Former NFL coaching legend Bill Belichick officially became UNC’s head coach in January and will be on the sidelines of the program’s gridiron, trying to move it past its slump. But even before Belichick was interviewed for the vacant position, he had a deep connection with the university, thanks to Lawrence Taylor.
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Belichick had coached Taylor, a Hall of Fame linebacker and UNC graduate, for almost a decade with the New York Giants in the 1980s, as New York’s linebackers coach and later defensive coordinator. During an interview on the Carolina Insider podcast, Belichick talked about their connection.
“I think everyone knows when I was young, I was in Chapel Hill with my dad and then spent the rest of his career at the Naval Academy, but North Carolina’s always held a special place,” Belichick said. “And of course, when I was with the Giants, I had Taylor for 10 years there from ’81-90 when I went to Cleveland and heard plenty about Carolina from LT.
“The pride and really the success they had when he was here when they won the ACC Championship, and he had a lot of great players around him.”
Now, Belichick’s connection with Taylor has helped him meet with UNC’s most famous alum and a basketball legend: Michael Jordan, who also led Chapel Hill’s basketball team to a national championship in 1982.
“Of course, one of his closest friends is Michael Jordan, so that’s another good connection.” Belichick said, “And Michael’s been great, he’s been very supportive since I came to Chapel Hill. Carolina’s a special place.
“So, I’m happy to be here and looking forward to working with everybody and doing the best I can here for this university and the football program.”
Jordan started playing for the Tar Heels in 1981. In 1982, he and his teammates led UNC to a national championship title after defeating the Georgetown Hoyas in a close 63-62 win.
It all came down to the final 15 seconds when Jordan made a 16-foot game-winning jump shot, which also was the beginning of “The Michael Jordan.”
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After that, Jordan went on to win six championships with the Chicago Bulls in the NBA but has also stayed connected to North Carolina since leaving in 1984. He’s also provided its coaches and athletes with gear from his Jordan Brand since the early 1990s.
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