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Bill Belichick has North Carolina off to the start it desperately needed in his second season in Chapel Hill. The Tar Heels are 2-0 after surviving TCU in Ireland and cruising past East Tennessee State, setting up a fascinating ACC opener against Dabo Swinney and Clemson on Saturday afternoon.
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But just two days before one of the biggest games of Belichick’s UNC tenure, the program received unfortunate news involving someone especially close to the head coach. Steve Belichick has resigned as North Carolina’s defensive coordinator, ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported Thursday.
Belichick’s son had been on an indefinite medical leave of absence since before the start of training camp and had not returned to the program. Now, his time on the Tar Heels’ coaching staff has officially come to an end.
Sources: Steve Belichick has resigned as North Carolina’s defensive coordinator. He’s been on medical leave since August 6. pic.twitter.com/qOqum4ZKP6
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) September 17, 2026
Steve Belichick Resigns From North Carolina
North Carolina announced in August that Steve Belichick was taking a medical leave with no timetable for his return. He remained away from the team throughout training camp and did not travel to Ireland for UNC’s season opener against TCU.
In his absence, Bill Belichick and the rest of the defensive staff divided the responsibilities. Defensive line coach Bob Diaco has also taken on a significant role in preparing the unit.
The unusual arrangement has worked remarkably well through two games.
North Carolina held TCU to 10 points and 281 total yards in a 15-10 season-opening victory. The Tar Heels were even better against East Tennessee State, allowing only three points in a 35-3 win.
UNC’s defense has surrendered only 13 points through two games despite Steve Belichick’s absence.
His resignation nevertheless creates another major change for a program that has dealt with plenty of them over the past several months.
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Steve Belichick spent 12 seasons with the New England Patriots organization while working under his father. He coached defensive backs and linebackers during his time in New England before becoming Washington’s defensive coordinator in 2024.
He followed his father to Chapel Hill and served as UNC’s defensive coordinator in 2025.
Bill Belichick Faces Major Test At Clemson
The timing makes Thursday’s news particularly noteworthy. North Carolina travels to Clemson on Saturday for a noon ET kickoff on ESPN, giving Belichick his first ACC game of the season.
Clemson enters the matchup 1-1 after rebounding from a season-opening loss to LSU with a 22-7 victory over Georgia Southern. The Tigers have quarterback uncertainty of their own. Christopher Vizzina injured his non-throwing arm against Georgia Southern, while freshman Tait Reynolds is expected to start against the Tar Heels.
North Carolina also has a significant defensive question entering the weekend. Star defensive end Melkart Abou Jaoude, who led the Tar Heels with 10.5 sacks last season, is listed as questionable. He missed last week’s victory over East Tennessee State after suffering an injury against TCU.
For Belichick, the assignment remains the same despite another unexpected development surrounding his program. North Carolina is undefeated, its defense has been one of the team’s biggest strengths, and an opportunity to make an early statement in ACC play awaits in Death Valley.
It will now officially move forward without Steve Belichick as its defensive coordinator.
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This story was originally published September 17, 2026 at 6:37 AM.