There will be no “Return of the Mack” for the North Carolina football program, as they fired Mack Brown on Tuesday, according to Matt Zenitz of 247/CBS Sports. This comes as the Tar Heels lost 41-21 against Boston College football on Saturday. After Brown was reported to stay with North Carolina football, the university and the program changed their minds rather quickly.

The 6-5 Tar Heels have had a rough season, to say the least. North Carolina lost its quarterback, Max Johnson after Week 1 against Minnesota football. 

An interesting note from ESPN's Pete Thamel highlights specifics of Brown's firing. He will coach against NC State in the season finale. However, the school hasn't commented on whether or not Brown will coach the bowl game. North Carolina has six wins on the season, so they are bowl-eligible. 

After winning their first three games, James Madison football stomped all over the Tar Heels in Chapel Hill. A 70-50 score put a light on the possibility of Brown being fired. There were even rumors about him leaving the team after that game. While that didn't happen, it signaled the beginning of the end for the returning head coach. He's only won six games or fewer since the 2021 season when they were still bowl eligible.

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Mack Brown's firing highlights change for North Carolina football

Despite his success, times are changing throughout college football. NIL and recruiting have been prerequisites for head coaches. From ACC rival coaches like Rhett Lashlee to Mario Cristobal, incorporating those elements is essential. Coaching is still important and is the top priority, times are changing. Not to mention, the ACC has continued to look better. Teams like SMU football and Miami football are in the race for the College Football Playoff.

The conference has also expanded. Stanford and California are both new additions to the conference. Although the Tar Heels never had to travel, adding two new teams is an adjustment for any team or conference to make. After four straight losses, they won three straight to secure the bowl berth. Brown's firing marks the first firing of the ACC coaching cycle since expansion.

With recruiting plummeting and the actual football play taking a hit, it might've been a matter of time. As he won the most amount of games in Tar Heels history, North Carolina is stepping into a new direction as the firing signals that it's the end of an era for Brown and his legacy with the program.