By Conor Ryan We’re on to Chapel Hill. Former Patriots head coach Bill Belichick is finalizing a deal to become the new head coach at the University of North Carolina, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Wednesday’s report marks the end of more than a week of speculation regarding the future Hall-of-Fame head coach’s future in football. Talks between the eight-time Super Bowl champion reportedly intensified on Wednesday afternoon, with ESPN reporting that “the ball [was] in Belichick’s court” when it came to joining the Tar Heels. Among the final sticking points for Belichick were reportedly his salary at the university, a potential role for his son, Steve Belichick, and the school’s commitment to the proper resources for NIL deals and Belichick’s staffing requests. According to The Athletic’s Ralph D. Russo , Belichick’s contract with UNC is for three years and $30 million. Belichick, 72, is heading into uncharted waters when it comes to his new role at Chapel Hill. While his resume speaks for itself, this will mark the first collegiate coaching position he’s ever taken over a career in football spanning nearly 50 years. Belichick served in some sort of coaching capacity in the NFL from 1975 until the 2023 NFL season, after which New England moved on from Belichick following 24 years with the organization. Belichick has taken on several media obligations during his season away from football in 2024, with the former Patriots coach recently mapping out his vision for a collegiate program on Monday during his weekly appearance on ESPN’s “The Pat McAfee Show.” "IF I was in a College program it would be a pipeline to the NFL for the players that had the ability to play in the NFL.. It would be a professional program at the College level.. I don't have any doubt that the players would be ready for the NFL" ~ Bill Belichick #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/JyMDtzs2yR “If, and let me put it in capital letters: I-F. If I was in a college program, the college program would be a pipeline to the NFL for the players that had the ability to play in the NFL,” Belichick said Monday. “It would be a professional program — training, nutrition, scheme, coaching techniques — that would transfer to the NFL. “It would be an NFL program at a college level and an education that would get the players ready for their career after football, whether that was the end of their college career or at the end of their pro career. But it would be geared toward developing the player, time management, discipline, structure, and all that.” Belichick has some ties to the Tar Heels. Beyond it being the alma mater to his most-beloved football player in Lawrence Taylor, Belichick’s father, Steve, served as an assistant coach at North Carolina from 1953 to 55. Choosing UNC as his next move after an illustrious career in the NFL still comes as a surprise. Beyond his track record at football’s highest level, Belichick sits just 15 wins behind Don Shula for the most in NFL history. North Carolina is also not exactly a powerhouse in the college football landscape, with their last ACC football title coming in the 1980s. However, things reportedly progressed in short order after Belichick first expressed interest in the Tar Heels’ head-coaching vacancy, a result of the team firing Mack Brown last month amid a 6-6 record. “The initial conversation with Bill Belichick and UNC was just to see what both sides thought of the idea,” Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz reported on X . “It went so well that it resulted in several more conversations, proposals back and forth, and now a stunner no one could’ve seen a few weeks ago: Belichick in the college game.” Schultz added: “Belichick made it clear as talks progressed that he was serious about coming to UNC if they were willing to put his vision into place. There were many back channel conversations that happened shortly after and UNC eventually went all-in.” Surpassing Shula’s wins record was once a “driving force” for Belichick, The Athletic reported on Wednesday . But citing sources, that same report noted that Belichick “was turned off by the NFL’s hiring cycle last winter,” especially after only the Atlanta Falcons opted to interview him despite eight head-coaching jobs being available. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler , the sentiment from the NFL owners meeting was that Belichick “simply hadn’t garnered much NFL interest if at all this cycle.” The level of control offered to a head coach of a collegiate football program served as an appealing pitch for Belichick in his new role with the Tar Heels. “At UNC, Belichick can run the program without answering to anyone about football decisions. There will be other challenges — like NIL, the transfer portal and navigating boosters — that are more complicated than reporting to one owner, but football decisions in college go through the head coach, and now Belichick can yield that kind of power again,” The Athletic noted . Conor Ryan Conor Ryan is a staff writer covering the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Red Sox for Boston.com, a role he has held since 2023. Boston.com Today Sign up to receive the latest headlines in your inbox each morning. Be civil. Be kind.
