Steve Belichick

Biography

Steve Belichick enters year one as the Tar Heels’ defensive coordinator during the 2025 season. Belichick arrives in Chapel Hill after spending the 2024 campaign in the same role at the University of Washington. Belichick, who played four seasons of lacrosse at Rutgers before joining the football team as a long snapper, was the Patriots' defensive play caller for the last four years (2020-23), while also coaching linebackers (2022-23) and outside linebackers (2020-21). He'd previously worked with New England's defensive backs (2019) and safeties (2016-18) after having worked four years (2012-15) as a defensive assistant. During his time on the Patriots staff, Belichick was a part of five Super Bowls, with three victories, in 2015, 2017 and 2019. In 2023, Belichick helped lead a defense that ranked third in the NFL in opponent yards per play (4.7) and sixth in total defense, allowing 301.6 yards per game. The Pats also ranked No. 3 in rushing defense and 10th in passing defense. New England's defense was also stout in the previous years with Belichick calling the plays, ranking No. 5 in opponent yards per play in 2022, and No. 10 in that same category in 2021. In 2021 and 2022, Patriots linebacker Matthew Judon reached career highs for sacks in back-to-back seasons, notching 12.5 sacks in 2021 and 15.5 in 2022, while setting a club record with 102.5 sack yards in '22. Judon earned four straight Pro Bowl selections (2019-22). Belichick also coached Josh Uche to 1.5 sacks in 202