Bill Belichick Just Landed His First Transfer Commitment At UNC

12/16/2024 05:03 PM

Bill Belichick has landed his first commitment as head coach of the North Carolina Tar Heels. 

On Monday, the Tar Heels landed their first transfer commitment since the legendary NFL head coach took over the program. Belichick, who accepted the UNC job last week, has agreed to a five-year deal (first three years guaranteed) worth $10 million per season, according to reports. However, he does have a clause in his contract, that would make it pretty easy for him to land back in the NFL. It doesn't seem like he wants that, though.

Belichick has made it clear that he's committed. 

"I didn't come here to leave," Belichick said at his introductory press conference in Chapel Hill, North Carolina last week.

It sounds like the recruits are buying it. On Monday afternoon, Belichick landed the first transfer commitment of his college football career.

On Monday, UNC landed a transfer commitment from lineman Christo Kelly. The 6-foot-4, 305-pound offensive lineman announced his commitment on X, formerly known as Twitter. Kelly, an Illinois native, had been with Holy Cross since 2020.

He appears to be Belichick's first transfer commitment in Chapel Hill.

"Committed," he wrote, sharing a photo of Belichick watching on as he signed his letter of intent.

Belichick has made it clear that he'll be hitting the transfer portal hard. He hired former NFL executive Michael Lombardi to serve as UNC's general manager. Belichick and his staff have quickly gotten to work in the transfer portal.

The six-time Super Bowl-winning head coach told Pat McAfee on Monday that many players are expressing interest in the UNC program. 

"We've been talking to a number of players and we have more coming in this week as part of the [transfer] portal. That closes on Sunday," Belichick, who will continue to appear on "The Pat McAfee Show," explained on Monday. "We have guys coming in pretty much every day this week. Still talking to a couple of high school players who signed."

Belichick will be hitting up high school recruits, too. But the portal is where most of the action is at right now.

"The majority of them are transfer players in the portal and that portal will extend a little bit as the College Football Playoffs go and teams get eliminated," Belichick added. "We're selling the program but quite honestly, we've had a lot of players and agents coming to us and say, 'We want to be part of the program,' 'Is there a spot for us?' 'Would you take this player, that player?' and so forth.'"

Thanks to Name, Image and Likeness, players can now get paid. And because of the transfer portal, teams can be rebuilt very quickly. Belichick will look to do that this offseason.

"We're spending money, not as much as we spent in the NFL, but tossing around a little bit of money," Belichick said. "I enjoy seeing the players getting compensated for the arrangement that they'll be going into. It's a new landscape in college football but honestly, not too different ... this part of the process is not too different from what we've dealt with in the NFL."

UNC, which parted ways with longtime head coach Mack Brown following a disappointing 6-6 season, is set to take on UConn in the Wasabi Fenway Bowl on Dec. 28 at 11 a.m. E.T.