As news of the North Carolina Tar Heels hiring legendary NFL coach Bill Belichick spreads, reactions to the development have poured in. One of the most striking statements so far comes from sports personality Paul Finebaum, who said the move has made his Christmas.
Belichick’s tenure as a head coach is unparalleled. He has won six Super Bowls, the most in NFL history, all with the New England Patriots. He also ranks third in regular-season wins, with 302, and holds the record for most postseason victories, with 31.
Paul Finebaum Reacts to North Carolina Hiring Bill Belichick as Head Coach
But comparing the news of Belichick joining the Tar Heels to Coach Prime joining the Colorado Buffaloes is stark.
Welcome to Chapel Hill, Bill Belichick!
The eight-time Super Bowl Champion has officially been named our next @UNCFootball Head Coach. #GoHeels x #ChapelBill pic.twitter.com/cnngQI7gnC
— UNC Tar Heels (@GoHeels) December 12, 2024
On Thursday, Paul Finebaum made an appearance on ESPN’s “Get Up” and shared his thoughts on the news.
“It’s a seismic moment in the history of college football,” Finebaum said. “Everything has changed already and Bill Belichick landing in Chapel Hill shatters everything that we knew previously.”
He went on to compare Belichick becoming the Tar Heels’ head coach to Deion Sanders’ Colorado Buffaloes takeover. Going as far as claiming that it would prove to be even more significant.
“When you think about the history of college football in recent years, the two biggest hires 10, 15 years ago were Urban Meyer and, of course, Nick Saban at Alabama. The two biggest hires of the current NIL-transfer portal era? Deion Sanders and now Bill Belichick,”
“With all due respect to Deion Sanders, this is far more significant because of what he’s done as a head coach,” Finebaum added. “Deion did all of that as a player – and one of the greatest of all time. Belichick is the greatest NFL coach of all time. You don’t have to tell a 17-year-old who he is.”
“He already knows who he is. Now, as everyone has said, they will want to play for him and they will.”
Paul Finebaum Predicts CFP Success for Tar Heels Following Bill Belichick Announcement
Finebaum also analyzed the potential impact of Belichick on the Tar Heels. North Carolina, despite being a good team, has struggled with consistency in recent years. While the program has enjoyed relative success, Finebaum believes Belichick could transform the team into a championship-caliber contender.
“North Carolina was already a good program – not a great program but a program that could get to a championship game, I think, a couple of years ago. Now they can easily, and I mean easily, get to the CFP,” said Finebaum.
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“This year? We just got through talking about the ACC getting two teams in the playoff. All you need to do is have a good season and maybe get to the championship game. In that league, he can do that.”
Despite Belichick’s record, his transition to college football will bring potential challenges, particularly in recruiting and navigating the transfer portal — issues he did not face in the NFL. How he will perform in his new role remains to be seen, but his arrival is already generating buzz and excitement for North Carolina and college football as a whole.
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