The chaos surrounding Bill Belichick’s first year at North Carolina football continues to grow. Last week, the program was already in the headlines after a Hulu documentary about Belichick’s debut season was unexpectedly pulled.
Not long after, The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman reported that cornerbacks coach Armond Hawkins had been suspended amid an NCAA investigation into alleged extra benefits.
According to the report, Hawkins is being investigated for giving a player’s family members sideline passes, a potential violation of NCAA rules. Before joining UNC, Hawkins served under Steve Belichick at Washington, making the situation even more ironic considering the family ties within the Tar Heels’ current coaching staff.
While the off-field distractions continue, the on-field situation took an even bigger hit. As reported by Inside Carolina, defensive back Thaddeus Dixon is expected to miss significant time with an injury suffered during the second quarter of UNC’s 38-10 loss to Clemson.
Dixon landed awkwardly on his left arm after diving for an interception that was later overturned. Though he initially celebrated, he quickly grimaced and went down on the sideline, never returning to the game.
Dixon’s injury is a major blow to Belichick’s defense. He had been one of the few bright spots during the team’s difficult start, starting all five games this season while posting 14 tackles and three pass deflections.
A transfer from Washington, Dixon was the Tar Heels’ top-rated addition in the 2024 portal class and was viewed as a legitimate 2026 NFL Draft prospect. His consistency and leadership made him a key figure in UNC’s secondary, and replacing him will be no easy task.
Belichick himself had high praise for Dixon earlier this year, calling him “a great leader, the first one on the field, and one of the hardest workers in the program.”
He noted Dixon’s versatility across the secondary and his ability to contribute in multiple roles. Now, with Dixon sidelined indefinitely, UNC will have to lean on its younger defensive backs to fill the void.
It wasn’t just Thaddeus Dixon who received praise from Bill Belichick; Nick Saban did too, when the two legendary coaches shared mutual respect during a recent appearance on ESPN’s College GameDay.
The Tar Heels’ early-season struggles, including back-to-back blowout losses to UCF and Clemson, have left the team sitting at 2-3 and searching for stability. They will look to regroup after their bye week before traveling to face Cal on October 17.
But with more off-field distractions and mounting injuries, Belichick’s debut season in Chapel Hill continues to look increasingly turbulent.
