Did Bill Belichick Ban The New England Patriots From Scouting North Carolina Practices?
North Carolina coach told New England scouts in August they couldn't attend Tar Heels football activities
The hits keep on coming for Bill Belichick from a public relations standpoint, but the problem is that he's creating all of it while trying to lead the North Carolina football program. The latest example is a ban on the New England Patriots attending practices in Chapel Hill.
On Monday night, there were plenty of NFL scouts in the building for the Tar Heels season opener against TCU. But, one team that did not have a presence at the game just so happened to be his former employer.
First reported by John Middlekauff, Bill Belichck and North Carolina have banned the New England Patriots from attending practices, along with any other part of the Tar Heels football program. According to ESPN, general manager Michael Lombardi, along with UNC's NFL liaison Frantzy Jourdain, told the Patriots in August they would not be allowed to watch practice.
And, this was taken a step further on Thursday night, when it was mentioned that the retaliation is due to how the Patriots treated Belichick after the two went their separate ways.
In college football, most teams welcome NFL scouts on a consistent basis, though it's up to the head coach for how long they can stay, and also which days they would like to attend. Usually, schools will welcome the NFL with open arms, given that there is plenty of networking and mingling with staff members so that they gain information on prospective draft picks for the future.
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In this case, the Tar Heels reportedly have put their foot down when it comes to the Patriots. Also, there have been conversations around how much access NFL teams are getting with the North Carolina football team, and how much they can actually view while attending.
It sounds as though the NFL scouts that choose to attend are being treated like the local media that show up for these practices, with a limit on how much they can actually view.
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CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Head coach Bill Belichick of the North Carolina Tar Heels looks on during the second half of the game at Kenan Stadium on September 01, 2025. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
Most programs will only allow media members to watch the opening periods, which usually involved sled-work, QB's throwing against the air, or agility drills, which are useless for scouts.
Clearly, this has been a rough week for Bill Belichick and everyone involved with the North Carolina football program following the 48-14 loss to TCU on Monday night.
Who knows what this team looks like on Saturday, as they go on the road to face Charlotte, but there better be some type of improvement or fans are going to start asking some really tough questions. Like, why are the Tar Heels paying Belichick $10 million per year for this product?
Just another day of college football news coming out of Chapel Bill. I mean Hill.