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North Carolina fans should embrace the Bill Belichick experience and not worry how long it lasts

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North Carolina fans should embrace the Bill Belichick experience and not worry how long it lasts



Bill Belichick’s longevity at UNC doesn’t matter. He was hired to get the Tar Heels really good, really fast, and he might pull it off.

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By any measure, Bill Belichick’s first five weeks as North Carolina’s football coach have been unusual.

The way he got the job practically out of nowhere was weird. 

The justification for taking the job — largely because he believed NFL teams were no longer interested in him — was weird.

Seeing him on the road recruiting, meeting with kids in high schools and embracing social media has been kinda weird. 

Watching him every week on the Pat McAfee Show, where he’s still asked about everything going on in the NFL, is also pretty weird. 

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And even as he hires assistant coaches and insists North Carolina is where he’s going to be next season, the speculation that he might bail if the right NFL offer comes along — spurred on by his murky contract status — is extremely weird. 

You know it has been frustrating for North Carolina and Belichick’s new staff that every day during the NFL’s silly season seems to come with a new report that one team or the other might gauge his interest. Michael Lombardi, Belichick’s right-hand man and general manager, has twice this week gone on social media to shoot down the chatter, going so far as to say, “The NFL isn’t a option so please stop making it one.” And Belichick’s girlfriend posted an Instagram picture of the two of them Thursday with the caption: “Two people who are overtly committed to @uncfootball.” 

For better or worse, this is going to be the Belichick experience as long as he stays at North Carolina. Every month, maybe even every week, is going to bring a new rumor. Every chatty agent or NFL general manager is going to whisper his name to reporters who know that his potential return to the league would be a massive story. And every mention of his contract, which apparently isn’t signed yet, is going to emphasize how easy it would be for him to abandon college football should he be tempted by one last shot in the NFL.

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For better or worse, that’s what North Carolina signed up for. It’s what Belichick signed up for, too. The narrative that he’s only doing this until something better comes along is mostly the product of his own history and the strangeness of taking on a college program for the first time at age 72.

Belichick almost certainly understood that better than anyone going into this, and it’s not going to change as long as he’s wearing that Carolina baby blue. 

At this point, we have to take Belichick’s people at their word that his entire focus right now is building a roster and getting the Tar Heels ready for the 2025 season. Despite the reports and rumors, the odds of him bailing on North Carolina before he even gets started seem remarkably low.  

But because of how unconventional all of this is, you have to at least allow for the possibility that North Carolina’s administration will wake up one day and feel used by a coach who never really unpacked his suitcase. Maybe in a year, maybe in a month. Who knows. 

Rather than worry about how long Belichick will stay, though, or the potentially devastating circumstances under which he might leave, North Carolina and its fan base should lean into the experimental nature of this pairing. Embrace the uncertainty of how long it might last. 

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Every athletics director hopes the football coach they hire stays 10 years. But Belichick’s tenure has to be judged by a different standard. 

His longevity just doesn’t matter. He was hired to get North Carolina really good, really fast — and when you consider how weak the ACC has been, there’s a chance he might just pull it off. 

If SMU and 41-year-old coach Rhett Lashlee can come directly from the American Athletic Conference to the ACC and make the College Football Playoff right away, a similar leap is not outside the capability of a six-time Super Bowl champion. 

Maybe Belichick is exactly where he needs to be. Sure, the idea of Belichick working for Jerry Jones or coaching the Raiders is media catnip. The narrative that he longs for 15 more coaching wins to overtake Don Shula as the NFL’s all-time leader is easy and obvious. 

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But think of it this way. What would actually enhance Belichick’s coaching legacy more: Doing something he’s already done a whole bunch of times or coming into a situation where he has no history or experience and elevating a college program to a place it’s never been before? 

The answer is easy. For all Belichick has accomplished in the game of football, even getting North Carolina to the CFP just once would add more to his legend than another Super Bowl ever could. 

So why do so many people think he isn’t serious about North Carolina? Why is the NFL rumor mill working overtime to pull him back after rejecting him completely as a coaching candidate last year? 

Belichick may not have envisioned himself on a college sideline a few months ago, but he’s there now. And his tenure will be judged by quality, not quantity. 

North Carolina had nothing to lose here. It was an underachieving program stuck in the middle of the ACC without the kind of financial backing it needed to compete at the highest level. Even if Belichick bounces back to the NFL next year, the entire mentality of North Carolina has changed. It’s gone all-in on football in a way it never did before. 

