Bill Belichick won’t headline North Carolina’s weekly coach’s radio show

Bill Belichick coaches in college football, but it appears he won’t be a regular in one college football tradition: The coach’s weekly radio show.

North Carolina announced Thursday that Belichick will be on the first episode of the Tar Heels’ weekly radio show on Aug. 27 at Top of the Hill Restaurant & Brewery, but general manager Michael Lombardi will be the show’s headliner each week. Previously called “Mack Brown Live,” it will now be called “Carolina Football Live.”

Assistant coaches and players will join Lombardi weekly on the show, according to UNC’s press release, which does not specify when Belichick will return to the show. Lombardi has previous media experience, hosting podcasts and appearing regularly on Pat McAfee’s show.

While the coach’s weekly radio show is still common across college football, the opportunity for fans to call in and ask live questions has started to disappear over the years. Nick Saban was a rare high-profile coach who continued to take live calls until he retired in 2024. Many schools have removed that opportunity, either because of losses or a coach getting upset with a caller. After a spat with “Tyler from Spartanburg” in 2023, Clemson ended live calls for coach Dabo Swinney. The show now takes questions via text message.

North Carolina says fans who cannot make the show in person can submit questions via email.

Some college coaches have the weekly radio show written into their contracts. Belichick’s deal at UNC only says the coach shall appear on media opportunities “as reasonably requested by the University” and that the timing and location shall be mutually agreed upon by the parties. It’s under the $9 million “supplemental income” section of his contract.

North Carolina opens with TCU on Sept. 1.

(Photo: Jared C. Tilton / Getty Images)