Bill Belichick is the new face of the North Carolina Tar Heels Football team. He took the job after a more than two decade run with the New England Patriots that cemented him as one of the best to ever do it. However, he isn’t receiving a very warm welcome by some of his new rivals.
Bill Belichick Sees Rival Use Him As “Target Practice,” Fans Demand Action
A 6-7 record in 2024 and a loss to UConn Huskies in the Fenway Bowl suggest that the team could find some much-needed improvement in 2025:
However, it’s clear that not everyone loves the hire, because in a photo posted to his Instagram story, NC State running back Hollywood Smothers is seen using a photo of Belichick holding up a Tar Heels jacket as a dart board.
Smothers, who will be going into his second season with the Wolfpack, is coming off his best year at the collegiate level, appearing in 11 games and racking up 571 rushing yards and six touchdowns, as well as 19 receptions, 263 yards and two touchdowns.
Of course, considering they play within the same state, North Carolina and NC State have formed a relatively heated rivalry throughout the years as their first matchup dates back to 1894.
The Tar Heels currently hold the all-time lead, going 68-40-6, but the Wolfpack did come out on top in their 2024 matchup, winning 35-30, despite entering the game as 2.5-point underdogs, per ESPN BET.
Of course, Belichick will have the opportunity to experience this game from the sidelines for the first time this upcoming season, as the teams are set to face off on Nov. 29 at Carter-Finley Stadium.
He will be trying to turn things around in this rivalry, as North Carolina has gone just 3-7 in their last 10 matchups against NC State.
Fans were quick to react to this:
This kind of obsession is not healthy
— Kevinrich007 (@007KEVINRich) May 15, 2025
Rent Free, they are so obsessed
— Kevinrich007 (@007KEVINRich) May 15, 2025
Isnt he transferring?
— Boo’s Burner (Go Pack!) (@pb_jellytime69) May 16, 2025
This kind of stuff always ages well
— Chuck Dean (@savingcultur) May 15, 2025
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