Dec. 12 (UPI) -- Bill Belichick officially accepted an offer to coach the North Carolina Tar Heels and looks forward to "building the football program," the NFL legend announced.
The Tar Heels announced Wednesday that they agreed to a five-year contract with the former New England Patriots coach. The contract is pending approval by North Carolina's board of trustees, which is scheduled to meet Thursday.
"I am excited for the opportunity at UNC-Chapel Hill," Belichick said in a news release. "I grew up around college football with my Dad and treasured those times. I have always wanted to coach in college and now I look forward to building the football program in Chapel Hill."
Belichick, 72, will be the oldest coach in college football. He will take over for 73-year-old Mack Brown, who previously held that distinction, but was fired last month.
Brown led the Tar Heels to a 44-33 record over the last six seasons, including a 6-6 mark in 2024. He also coached the Tar Heels from 1988-1997, posting a 69-46-1 mark during that span. He was most known for his tenure with the Texas Longhorns (158-48), which included a national title. Brown also coached at Tulane.
Brown coached former Tar Heels quarterback Drake Maye from 2021 to 2023. The Patriots selected Maye as the No. 3 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, just three months after Belichick and the NFL franchise parted ways.
The second-winningest coach in NFL history, who won a record six Super Bowl titles with the Patriots, did not land a job during the last NFL hiring cycle. He will now be tasked with building a roster and filling a coaching staff, while navigating college football's name, image and likeness (NIL) landscape.
"We know that college athletics is changing, and those changes require new and innovative thinking," Tar Heels athletic director Bubba Cunningham said. "Bill Belichick is a football legend, and hiring him to lead our program represents a new approach that will ensure Carolina football can evolve, compete and win -- today and in the future.
"At Carolina, we believe in providing championship opportunities and the best experience possible for our student-athletes, and coach Belichick shares that commitment. We are excited to welcome him to Chapel Hill."
Belichick's father, Steve, previously served as an assistant football coach for the Tar Heels from 1953 to 1955. He went on to become an assistant for more than 30 yards at the United States Naval Academy.
Belichick previewed his blueprint for a college football program during an appearance Monday on the Pat McAfee Show. He spoke about injecting an NFL approach into the program.
"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. "It would be a professional program: training, nutrition, scheme, coaching and techniques that would transfer to the NFL."
He also said he spoke to "a lot of college coaches" about putting value on players, negotiating and more as he was evaluating the college landscape and considering the job.
Michael Lombardi, a longtime NFL personnel executive, who previously worked with Belichick, announced Wednesday that he will step down from his role at the Vegas Stats & Information Network (VSIN) to become the general manager of the Tar Heels. In that role, he would assist Belichick in navigating NIL and building a roster.
"I'm excited to join coach Belichick at North Carolina," Lombardi said in a news release. "Although leaving my VSIN family will be hard, I'm excited to return to helping build a winning program."
Running back Omarion Hampton, pass rusher Kaimon Rucker, tight end Bryson Nesbit and offensive linemen Willie Lampkin and Zach Rice were among the top NFL prospects on the Tar Heels' 2024 roster. Hampton, one of the top-rated running backs in the draft class, has yet to declare for the NFL and could opt to return next season.
Fifth-year quarterback Jacolby Criswell, who started 11 games last season for the Tar Heels, is set to leave the program. Connor Harrell and transfer Max Johnson were the other top quarterbacks on the Tar Heels 2024 roster.
Dual threat quarterback Bryce Baker, a four-star prospect from East Forsyth High School in Kernersville, N.C., committed to the Tar Heels as part of the class of 2025.
The Tar Heels are set to host TCU in their first game of 2025. That matchup is scheduled for Aug. 30 in Chapel Hill, N.C.