"Probably a learning curve": Tom Brady pinpoints biggest 'challenge' for Bill Belichick at UNC

Former NFL quarterback Tom Brady pointed out what might be the biggest challenge for his former coach, Bill Belichick, at UNC. Appearing on the latest episode of The Joe Klatt Show, Brady shared his thoughts on the former New England Patriots coach’s new adventure.

After acknowledging the kind of quality the seven-time Super Bowl-winning coach brings to the Tar Heels, Brady pointed out some challenges he might face. He said (9:48):

“I think the challenge for him is he’s dealing with a lot of probably underdeveloped players because he’s dealt with guys that are four, five, six years further along than what he’s normally had to deal with. So I think there’s probably a learning curve for him.

“This is just me hypothesizing. It’s not, you know; I don’t have much knowledge of it, but I’m sure it’s different coaching a 17- or 18-year-old than even a 22- or 23-year-old.”

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Tom Brady and Bill Belichick were at the heart of the Patriots' successful era between 2001 and 2019. The Brady-Belichick era, as it is known, saw the franchise dominate the NFL with six Super Bowl wins. They have been described as “the NFL’s most successful quarterback-head coach tandem.”

However, the two parted ways in 2019 when Brady parted ways with the Patriots and moved to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he won another Super Bowl. Meanwhile, Belichick left the Patriots after the 2023 season.

Bill Belichick’s return to coaching at UNC

Bill Belichick returned to coaching after signing a five-year contract with the Tar Heels in January that will pay him $10 million annually, with the first three years guaranteed. The former Patriots coach can also earn up to $3.5 million in annual incentives, which will depend on factors like wins, final poll ranking and conference championships.

With $10 million annually for assistant coaches, Belichick is set up to have a strong staff.

However, more attention has been drawn to Belichick’s personal life than his coaching-related activities at Chapel Hill. His 24-year-old girlfriend, Jordon Hudson, has occupied a central stage in the coach’s personal life and relationship with the media.

Nevertheless, there’s a great amount of interest in how the coach will fare in replicating his NFL success at the college level.

About the author

Kayode is a College and High School Sports writer at Sportskeeda since June 2023. Hailing from Nigeria, he has an undergraduate degree in Linguistics and African Languages, and has previously had stints as an entertainment and politics writer for around 7 months. Adept at creating content around historical perspectives, he strives to report stories based only on verified information. His mantra is - truth is always more important than sensationalism.

A fan of the Alabama Crimson Tide football team, Kayode admires how Nick Saban developed talent at the team and delivered consistent results, and hopes that the post-Saban era is just as fruitful. He is thoroughly impressed by Johnny Manziel’s talent, and feels that Shedeur Sanders is massively underrated. Nick Saban is his all-time favorite college coach.

While Kayode believes there is little to separate college and mainstream sports, pro leagues absorbing the best athletes leads to their quality being higher. Witnessing the Colorado Buffaloes’ hot streak at start the 2023 football season was one of his all-time favorite college sports moments.

When not writing, Kayode enjoys reading and watching sports documentaries. His most recent watch was "Sir Alex Ferguson: Never Give In."

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Edited by Krutik Jain