Patriots Legend Joins Pat McAfee on ESPN for Bill Belichick’s UNC Coaching Debut originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The presence of six-time Super Bowl winner Bill Belichick has already brought plenty of added attention to the North Carolina Tar Heels football team.

For much of the College Football Playoff era, the ACC has staked its success on conference standard-bearer Clemson. The Tigers won the league again in 2024, claiming their eighth ACC title in the last 10 years and making the CFP for the seventh time.

ESPN isn’t waiting for Bill Belichick to call a single play in Chapel Hill. The network is already stacking the deck in his favor, betting big on the Belichick buzz to deliver a “Prime Effect” level of interest for North Carolina Tar Heels football in 2025.

ESPN is trying to replicate the fervor around Bill Belichick to what it was when Deion Sanders first took over at Colorado. A report from Front Page Sports suggests there might be as many as ten games broadcast by ESPN or one of its related entities.

There's plenty of intrigue and skepticism about whether Belichick's NFL success will translate to the college game

It's fair to wonder how long it's been since the University of North Carolina was the talk of the ACC football world.

Bill Belichick certainly got the most out of his players as arguably the greatest coach in NFL history, but his latest comments suggest it might be even easier for him to maximize skill sets at the collegiate level.