North Macedonian party calls for TikTok ban after student injuries
MAN UTD icon Nani has retired from football at the age of 38. The tricky winger announced his decision in an emotional video he shared on social media. Nani captioned the three-minute clip: "The time has come to say goodbye, I have decided to finish my career as a professional player. "It’s been an amazing ride and I wanted to thank every single person who has helped me and supported me through the highs and lows during a career which lasted over 20 years and gave me so many unforgettable memories. "Time to turn a new leaf and focus on new goals and dreams. See you soon!" The wideman's announcement is seemingly a surprise given he was playing his football in his homeland in the top flight for Estrella Amadora. Although the club are in a relegation battle, Nani had appeared 10 times this season and was considered a first team regular. Part of Nani's decision to retire, he revealed in his post, was down to the recent passing of his father. That has forced him to contemplate his future - vowing to spend more with his family. "I want to make the most of my time with my children, my wife, my mother, my siblings, cousins, uncles and aunts. "They also need me, and I need to be with them which is very important." Nani is best remembered on our shores for his time at Man Utd , where he won four Premier League titles, the 2008 Champions League and the League Cup twice. He also helped his country win the Euros in 2016 alongside fellow United alumni Cristiano Ronaldo . Nani turned out 230 times, scoring 40 goals. In 2015, he returned to Portugal on loan with Sporting Lisbon. Then spells at Fenerbahce, Valencia, Lazio, Sporting again, Orlando City, Venezia, Melbourne Victory, Adana Demirspor followed. A hint where his future lies was given in the summer, when Nani bought fourth division side SU Sintrense. Nani said: "I am very happy to be part of this project. I hope to add value to the club. "Sintrense are an opportunity for me to do something interesting. "It is very important for me that they are close to the area where I grew up. I hope it will be a successful project."
New disability ministers will ‘champion’ inclusion and accessibility – ministerIt seems difficult to keep Stefanos Tsitsipas away from the spotlight. He often trends on social media, whether it’s for his performances on the court or his outspoken nature. Not always for the right reason, though. The Greek star was again in the eye of a storm – this time for disclosing his favorite childhood memory. Stef put on his nostalgic hat and took a trip down memory lane. In his usual candid manner, the 26-year-old claimed that one of the best things about his childhood was not having to pay bills. While he might have intended it to be a sarcastic statement, the overwhelming reaction from the fans was quite different. Social media users were quick to point out his career prize money ($32,149,165), suggesting he shouldn’t worry about paying bills. Well, some of the comments were indeed sarcastic but, unfortunately, not what ‘The Greek God’ would have wanted. At this point, Tsitsipas might as well get used to online trolls and criticism since he is not far away from another new incident. Being the outspoken person he is, Stef is not afraid to speak his mind, even if it gets him into trouble. Tsitsipas unyielding in the face of backlash Earlier this month, Tsitsipas extended his support to Andy Roddick, who criticized the Masters 1000s being extended to two weeks. He reacted to a clip of Roddick’s ‘Served’ podcast by labeling it as a “backwards move.” He wrote, It wasn’t the first time Stef has called out the ATP. Not long ago, he slammed the association for its rigorous schedule before deleting the tweet for reasons best known to him. Stef and his girlfriend Paula Badosa have also grabbed the headlines for the wrong reasons. A workout video of the couple holding their hands during stretches did not receive the feedback they would have hoped for. Some users found it to be a bit too cringe for their liking. To be fair to Tsitsipas, he hasn’t changed his way of living because of the backlash. He continues to voice his opinion on social media often and doesn’t seem to be bothered by its repercussions. Why should he? After all, Stef has every right to express himself!
Romania PM fends off far-right challenge in presidential first round