New England Patriots' scouts are not allowed to watch North Carolina's football team practice or attend games, a source very close to the situation at UNC confirmed to TarHeel247 on Thursday evening.
The decision by UNC Coach Bill Belichick stems from treatment he's received from the Patriots organization since leaving, the source said. This is about Belichick and the Patriots, the source insisted, and will not affect Belichick's Carolina players with respect to the NFL organization's ability to scout them.
"We're going to let them have meetings, send film, but just not let them in the building," the source said.
"We're still going to help guys, that isn't stopping and shouldn't impact them."
Belichick was head coach in New England for 24 seasons leading the franchise to nine Super Bowl appearances while winning it six times. His playoff record was 30-12 and overall record there was 266-121.
Belichick was named the AP NFL Coach of the Year three times in 2003, 2007, and 2010, all with the Patriots. His time with the organization, however, ended two seasons ago when he was let go by longtime owner Robert Kraft.
In a recent exclusive interview with the _Boston Globe_, Belichick was quoted saying, "There's no owner, there's no owner's son, there's no cap, everything that goes with the marketing and everything else, which I'm all for that."
Clearly, it was a shot at Kraft further illustrating the soured relationship between the two men who were paramount in building the NFL's greatest dynasty ever.
Now, with Belichick in his first year at UNC, the Patriots won't have access that the other 31 teams will have in Chapel Hill. About that, the same source told TarHeel247, "They wouldn't let him or us watch their practices."
UNC lost its season-opener this past Monday night, 48-14, at home to Texas Christian and visits Charlotte on Saturday night where Belichick seeks his first win as a college coach.