Many words have been spilled about Bill Belichick's abilities as a football coach. There've been far fewer about the NFL legend's personality, which has invited plenty of questions about his ability to connect with young players now that he is leading the college football program at North Carolina.
One early review, however, comes from one of Belichick's future signal callers.
Travis Burgess is a three-star quarterback that committed to play for the Tar Heels in May as a member of the 2026 class. Speaking to The Athletic, Burgess acknowledged Belichick's gruff public demeanor, while saying that he quickly forged a bond with his future coach, whom he calls "relatable."
“I know a lot of guys have mixed emotions about Bill Belichick just because they see some of his interviews on the internet, but actually meeting him in person, I got a relationship with him,” Burgess said. “Being able to talk with him and understand him, he is very relatable.”
Burgess's unique background likely helps him develop that connection with the 73-year-old Belichick. The Loganville, Ga. native comes from a military family and leads a very disciplined lifestyle, which has father Harold sees as a big plus as his son sets his sights on the NFL.
Belichick, who came up in football around the Navy program, for which his father coached for more than three decades, is uniquely qualified to help him get there as an eight-time Super Bowl-winning coach (six as head coach of the New England Patriots).
Burgess has another high school season before he makes it to campus in Chapel Hill, N.C., but he's already had a chance to sit in on Belichick's quarterback meetings and has loved the experience.
“The quarterbacks meet every Wednesday and talk about the game of football, and then they talk about the life of football because there is the physical and the mental," he said. "So just being able to sit in there in those meetings with Bill Belichick and the other quarterbacks has been awesome. He could coach any position.”
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