Trouble is mounting fast at North Carolina, and things are not just bad—they're spiraling out of control. Bruce Feldman from TheAthletic.com has revealed that one of the assistant coaches working under North Carolina's head coach Bill Belichick has been suspended. This development adds yet another layer of complexity to an already turbulent situation.
The coach in question is Armond Hawkins, who is serving his first year as the secondary coach and recruiting analyst at UNC. Hawkins didn't come alone; he followed defensive coordinator Steve Belichick from Washington to Chapel Hill. According to the report, Hawkins is being punished for providing extra benefits—specifically, he gave sideline passes for a game to the family members of a player. Now, considering how poorly the Tar Heels have been performing lately, some might wonder if those sideline passes truly count as a valuable "benefit."
Interestingly, Feldman's report doesn’t clarify whether Bill Belichick himself had any knowledge of or involvement in these extra benefits. This detail is crucial because allegations of this nature could, depending on the circumstances, be serious enough to justify terminating Belichick's contract for cause—especially if this isn’t an isolated incident but part of a pattern.
It's not far-fetched to imagine that some folks running the program at UNC have at least contemplated the idea of parting ways with Belichick, particularly given that the buyout could exceed $20 million. What’s more, based on an alarming, in-depth report by Pat Welter of WRAL.com, the current state of the program seems chaotic and dysfunctional, which might even motivate a major donor to step in and cover the buyout cost. This could be an attempt to rescue the team from enduring another couple of years riddled with drama, poor performance, and blowout losses.
Ultimately, the decision to keep or let go of Belichick boils down to weighing that hefty buyout price against the potential damage to the football program’s future and the university’s reputation if Belichick remains at the helm.
No matter how this unfolds, one thing feels certain: North Carolina football is on the verge of significant change. But here’s the part most people miss—will the program choose stability and long-term growth, or will it risk another season in turmoil just to avoid a costly buyout?
What do you think? Is the hefty $20 million buyout a price worth paying to start fresh, or should UNC stick with Belichick despite the setbacks? Share your thoughts below—this one’s far from settled.
