Bill Belichick's North Carolina contract changes on June 1. What does it mean?

New York Times

2 days ago

Soon after North Carolina hired six-time Super Bowl champion head coach Bill Belichick in December, an interesting, and possibly significant, date emerged: June 1.
That's when Belichick's buyout drops by $9 million if he were to leave the Tar Heels on his own. At the time, the contractual provision looked like a potential escape valve if the former New England Patriots head coach wanted to return to the NFL. After an offseason of watching his personal life overshadow his professional life in his first foray into college coaching, the speculation has taken a different turn, making the subject worth revisiting.
Advertisement
Though fans typically think of buyouts going to coaches who get fired without cause — like Texas A&M owing Jimbo Fisher more than $70 million by canning him in 2023 — the payouts work both ways.
When Belichick signed his formal UNC contract in January, he agreed to pay the Tar Heels $10 million in liquidated damages if he chose to exit. On Sunday, that figure drops to $1 million, owed within 180 days. It remains $1 million through the rest of the five-year contract.
To be clear, he has given no indication that he's looking to quit. This month, his Tar Heels picked up a pair of non-binding oral commitments in the 2026 class, including Travis Burgess, the No. 30 quarterback in the 247Sports composite rankings.
But the fact that the 73-year-old Belichick was new to the college game and recruiting led to questions about whether he'd want to return to the pros. He needs only 15 NFL victories to pass Don Shula for the most in league history. Raiders minority owner Tom Brady reached out to Belichick about Las Vegas' coaching vacancy in January, before Belichick and UNC finalized their contract.
Since then, Belichick's girlfriend, Jordon Hudson, has become one of the biggest figures of the offseason. Belichick has said he has personal and professional relationships with the 24-year-old. They have intersected at times, including when he asked the Tar Heels to copy her on emails. Hudson shot down a question from CBS to Belichick about how they met with a now-famous line: 'We're not talking about this.' If Belichick and/or Hudson is unhappy with the situation surrounding his Tar Heels tenure and the media circus, the decreased buyout makes it more manageable for him to walk away.
It's common for buyouts like Belichick's to decrease over time, regardless of whether they'll be paid by the school (if a coach is fired for cause) or the coach (if he leaves for another job). For example, UCF's Scott Frost — another coach hired this cycle — would owe the Knights $6.5 million if he left before July 2026. The figure drops by $1 million annually.
Advertisement
Ryan Day would owe Ohio State $6 million if he quit today. The buyout falls to $4 million on Feb. 1 and dwindles to $0 in February 2031 under the new contract he and the school signed earlier this year.
Belichick's contract runs through the 2029 calendar year. Belichick makes $10 million annually ($1 million in base pay, $9 million in supplemental pay). The first three years are fully guaranteed if the school fires him without cause before the end of 2027. There is no buyout specified after that.
On-field bonuses range from $150,000 for winning eight regular-season games to $1.75 million for a national championship.