Bill Belichick is entering his second season as North Carolina’s head football coach.
The Tar Heels went 4-8 in his first year, and with the 2026 season just weeks away, Belichick announced a concerning health update involving his son, Steve Belichick, who serves as the team’s defensive coordinator.
Belichick’s Update on Son
Belichick revealed that Steve, who is entering his second season as North Carolina’s defensive coordinator, is on medical leave. He did not provide a timetable for his return.
“Just want to let everyone know that my son Steve’s on medical leave, and look forward to getting him back as soon as possible,” Belichick said. “It’s a medical situation so I really can’t make any further comment on that.”
According to Brian Murphy of WRAL News in North Carolina, Bill said Steve would return “as soon as possible” but did not elaborate on whether he will be back for the team’s season opener against TCU on Aug. 29 in Dublin, Ireland.
UNC coach Bill Belichick announces that defensive coordinator Steve Belichick is on medical leave. I asked if he’d be back for the season opener, and Bill Belichick said only that he’d be back “as soon as possible.”
— Brian Murphy (@murphsturph) August 6, 2026
How Will Belichick Handle the Defense?
The defensive coaching staff will handle the responsibilities collectively while Steve is away.
“All the people on the defensive staff,” Belichick added. “We coach the defense collectively as a staff, and so we’ll continue to do that. Those (coaches) are involved with everybody.
“We’re ahead of where we were last year,” he said last week about the defense. “Again, just the fact that nearly everybody was here this year through the spring and through the summer … we’re not starting from scratch. We have better evaluation of the players, and they’re further ahead.”
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