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Sure, every time an NFL job opens, Tar Heel fans are going to be nervous because Belichick’s name is going to get thrown in the mix. Get used to it. It’s better than the comfortable alternative North Carolina had under Mack Brown and most of its previous coaches: Irrelevant and ignored. 

As long as Belichick is there, that’s not going to be the case. And even if it doesn’t last a long time, this is still an experiment without a downside — NFL rumors and all. 



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North Carolina Democrats, Republicans share takes on deadly ICE shooting in Minneapolis

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North Carolina Democrats, Republicans share takes on deadly ICE shooting in Minneapolis


RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — North Carolina political leaders disagree heavily on what happened during a deadly-ICE involved shooting in Minnesota and what should happen next.

Several videos immediately circulated depicting the moment when Renee Good was shot in her vehicle by an ICE agent. Democrats and Republicans dispute what the video actually shows.

“I’m horrified and I’m disgusted,” Democratic state Sen. Sophia Chitlik said.

Chitlik represents Durham where immigration enforcement agents had a large presence a few weeks ago. She stated the video shows why she and some of her constituents don’t want the agents back.

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“Get out,” she said. “We do not want ICE and CBP in our community. Not only do citizens and constituents not want them here, law enforcement doesn’t want them here. Our sheriff’s office, our police department, is very focused on keeping people safe, which is why crime is down. We manage public safety here.”

Matt Mercer, the communications director for the North Carolina Republican Party, stated the video shows the ICE agent acting in self-defense.

“I think what you see is the video speaks for itself,” Mercer said. “You had a federal agent acting in self-defense after potentially being rammed by someone in a vehicle, which is unfortunate. You just hate to see what happened.”

Chitlik disputes the notion that the ICE agent acted in self-defense, saying, “It’s not true. The video shows that it’s not true. [Good] was trying to back up, not move forward, trying to leave the situation. They aggressively pursued her.”

Republicans continue to back the federal agents in Minnesota and across the country, arguing it’s what millions of Americans voted for.

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“It’s already shown a lot of progress,” Mercer said. “You’ve had over two million illegals deported or self-deported from our country, which is exactly what President [Donald] Trump campaigned on.”

Some Democrats say immigration enforcement agents don’t make communities safer and instead incite violence fear.

“ICE is not here to keep us safe,” Chitlik said. “ICE is here to police us. ICE is here as an agent of fascism in our cities. They are not welcome here.”

Republicans say the immigration agents aren’t the ones raising tensions.

“Anytime you see people using an iPhone app and saying there’s ICE [in the area], it’s intentionally provoking and stoking tensions,” Mercer said. “You’d like to see people using their right to protest in a way that’s not obstructing the mission these hardworking officers are doing every day.”

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CBS 17 has not heard of any plans for the immigration agents to return to North Carolina.



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Current State of North Carolina’s Quarterback Room

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Current State of North Carolina’s Quarterback Room


This offseason has been a complete quarterback carousel for the North Carolina Tar Heels. Following the debacle of last season, it was obvious that North Carolina needed to make significant changes at quarterback.

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In Bill Belichick’s first year as the head coach, the Tar Heels compiled a 4-8 record and failed to qualify for bowl eligibility for the first time since 2018. There were several factors that led to the lackluster season, but the production and effectiveness from the quarterback position may take the cake, in terms of who should be blamed the most for North Carolina’s failure of a season.

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In 11 games, Gio Lopez threw for only 1,747 yards, 10 touchdowns, and five interceptions while attempting 6.7 yards per pass. If you don’t possess a quarterback who can operate at a competent level, it is virtually impossible to compete with that player leading the offense.

Nov 22, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels quarterback Gio Lopez (7) is hit after a pass by Duke Blue Devils defensive back Caleb Weaver (3) during the first half at Kenan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Howard-Imagn Images | William Howard-Imagn Images
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As mentioned, it was apparent that the front office had to venture out in the transfer portal to potentially find their next quarterback. The Tar Heels did land 2026 four-star quarterback recruit Travis Burgess, but it was not yet known that both Max Johnson and Bryce Baker would enter the transfer portal this offseason.

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Not to mention, after recently announcing that he will return to Chapel Hill in 2026, Lopez became the latest quarterback to leave the program, making his intentions of entering the portal known on Monday. On Wednesday, Lopez officially signed with Wake Forest.

Here is what general manager Michael Lombardi and North Carolina’s front office orchestrated to add depth to the quarterback room, and how those moves affect that position.

