina has added an unexpected layer of uncertainty on defense. Bill Belichick said his son, Steve Belichick, the Tar Heels defensive coordinator, is currently on medical leave and away from training camp, leaving a key part of the staff unavailable at a sensitive time in the preseason.
The program did not offer any details about the medical situation, only that it hopes to have him back as soon as possible. In the meantime, the defense will be handled collectively by the coaching staff, a temporary arrangement that puts even more attention on how UNC sorts through the final stretch before the opener. [Read more 🡒]
UNCs Quarterback Battle Could Decide How Fast Belichicks Offense Clicks
North Carolinas quarterback competition has become one of the defining early stories of Bill Belichicks first Tar Heels team, and it makes sense why. With Bobby Petrino helping guide the offense, the staff is trying to sort through a group that offers very different traits: Billy Edwards Jr. brings experience, Miles ONeill has the biggest arm in the room, Au'Tori Newkirk is the only returning player, and freshman Travis Burgess adds another layer of upside to the mix.
The process matters because the starter will shape how quickly the offense can settle in once Week 1 arrives. Belichick and Petrino have both stressed a careful evaluation, which suggests they are not treating this as a quick decision or a simple depth-chart exercise. For a team trying to get a new system moving smoothly, the question at quarterback is more than a roster detail, it is the hinge point for how fast everything else can click. [Read more 🡒]