Bill Belichick’s son, Steve, is out of North Carolina football.
ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported on Thursday that Steve is no longer the defensive coordinator of the Tar Heels.
Belichick steps down from the role amid a medical leave that started on Aug. 6. Bill announced that Steve would be on an indefinite leave and did not specify a return date for his son at the time.
Steve’s resignation also comes two weeks after general manager Michael Lombardi resigned.
A report from WRAL revealed that lawyers were hired to conduct an investigation into the program, and it included a focus on Steve’s actions, with people questioned about whether he used drugs while on the job or if he supplied drugs to any member of the team. Steve joined North Carolina in 2024.
North Carolina released a “final statement” Thursday regarding the investigation, saying “certain actions demonstrated a disregard for Carolina’s values and standards of conduct.”
However, the statement also said that actions were “isolated in scope and not a systemic failure.”
NEWS: #UNC released a statement on the investigation into the Tar Heels football program. The investigation found that "certain actions demonstrated a disregard for Carolina's values and standards of conduct," yet were "isolated in scope and not a systemic failure." pic.twitter.com/hrKtSqW44u
— Michael McCleary (@MikeJMcCleary) September 17, 2026
These developments come amid the Tar Heels’ solid start to their 2026 season, but they needed to be handled regardless of the team’s on-field performance.
North Carolina will go for a 3-0 record as they begin ACC play on Saturday against the Clemson Tigers at Memorial Stadium in Clemson, S.C.
