Bill Belichick's time in Chapel Hill hasn't gone to plan. To say the experiment is currently off the rails is an understatement. With North Carolina off to a rocky 2-3 start with no Power Four wins and now a 38-10 loss to Clemson, the calls for changes will start getting louder.
The Tar Heels have been outscored 72-19 in the past two games. The 28 points in the first quarter of Week 6 was the most ever allowed by a Belichick-coached team in a single quarter at any level. It would be accurate to say this is bad.
Belichick's future at UNC already feels uncertain. Given that factor, here's a look at the contract for the 73-year old coach, along with the buyout clause. If he decides to walk away on his own, there won't be a web of entanglements for North Carolina.
Bill Belichick's contract details
When the Tar Heels made a giant leap to sign Belichick, the six-time Super Bowl-winning coach was handed a five-year contract worth $50 million. The terms of his contract included guaranteed money for the first three years.
At $10 million per year, that's roughly one-fourth of the reported $200 million he made in the 24-year tenure with the New England Patriots. Belichick signed a lucrative, multiyear deal before getting axed by Robert Kraft after the 2023 season.
Bill Belichick's UNC bonus structure includes performance-based incentives up to $1.75 million, according to The Athletic. Additionally, he can earn bonuses for academic success, such as achieving team GPAs of 3.0 or higher, as well as for coach of the year awards and final CFP rankings.
Regular season wins
$350,000 for 12 wins
$150,000 for eight wins
$200,000 for reaching the ACC Championship Game, with an additional $100,000 for win
$150,000 for any bowl appearance, increasing to $350,000 for an appearance in a "non-CFP Tier 1/elite bowl game."
College Football Playoff
Participant: $750,000
Quarterfinals: $1 million
Semifinals: $1.25 million
Championship Appearance: $1.5 million
Championship Win: $1.75 million
Final CFP Rankings: Ranging from $250,000 for a Top 25 finish to $500,000 for a Top 5 finish
Coach of the Year
$100,000 for ACC Coach of the Year, and $250,000 for a National Coach of the Year award.
Academic Bonuses
Team GPA: Up to $150,000 for achieving a 3.0 GPA or higher.
Academic Progress Report (APR): A bonus of $100,000 if the team's APR is between 950 and 969, with additional bonuses for higher performance.
Bill Belichick's Buyout
If North Carolina were to fire Belichick at any point before Dec. 31 2027, the school would owe him everything he was set to be paid up to that date. As things stand currently, that would be under $30 million. It's one of the more expensive buyouts in college football.
"The deal includes a $10 million buyout that Belichick would owe the school if he were to leave before June 1, a provision meant to protect UNC in the event he has a change of heart and opts to return to the NFL. That buyout drops to $1 million after the 2025 season," according to the Athletic.
Belichick said he "always wanted to coach in college," but it seems to have taken a toll on him thus far.
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