CFB insider calls out Bill Belichick's "petty move" as UNC reportedly bans NFL Scouts before Week 2 game against Charlotte

Before UNC’s Week 2 matchup against Charlotte on Saturday, multiple reports have confirmed that Bill Belichick has banned New England Patriots scouts from attending Tar Heels practices. The news was first shared by John Middlekauff on his “3 and Out” podcast, where he said on Thursday:

“If you're a scout for the New England Patriots, you are not allowed at the University of North Carolina. Which is funny, but kind of embarrassing."

Regarding the situation, college football insider Ari Meirov wrote on X:

“This is the latest petty move by Bill Belichick — and in the big picture it only hurts his players and future recruits.”

Ari Meirov

@MySportsUpdate

This is the latest petty move by Bill Belichick — and in the big picture it only hurts his players and future recruits.

This case is consistent with Belichick’s reputation for secrecy and control during his NFL tenure.

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The situation attracted notice after Bill Belichick’s Week 1 loss to TCU

It was also reported that NFL scouts have had a hard time getting access to UNC practices since Bill Belichick became the coach. The situation gained more attention following Belichick’s college coaching debut, a 48-14 home loss to TCU. UNC scored on its opening drive but was then overwhelmed, giving up 41 unanswered points to the Horned Frogs.

After the opening touchdown, UNC’s offense completely shut down. Over the next five drives, the Tar Heels managed only 20 total yards. Quarterback Gio Lopez struggled badly, completing only 4 of 10 passes before leaving the game in the third quarter with a lower back injury.

TCU’s defense created problems for North Carolina, returning an interception for a touchdown and later scoring again off a fumble recovery. The second half began with a 75-yard touchdown run on the very first play, and Bill Belichick’s team couldn’t recover even after backup quarterback Max Johnson came in and threw a touchdown pass late in the third quarter.

The Tar Heels’ defense gave up over 400 yards, while the offense turned the ball over three times and couldn’t sustain drives.

According to ESPN’s Pete Thamel, over 20 NFL scouts from 14 different teams attended the game, primarily to evaluate TCU players. That said, two UNC cornerbacks, Thaddeus Dixon and Marcus Allen, are considered strong prospects for the 2026 NFL draft, raising concerns about Belichick’s approach that might be damaging for his own players.

Even before the game, Belichick had handed out a blank depth chart to scouts, listing only player positions with no names or further information.

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