"Not welcome at ours": Bill Belichick reveals why he slammed the door shut on Patriots' access to Tar Heels program

Bill Belichick reportedly banned any access from the New England Patriots to the UNC program. This was a controversial decision considering Belichick was the Patriots' coach for 23 years.

After the Tar Heels' game on Saturday, Belichick explained the reasoning for his decision.

"It's clear that I'm not welcome around their facility, so [they're] not welcome at ours. Pretty simple."

While the Patriots are fully banned, other teams can watch the Tar Heels' practice sessions. However, there are restrictions placed on what these teams can and can't see and how long they can watch. Additionally, these scouts do not have any access to Belichick, nor can they talk to other players.

There is nothing to stop Belichick from doing this, as no NCAA rules concerning scouting from NFL teams have been broken.

However, there are negative consequences for North Carolina and its players due to it. Firstly, this ban breaks the unwritten rules and goodwill between college teams and NFL teams. This could mean that even if given access later, the Patriots (or any other team) may decide not to scout the Tar Heels' players due to the prior decision.

Additionally, with limitations placed on scouting, the Tar Heels players who want to enter the NFL will be at a disadvantage compared to players from other teams due to a lack of knowledge from the scouts about these players. This could be the difference between being picked by an NFL team and not.

Is Bill Belichick's ban legal?

Bill Belichick's ban on the Patriots attending UNC training sessions is somewhat bizarre. But sportswriter Mike Florio said this ban could be illegal under the US Constitution.

"The biggest potential problem for Belichick is the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution," Florio wrote. "Although North Carolina practices and facilities are not generally open to the public, access to those who legitimately require it can not be limited in a discriminatory fashion."

In simple terms, the scouts need access to the Tar Heels' sessions to do their job. Applying the 14th Amendment to this decision means that every team has access to the session, or no team does.

About the author

Ben Tredinnick is a journalist who covers college football and college basketball at Sportskeeda who is currently studying for a masters in Data Science. His degree in Psychology has helped him gain an in-depth understanding of the minds of coaches.

Ben has been involved in sports writing since 2022 and covered the NFL previously. His strengths include providing in-depth profiles of athletes and coaches, with a particular focus on development, and looking at which teams could be in the hunt for today's college stars.

Ben enjoys following college sports more than the NBA or NFL because there is more variation in terms of playstyles. The tournaments are often more competitive than the major leagues, and due to the constant turnover of players, there are rarely any "superteams" in college sports.

He prioritizes research, looks at multiple sources and publications to make sure he gets the full picture of the story before writing. He tries not to write from a one-sided perspective to allow the reader to be able to make their mind up on their own.

A Texas Longhorns fan, as well as a massive New York Giants fan, some of his favorite college players of all time are Arch Manning, Tim Tebow and Reggie Bush.

When he is not working, Ben enjoys watching films (especially Godzilla) and spending time with his cat.

Know More

North Carolina Tar Heels Fans? Check out the latest North Carolina Tar Heels depth chart, schedule, and roster updates all in one place.

Edited by Krutik Jain