A little more than a month after he was formally unveiled as North Carolina’s new football coach at a news conference, Bill Belichick has put pen to paper and formally signed his contract with the university.
Belichick signed the deal Wednesday and the school released it Thursday.
The longtime NFL coach, who led the New England Patriots to six Super Bowl victories over his 24-year tenure, stunned much of the football world in December when he was linked to and ultimately accepted the job with the Tar Heels. The 72-year-old has never previously coached at the college level.
That unlikely marriage gave birth to chatter about how committed he was to North Carolina and whether he might leave quickly if an opportunity to return to the NFL arose. That speculation only intensified when it was reported that he had not yet signed his contract, though Belichick had signed a term sheet with the school.
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Now that he’s contractually tethered to his new employer, what’s in the deal?
Here’s a closer look at Belichick’s contract with North Carolina:
Bill Belichick contract details
Belichick signed a five-year contract with North Carolina, though only the first three years of the contract are guaranteed.
He’s set to earn $10 million per year in base salary, though, like many coaching contracts, it is filled with incentive-related bonuses that could significantly increase his pay if his teams excel the way North Carolina leadership hopes.
Belichick’s contract includes:
Bonuses for specific win totals, ranging from $150,000 for winning eight regular-season games to $350,000 for 12 regular-season wins.
A $200,000 bonus for reaching the conference championship game, which goes up to $300,000 if the Tar Heels win it.
A $750,000 bonus for making the College Football Playoff field, which jumps to $1.75 million if North Carolina wins the national championship.
A $250,000 bonus for being in the top 25 of the final College Football Playoff rankings. That total doubles to $500,000 if the Tar Heels land in the top five.
A $150,000 bonus for making a bowl game, which shoots up to $350,000 for appearing specifically in a ‘non-CFP Tier 1/elite bowl game,’ defined as the Pop-Tarts Bowl, Gator Bowl or Mayo Bowl.
A $100,000 bonus for winning ACC coach of the year and a $250,000 bonus for winning national coach of the year.
An annual $100,000 expense allowance.
North Carolina has won 10 or more games only once since 1998. It has appeared in two ACC championship games, both of which it lost to Clemson, and has been in the top 25 of the final College Football Playoff selection committee twice, in 2015 and 2020.
Bill Belichick buyout
Belichick would owe North Carolina $10 million if he terminates the agreement before June 1, 2025. That buyout drops to $1 million on or after that date.