"I don't really know any other way": Bill Belichick makes honest confession about his NIL strategy to navigate through new model

After almost five decades in the NFL, legendary coach Bill Belichick will try his hand in college football as the coach of the UNC Tar Heels in 2025. He took over from Mack Brown after the longtime coach got fired following a disastrous performance.

The Tar Heels wrapped up the 2024 season with a poor 6-7 record. Things are expected to change under Belichick.

The former New England Patriots coach will have to navigate through the college football landscape. He has said that the new revenue-sharing model and the NIL policies have turned college athletics into more of a pro-level setup.

The 73-year-old was speaking to insider Rece Davis and fellow ACC counterpart Dabo Swinney in a sit-down interview on Thursday. The trio spoke about various aspects of the game and recent changes in college football.

Belichick mentioned the need for more clarity and guidelines so that coaches can devise their plans accordingly.

“It’s just a reality. I mean, I don't really know any other way, so I don't know how it was,” Belichick said to Davis on Thursday. (Timestamp - 42:50) "What we're seeing now is very similar to selling the NFL. It's different, but they're a lot similar.

"We'll start the season with about the same number of new players who haven't been with our team and start a training camp that we would normally start with in the NFL. You know, call it 30-some guys that will be with us in, let's call it August, that weren't with us in the spring. And so that's what it is,” he added.

Bill Belichick gets real about his opinion on House vs NCAA settlement

As per the new agreement, all the participating schools shall receive $20.4 million annually to distribute among the athletic programs and players. However, there is no clarity on whether the programs can use external NIL endorsements or if there is a cap in spending. The final verdict from the court is due on this matter.

Belichick said in the interview that if the committee can draft the new guidelines and explain how to play with such a massive amount, in no time, schools will structure their programs accordingly.

“For me, it's really pretty simple. I would just say, 'Tell me what the rules are, and then we'll put it on right now,'” Belichick said in the interview.

The final verdict on the settlement is expected to come before the start of the 2025 season. No doubt, this will become a major transformation in the overall culture of college athletics in the country.