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Assessing the Tar Heels’ Quarterback Situation

Sep 20, 2025; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Wisconsin Badgers quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. (9) looks to throw a pass during the first quarter against the Maryland Terrapins at Camp Randall Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

With three total quarterbacks leaving the program, North Carolina needed to orchestrate multiple moves to improve the depth at the position. While the Tar Heels landed Billy Edwards Jr. and Miles O’Neill, those two additions do not instill a ton of confidence in a room lacking experience and proven production.

In four years, Edwards Jr. has one year of starting, while O’Neill has eight appearances over the last two seasons. The Texas A&M transfer possesses more potential than Edwards Jr., as he still has three years of eligibility remaining. There is more room to grow for O’Neill. We already know what Edwards Jr is: a backup quarterback who could play here and there as a starter.

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Nov 22, 2025; College Station, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies quarterback Miles O’Neill (16) hands the ball off Texas A&M Aggies running back AJ DiNota (41) before a game against the Samford Bulldogs at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Buvid-Imagn Images | Joseph Buvid-Imagn Images

Meanwhile, Au’Tori Newkirk played sparingly during his freshman season in 2025, and Burgess will be a true freshman in 2026. None of these quarterbacks provide both high potential and experience. They possess one or the other, which could become problematic if no one establishes themselves as the clear-cut starter.

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NC health officials urge vaccines amid measles and respiratory illness surge

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NC health officials urge vaccines amid measles and respiratory illness surge


The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) is responding to the most recent measles cases and a spike in respiratory illnesses in North Carolina.

In a meeting hosted by NCDHHS, health officials stressed the importance of staying up to date on vaccines.

Those officials were also asked about the vaccination status of the three kids who tested positive for measles in Buncombe County.

“The three cases in Buncombe County, all three of them, had at least one dose of MMR vaccine,” said Dr. Erica Wilson with NCDHHS.

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News 13 reported on Tuesday that the three siblings contracted measles after visiting Spartanburg County, South Carolina, where there’s currently a large measles outbreak.

3 BUNCOMBE COUNTY CHILDREN CONTRACT MEASLES AFTER SOUTH CAROLINA VISIT, NCDHHS REPORTS

The Mission Hospital Emergency Department waiting room in Asheville was listed as a possible measles exposure location on Sunday, Jan. 4, between 2 a.m. and 6:30 a.m.

Mission Health sent News 13 a statement, saying in part, “Our hospitals work with state and federal health officials on proactive preparedness, and we are following guidance provided by the CDC.”

The hospital provided state health officials with a list of 26 people who may have been exposed to measles on Jan. 4, according to Mission Health.

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It’s not just Buncombe County that has reported measles in North Carolina recently.

JAN. 6, 2026 – A flyer in Buncombe County warning of illness symptoms amid three confirmed measles cases in the county. (Photo credit: WLOS Staff)

“One in Polk County and three in Buncombe County. Additionally, there was a measles exposure alert we released in Gaston County. All are connected to an ongoing measles outbreak in Spartanburg County, South Carolina,” said Dr. Kelly Kimple with NCDHHS. “About 90% of unvaccinated individuals who are exposed will become infected.”

POLK COUNTY CHILD CONTRACTS MEASLES AFTER SOUTH CAROLINA VISIT, NCDHHS REPORTS

In the meeting, health officials also addressed the increase in respiratory illnesses like respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), COVID-19, and influenza.

“Whether it’s the childhood immunizations for things like measles, mumps, and rubella, or even the seasonal immunizations for things like RSV, COVID, and flu, vaccines are a critical and important part of remaining healthy and having healthy communities,” said NCDHHS secretary Dr. Devdutta Sangvai.

Additionally, as News 13 previously reported, there was a chickenpox outbreak in Buncombe County, with four cases confirmed at Fairview Elementary as of Jan. 6.

Health officials are reminding people that it’s not too late to get their seasonal vaccines. There are also additional preventative actions to protect oneself against respiratory viruses.

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FLU CASES SURGE IN NC, STRAINING HOSPITALS AND INCREASING DEATH TOLL

“This includes regularly washing your hands with soap and water,” said Kimple.

Kimple suggests avoiding touching your eyes, nose and mouth. She also said to clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces that may be contaminated.

“Cover those coughs and sneezes with a tissue and then discard the tissue promptly. Stay home when sick, except to seek medical care or testing, and take steps to avoid spreading infection to others in your home,” said Kimple.

NCDHHS also has helpful resources on its website, like a measles immunity checker, information about vaccines, and a program that helps eligible families get free vaccines.

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