The. college football world was flipped upside down on Wednesday when legendary New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick made the move to become the new head football coach at North Carolina.

This is Belichick's first job at the college level after working in the NFL as an assistant and later as a head coach from 1975-2023. He has collected plenty of championships and other accolades at the pro level, and now he's looking to bring some of that down to college football and build out his legacy in Chapel Hill.

After the move was announced, fans all over the country couldn't believe the news. They immediately took to social media to share their shock.

“Bill Belichick taking the North Carolina football job is one of the all-time weird sports moves of my lifetime, if not the weirdest,” FOX college basketball broadcaster John Fanta wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “Tar Heels haven’t won an ACC title since 1980. Belichick was running one of the greatest organizations in sports history a couple years ago. Wild.”

One North Carolina fan chimed in, saying “I’m absolutely floored he actually made the move to college. But honestly, I’ll take it. We need excitement to get our program going. Worst case I’ll love the interviews 🤣.”

Article Continues Below
More NCAA Football News
Norfolk State head coach Dawson Odoms is fired up about his team's MEAC/SWAC Challenge matchup against Florida A&M
Former Norfolk State head coach gets huge NFL opportunityRandall Barnes ·
Leilani Armenta, Jackson State's first woman football player, has entered the transfer portal after a history-making journey.
Jackson State football’s Leilani Armenta lands huge pro opportunityRandall Barnes ·
Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart listens to a question from the media during the coaches Peach Bowl press conference at the Westin Peachtree Plaza. Ceb Peachbowl Coaches Kwr 05
Georgia football AD makes big request for hypothetical 16-team CFPScotty White ·
Florida A&M's pivotal matchup against Mississippi Valley State is moving to Atlanta at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in October.
Huge Florida A&M matchup moves to Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz StadiumRandall Barnes ·
The Oregon Ducks mascot walks the sideline during the College Football Playoff quarterfinal against the Ohio State Buckeyes at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. on Jan. 1, 2025. Ohio State won 41-21.
Oregon lands 4-star defensive lineman over Tennessee, ClemsonLorenzo J Reyna ·
Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney during Spring Practice in Clemson, S.C.
Clemson football Dabo Swinney’s 1 wish for NIL, Transfer Portal eraJake Faigus ·

Another fan posed the reason why a Belichick-led Tar Heels team may be an attractive destination for some of the top college players in the country.

“That’s one benefit to this for UNC that not as many people are mentioning,” the fan posted. “If you can come out the other side from Belichick at UNC, you’ll be as ready for the NFL as possible.”

Regardless of how successful it ends up being, this is a jarring move and it immediately makes North Carolina must-see TV next season and moving forward as long as Belichick is there. There's no question that the longtime NFL coach will be more comfortable working in a more transactional environment when it comes to recruiting as it's more similar to how the NFL works.

Whether Belichick is able to recruit and coach up some high-level talent to turn the Tar Heels into a powerhouse and a title contender, it will be fascinating to see how this experiment plays out.