With one of the greatest football coaches of all time signing on to become North Carolina's next head coach, UNC is finding ways to leverage the appeal of playing under Bill Belichick. First and foremost, the program may be preparing to increase its NIL spending.Recent reports have come out from journalists including USA TODAY's Matt Hayes, NFL on CBS' Jonathan Jones, and Sportrac's Michael Ginnitti that North Carolina plans to significantly increase its Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) package for the football program, raising spending on NIL from $4 million to $20 million.More:New North Carolina head coach Bill Belichick's current 2025 recruiting classGinnitti laid out the contract and NIL agreement:The six-time Super Bowl-winning coach can use that to build up the program infrastructure; now, we'll see his management and coaching stylings mesh at the college level, something he has never done during his illustrious career.The internet, as usual, has jokes about envisioning the longtime New England Patriots coach discussing NIL with top-level prospects. In part due to age (72) and demeanor (you've seen his in-game interviews), college football fans aren't too sure how it'll go — but they're excited to find out.Even a Patriot who played under Belichick is commenting when asked by media:Belichick, who has reportedly grown disillusioned (at best) or "disgusted" (per ESPN) by the NFL recently, is now shifting to the college intricacies, which former Patriot Rob Gronkowski provided some advice to players on:"If you're having fun but you're balling out, he lets you do what you do," Gronk said. "But if you're doing all that other nonsense, tweeting nonstop, causing controversy, and not balling, and having all this extra activity going on, yeah, he's gonna get on your case."And as for NIL and the transfer portal: "I could see him getting tired with all that."

With one of the greatest football coaches of all time signing on to become North Carolina’s next head coach, UNC is finding ways to leverage the appeal of playing under Bill Belichick. First and foremost, the program may be preparing to increase its NIL spending. Recent reports have come out from journalists including USA TODAY’s […]

With one of the greatest football coaches of all time signing on to become North Carolina’s next head coach, UNC is finding ways to leverage the appeal of playing under Bill Belichick. First and foremost, the program may be preparing to increase its NIL spending.

Recent reports have come out from journalists including USA TODAY’s Matt Hayes, NFL on CBS’ Jonathan Jones, and Sportrac’s Michael Ginnitti that North Carolina plans to significantly increase its Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) package for the football program, raising spending on NIL from $4 million to $20 million.

More:New North Carolina head coach Bill Belichick’s current 2025 recruiting class

Ginnitti laid out the contract and NIL agreement:

The six-time Super Bowl-winning coach can use that to build up the program infrastructure; now, we’ll see his management and coaching stylings mesh at the college level, something he has never done during his illustrious career.

The internet, as usual, has jokes about envisioning the longtime New England Patriots coach discussing NIL with top-level prospects. In part due to age (72) and demeanor (you’ve seen his in-game interviews), college football fans aren’t too sure how it’ll go — but they’re excited to find out.

Even a Patriot who played under Belichick is commenting when asked by media:

Belichick, who has reportedly grown disillusioned (at best) or “disgusted” (per ESPN) by the NFL recently, is now shifting to the college intricacies, which former Patriot Rob Gronkowski provided some advice to players on:

“If you’re having fun but you’re balling out, he lets you do what you do,” Gronk said. “But if you’re doing all that other nonsense, tweeting nonstop, causing controversy, and not balling, and having all this extra activity going on, yeah, he’s gonna get on your case.”

And as for NIL and the transfer portal: “I could see him getting tired with all that.”