Bill Belichick gave his first announcement to fans as the new head coach of the North Carolina Tar Heels football team this past Saturday. During a basketball game on North Carolina’s home court, Belichick was introduced to the crowd during halftime.
Yet, before Belichick could properly begin his speech, his address was interrupted by a loud chant from a group of Philadelphia Eagles fans, who started yelling, “E-A-G-L-E-S, Eagles!”
Bill Belichick’s Introduction Drowned by Eagles Fans’ Chants
An E-A-G-L-E-S chant started when Bill Belichick was introduced at UNC
Eagles fans are everywhere. Go birds pic.twitter.com/n04uQ3S4OH
— Barstool Philly (@BarstoolPhilly) December 14, 2024
The eight-time Super Bowl champion has a long history with the Eagles, as they defeated his New England Patriots in Super Bowl 52 in 2018. Nevertheless, Belichick, wearing a formal Carolina blue blazer, was seemingly unfazed.
The giant among coaches cracked a smile and continued his speech.
“Thank you. It’s a privilege to be here. Dean Smith’s Center, Roy Williams’ Court, and my first basketball coach that I’m really ever connected with, Frank McGuire. What a great history here in Carolina basketball. We’re here to, I can’t wait to get started on a football program.
“We’ve gotten around here in a few days, and we can’t wait to represent the school, the university out there, Kenan Memorial Stadium. The fans have something to be proud of. We’re going to work hard. We’re going to play hard. I’m looking forward to it.”
Since interviewing with the program earlier this month, Belichick has made it known that he wants to bring an NFL-like structure to Chapel Hill. This began with his first official recruit, four-star quarterback Bryce Baker in the 2025 class.
In his first news conference as a college head coach, Belichick sat at Kenan Memorial Stadium and said:
“I’ve always wanted to coach in college football. It just never really worked out. Had some good years in the NFL, so that was okay, but this is a dream come true. I grew up in college football with my dad. As a kid, all I knew was college football.”
Belichick has been working in some capacity in the NFL since 1975. But when asked if he was using the college seat as a medium to find a way back to the NFL, the 72-year-old said, “I didn’t come here to leave.”
After spending 24 years with the Patriots, Belichick’s college football path will begin when UNC faces TCU in a non-conference game to open the 2025 season. This will be the first meeting between the two teams in nearly 30 years.