A look at Bill Belichick's contract and bonuses at UNC
BOSTON -- Bill Belichick was formally introduced as the new head football coach at the University of North Carolina on Thursday. With that announcement, details of his contract were also released.
Belichick will be well compensated for taking his first-ever college football coaching gig, though the door will be open for him to return to the NFL if a team comes calling.
Bill Belichick got a five-year contract, but only three years are guaranteed
Belichick received a five-year contract from UNC with an annual salary of $10 million. It's quite the paycheck for Belichick, as only only seven coaches in college football made $10 million or more last season. UNC paid former head coach Mack Brown $5 million for the 2024 campaign, and he has a National Championship on his resume.
Only the first three years of Belichick's contract are guaranteed, which isn't a very long commitment in the college ranks. But that gives both the head coach and the school some options should things not work out -- or another opportunity in the NFL presents itself to Belichick.
Bill Belichick's yearly buyouts at UNC
There are a few buyouts in Belichick's contract: $10 million if he leaves before June 1, 2025, and only $1 million if he leaves after that date. Theoretically, Belichick could leave before ever coaching a game for the Tar Heels, though chances are an NFL team won't be hiring a coach that late in offseason.
If Belichick were to leave North Carolina, chances are it would come after his first or second season. But during his Thursday introduction, Belichick made it clear that he's all in on building a winning program at Chapel Hill.
"I didn't come here to leave," he said to a giant applause.
Bonuses for Bill Belichick
Belichick will have a chance to earn even more based on how many games he wins -- and when he wins those games.
Belichick has five regular-season bonuses that he can earn: $150,000 for winning eight games, $200,000 for winning nine games, $250,000 for winning 10 games, $300,000 for winning 11 games, and $350,000 for winning 12 games.
North Carolina has six wins this season as they get ready to face UConn in the Fenway Bowl. The Tar Heels won nine games back in 2023, but haven't reached double-digit wins since 2015 when they won 11 games under head coach Larry Fedora.
An ACC Championship Game appearance would land Belichick another $200,000, while a win in that game would get him $300,000. There are also a number of postseason bonuses that Belichick can earn, and these ones can really add some more cash to his bank account:
- Any bowl appearance or a Non-College Football Playoff : $150,000
- Non-CFP Tier 1/Elite bowl appearance: $350,000
- CFP participant: $750,000
- CFP quarterfinal appearance: $1 million
- CFP semifinal appearance: $1.25 million
- CFP championship game appearance: $1.5 million
- CFP national champion: $1.75 million
North Carolina has gone bowling to end each of the last six seasons, but hasn't won a Bowl Game since 2019 when the school beat Temple in the Military Bowl.
Belichick also has five bonuses based on where UNC finishes the season in the Top 25 rankings:
- Top 25: $250,000
- Top 20: $300,000
- Top 15: $375,000
- Top 10: $425,000
- Top 5: $500,000
UNC hasn't finished in the Top 25 since 2020 when they closed the season ranked 18th.