When Bill Belichick made the surprising decision to take over as head coach of the North Carolina Tar Heels, it wasn’t just football insiders and university administrators pulling the strings behind the scenes.
According to a new ESPN report, former Florida Senator Marco Rubio, now the U.S. Secretary of State, played a key role in setting the process in motion and helping Belichick land the job.
Belichick’s Interest in UNC and Rubio’s Role
After parting ways with the New England Patriots following 24 seasons, Belichick—widely regarded as one of the greatest coaches in NFL history—began exploring his next chapter. At 72 years old, he was looking for a program with strong academic credentials and the potential to compete for a national championship.
According to ESPN, in November 2024, Belichick reached out to his longtime friend, Marco Rubio, to express interest in the UNC job, which was still officially held by Mack Brown at the time. Rubio, a lifelong football fan, quickly jumped into action.
Rubio then contacted Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina, who in turn reached out to North Carolina Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger, a powerful figure with deep connections to UNC leadership. Once those conversations began, ESPN described the pursuit of Belichick as turning from a small spark to “a raging inferno” among key decision-makers at the university.
By December 11, Belichick had agreed in principle to take the job, and he later signed a five-year, $50 million contract in January 2025 to lead the Tar Heels football program.
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How UNC’s Leaders Reacted
Reflecting on Rubio’s role in getting the ball rolling, Senator Tillis recalled the conversation vividly.
“Rubio follows the sports world pretty closely, and he called me and said, ‘There’s a chance Belichick would come to Chapel Hill,’” Tillis told ESPN.
“He said, ‘He wants a school with a great academic reputation, and he wants to try to build a program to bring them a national championship.’ I said, ‘Well, let me go [make some calls].’”
Tillis also emphasized the magnitude of the hiring decision:
“It’s the biggest get in the college football world,” he said. “When the opportunity presented itself, I thought any school of similar stature would have jumped at the chance, even if they were satisfied with their current coach. I think he’ll build a program that shows you can have great student-athletes and a real shot at a national championship.”
UNC’s First Choice Wasn’t Belichick
Despite the massive buzz surrounding Belichick’s arrival in Chapel Hill, UNC originally had another candidate in mind for the job: former Atlanta Falcons head coach Arthur Smith.
A UNC alum, Smith was initially the top target for the Tar Heels, but after being fired by the Falcons in January 2024 following a 21-30 record, he opted to remain in the NFL. Smith quickly accepted an offensive coordinator role with the Pittsburgh Steelers, leaving UNC to look elsewhere for its next coach.
Only after Smith turned down the job did UNC shift its attention to Belichick, ultimately securing the legendary coach in what has been widely viewed as a historic hire for college football.
Rubio’s Deep Football Ties
While Rubio’s involvement in coaching hires may seem surprising, it isn’t entirely out of character for the politician. His son, Anthony, is a walk-on running back at the University of Florida, and Rubio himself has long been known as a die-hard football fan.
During his 2016 presidential campaign, Rubio even jokingly suggested that he would appoint Belichick as the U.S. Secretary of Defense due to his unparalleled defensive acumen in football.
A New Chapter for Belichick and UNC
Now officially in place as the new head coach of the Tar Heels, Belichick has wasted no time getting to work. Spring practices are already underway, and the legendary coach is preparing to lead UNC into a new era, with expectations already sky-high.
The Tar Heels open their season on September 1 against TCU, and all eyes will be on Chapel Hill to see how Belichick transitions from the NFL to the college game.
What started as a casual conversation between friends has now resulted in one of the biggest coaching hires in college football history—and Marco Rubio played a key role in making it happen.