New England Patriots
“In the end, we want to run a program in the very best way.”
Bill Belichick and the UNC Tar Heels opened their 2026 season on a high note with a 15-10 victory over TCU in Ireland on Aug. 29.
But, things have gone downhill for the former Patriots head coach since then, amid more off-the-field drama and a school investigation into conduct within Belichick’s football program.
Belichick addressed the media on Monday ahead of the Tar Heels’ home opener against East Tennessee State.
“I understand the importance of the work that’s being done by the investigative team,” Belichick said. “And obviously our high standard of our code of conduct, doing things the right way, and making sure that our student-athletes are given the utmost, best treatment, best care and very best coaching that we can possibly give them, so that’s critically important to us.”
It stood as Belichick’s first public comments since his longtime confidant and UNC general manager Michael Lombardi announced his resignation from the Tar Heels program last week — months after he was initially placed on paid administrative leave as part of a school investigation.
The University of North Carolina has not released specifics of the probe since Lombardi was initially placed on leave, although a report from The Associated Press said that “a human resources complaint from a former employee” factored into the investigation.
Ahead of Monday’s press conference, a UNC spokesperson released a statement about questions posed to Belichick and others with the Tar Heels program about the ongoing investigation.
“Coach Belichick, student-athletes, and other university employees will not discuss the situation in any manner,” the school spokesperson said, per WRAL. “That is necessary to protect the integrity of the process and the rights of everyone involved.”
But, the first 13 minutes of Belichick’s 18-minute presser revolved around the investigation, his control of the program, and questions regarding both Lombardi and Belichick’s son, Steve, who has been on medical leave from his role as UNC’s defensive coordinator since Aug. 6.
When asked by one reporter about whether or not his program had an “atmosphere of compliance” amid this investigation, Belichick was short with his retort.
“Yeah, totally,” he answered.
After Belichick added that he can’t speak on the investigation, WRAL Pat Welter rephrased his own question, asking if Belichick still had control over the program after over a year of drama and other news away from the gridiron.
“If you were around here every day, I think you’d see it,” Belichick responded.
Amid Lombardi’s resignation, WRAL dropped a bombshell report last week about the ongoing investigation and how it has expanded beyond Lombardi, which includes a probe into “behaviors by defensive coordinator Steve Belichick.”
“Lawyers hired to conduct the investigation are also questioning people about whether defensive coordinator Steve Belichick used drugs on the job or provided drugs to at least one player — and, separately, about whether a member of UNC’s recruiting staff had a sexual relationship with a player, people familiar with the investigation told WRAL,” WRAP reporters Pat Welter, Brian Murphy, and Jack Hagel wrote. “The lawyers also asked about possible sexual relationships between assistant coaches and recruiting staff, the people said.
“The nature of the questions, posed in recent weeks to people associated with the team, provide a glimpse into the widening scope of the ongoing probe.”
Belichick was asked about Steve Belichick’s status amid his extended medical leave, adding that the Tar Heels have no updates about filling the program’s current vacancies at GM and defensive coordinator.
“I love all my kids, but I’m not going to comment on a medical situation,” Belichick said.
According to WRAL’s report, individuals questioned as part of the school’s ongoing investigation were asked about “the culture of the football program under Bill Belichick and Lombardi.”
“They said a lawyer who conducted the interviews was questioning current and former Tar Heels players, their parents and staff members as part of the investigation,” Welter, Murphy, and Hagel wrote. “The firm was seeking documents and screenshots of text conversations, they said. And the people said they were asked whether they had reported any potentially questionable behavior to Bill Belichick.”
It’s been a rocky tenure for Belichick in Chapel Hill, who opened his collegiate coaching career with a 4-8 record and several distractions involving banning Patriots scouts, his girlfriend, Jordon Hudson, and much more.
“In the end, we want to run a program in the very best way,” Belichick acknowledged on Monday. “If there’s things we need to do to correct it, we’ll obviously do ‘em.”
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