UNC defensive coordinator Steve Belichick placed on indefinite medical leave

North Carolina head coach Bill Belichick said on Thursday that defensive coordinator Steve Belichick has been placed on indefinite medical leave. The coach did not provide further details about the situation. When asked whether Belichick would be available for the season opener on Aug. 29 in Ireland, Bill Belichick said the team "look forward to getting him back as soon as possible."

No interim defensive coordinator has been appointed; Bill Belichick added, "We coach defense collectively as a staff and we will continue to do that." The announcement also noted that university general manager Michael Lombardi is on leave pending an internal investigation. Steve Belichick previously worked with Bill Belichick on the New England Patriots from 2012 to 2023, served as defensive coordinator at the University of Washington in 2024, and joined UNC when Bill Belichick took the head-coaching job in 2025.