Tom Brady Has Strong Opinion on Bill Belichick Ahead of First Year at North Carolina
The anticipation is palpable in Chapel Hill as legendary coach Bill Belichick prepares for his first season at the helm of the North Carolina Tar Heels. While Belichick, 73, is one of the most accomplished coaches in football history, he has never been a head coach at the collegiate level. Along for that legendary run in New England was none other than Tom Brady—widely considered the greatest quarterback of all time—who recently shared his thoughts on how he expects Belichick to fare early on in Chapel Hill.
Tom Brady Has Strong Opinion on Bill Belichick Ahead of First Year at North Carolina originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The anticipation is palpable in Chapel Hill as legendary coach Bill Belichick prepares for his first season at the helm of the North Carolina Tar Heels.
While Belichick, 73, is one of the most accomplished coaches in football history, he has never been a head coach at the collegiate level. And with the sport evolving rapidly in recent years—between NIL, the transfer portal, and the ever-intensifying recruiting battles—the job is trickier than ever to navigate.
That said, if any coach knows how to develop players into professionals, it’s Belichick. He won six Super Bowls during his time with the New England Patriots and two more as defensive coordinator for the New York Giants.
Along for that legendary run in New England was none other than Tom Brady—widely considered the greatest quarterback of all time—who recently shared his thoughts on how he expects Belichick to fare early on in Chapel Hill.
“What they’re gonna get is obviously the most prepared, the most hard-working coach that I’ve ever been around,” Brady said during an appearance on The Joel Klatt Show. “If you go to that school, you will be prepared to play at the next level. He’s gonna teach the right fundamentals, the right techniques, he’s gonna have high expectations for you, and you’re gonna develop a lot. That’s what I know.”
“What they’re gonna get is, obviously, the most prepared, the most hardworking coach that I’ve ever been around.”@TomBrady tells us what to expect from Bill Belichick in his first year at @UNCFootball. pic.twitter.com/Ekbur7ERuD— The Joel Klatt Show: A CFB Pod (@JoelKlattShow) August 11, 2025
Tom Brady also noted that Belichick will face some unique adjustments as he transitions from decades in the NFL to his new role at the collegiate level.
“I think the challenge for him is he’s probably dealing with a lot of underdeveloped players compared to what he’s used to—guys who are four, five, six years further along in their development," Brady added. "So there’s probably a learning curve for him. They’re probably just less physically developed, and he’s a deep thinker of the sport. What makes Coach Belichick so unbelievable is he can break down any opponent. He watches so much film, he’s so smart with how he approaches defensive schemes and offensive schemes. The interesting challenge will be: how much can these kids retain?”
And here we go. pic.twitter.com/a3hT1EoZ5B— Carolina Football (@UNCFootball) August 2, 2025
North Carolina will open the regular season on Aug. 29 in Dublin, Ireland, facing the TCU Horned Frogs in a neutral-site matchup — an early test for Belichick’s squad against a fellow Power Five opponent.
The Tar Heels then have two winnable games against Charlotte and Richmond before a challenging stretch that includes UCF, Clemson, and California to round out their first six contests.
Related: Erin Andrews, Tom Brady Featured in Exciting News Before NFL Season
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Aug 11, 2025, where it first appeared.
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