Bill Belichick expresses anger towards UNC staff following a poor first season

Changes at North Carolina for Bill Belichick

Bill Belichick is calling it quits, but not with his girlfriend, who is 24 years old.

ESPN reported recently that the North Carolina coach made the decision to let go of offensive coordinator Freddie Kitchens and special teams coordinator Mike Priefer.

This was Belichick’s first season with the Tar Heels, and it didn’t go well. He ended with a 4-8 record, missing the chance for a bowl appearance, all while facing speculation about his future with the team and reports of a troubling locker room atmosphere.

Notably, Belichick’s girlfriend, Jordon Hudson, was often seen on the sidelines during games. She had previously stirred some controversy by shutting down a question regarding their relationship during an interview on “CBS Sunday Morning” this past April.

Hudson also made headlines for threatening legal action against former ESPN player Pablo Torre. This came after Torre published articles that painted her in an unflattering light, including claims about her being banned from team facilities before the season started.

Kitchens has an extensive background on NFL sidelines, previously serving as head coach for the Browns in 2019 and then working with the Giants.

This season, North Carolina’s offense struggled significantly, averaging just 19.3 points per game and ranking 120th out of 136 teams.

Priefer was with the Browns as their special teams coordinator for four years prior to joining Belichick’s staff at North Carolina.

Belichick and UNC GM Mike Lombardi aimed to promote the Tar Heels as a potential 33rd NFL team, leveraging their professional experiences to market the program as a training ground for aspiring players.

However, many experts attributed the team’s struggles on the field to a lack of talent. North Carolina’s four wins included games against teams like Charlotte, Richmond, and lower-tier ACC teams Stanford and Syracuse, but they suffered several blowout losses against the top-ranked teams.

Belichick had previously expressed his intention to stay at UNC, but he briefly alluded to the future of the team and its staff after a loss to rival North Carolina State, saying, “We’ll see about the season later. The game just ended 10 minutes ago.”