Bill Belichick took his surprise rivalry with the New England Patriots to a new level this weekend when he spoke out for the first time on the news that his former team is not welcome at the University of North Carolina.
Last week, reports emerged that in August, the Tar Heels’ leadership informed the Patriots they would be banned from team facilities a day before one of their scouts was scheduled to watch an August football practice in Chapel Hill.
While the news didn’t come directly from Belichick, he is the program’s top decision-maker. It exposed a deep bitterness the iconic head coach still has towards the Patriots after they sent him packing following a pair of losing seasons, including a 4-13 finish in 2013.
Bill Belichick record (Patriots): 266-121
Bill Belichick on banning #Patriots scouts: "It's clear I'm not welcome there at their facility. So they're not welcome at ours. It’s pretty simple.”
(via Tar Heel Tribune / YT)
pic.twitter.com/AvRs5U0WyR
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) September 7, 2025
Unsurprisingly, the coach was asked about the surprising ban, and he did little to hide his disdain for the franchise he led to six Super Bowl wins. “It’s clear I’m not welcome there around their facility. So they’re not welcome at ours. It’s pretty simple,” Belichick told the media after UNC’s 20-3 win over Charlotte on Saturday.
Growing issues between the coach and the franchise were unlikely on anyone’s football bingo card for 2025. Especially since Patriots owner Robert Kraft was quite classy during the press conference announcing Belichick’s departure from the team, he turned into one of the highest valued in the sport.
While Belichick may not have wanted to leave New England, the move made sense for the Patriots. After NFL legend Tom Brady left after the 2019 season, the coach posted a 29-38 record from 2020 to 2023.
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After earning his journalism degree in 2017, Jason Burgos served as a contributor to several sites, including MMA Sucka ... More about Jason Burgos