At long last, the Bill Belichick era in North Carolina will begin. On Monday, the North Carolina football team will host TCU in a massive game on ESPN with a ton of eyeballs expected to be focused on Belichick's first game as a college head coach.
After moving on from Mack Brown, North Carolina surprisingly hired Belichick, the six-time Super Bowl-winning head coach, marking a new chapter in his career. While his off-the-field stuff with girlfriend Jordon Hudson took a lot of headlines in the offseason, that can be put to the side with the 2025 season finally here.
With the new era kicking off in Chapel Hill, a flurry of celebrities, former athletes and North Carolina alums are expected to be on site with NBA legend Michael Jordan as the headliner, per Pete Thamel of ESPN. Here are some of the big names who will be at the game:
- Michael Jordan
- Mia Hamm
- Julius Peppers
- Lawrence Taylor
- Eric Church
- Chase Rice
- Blake Snell
In 2024, North Carolina finished just 6-7, but the buzz around the program is arguably at an all-time high with Belichick taking over and revamping the coaching staff and recruiting front in just a matter of months.
Prior to Week 1, Belichick named South Alabama transfer Gio Lopez as the starting quarterback, beating out returnee Max Johnson.
However, TCU is no slouch as the Horned Frogs finished 9-4 last season with a win over Louisiana in the New Mexico Bowl, so it is a tough task for Belichick and the Tar heels in the first game of the season.
Still, some have high hopes for North Carolina with the legendary NFL coach roaming around on the sidelines, and with plenty of big names watching this one, the pressure could be on for the program as the 2025 season kicks off on Monday night.
