Ongoing UNC investigation could take out Bill Belichick, for cause
An ongoing investigation into the University of North Carolina's football program may lead to the termination of coach Bill Belichick for cause. Reports suggest that potential knowledge of misconduct by staff could trigger a clause in his contract, voiding his buyout.
Why it matters
The potential firing of a high-profile coach due to institutional misconduct highlights the increasing legal and financial risks in collegiate athletics.
North Carolina G.M. Michael Lombardi resigned on Thursday , not long before a sweeping report from WRAL painted an ugly picture of the Tar Heels program. Defensive coordinator Steve Belichick, based on that report, could be next .
The eventual target could be coach Bill Belichick, also in a for-cause, you’ll-get-nothing-and-like-it outcome that would wipe out the remainder of his buyout.
Here’s the key portion of the WRAL report, as it relates to accounts from individuals who have been questioned by an external law firm: "[T]he people said they were asked whether they had reported any potentially questionable behavior to Bill Belichick .”
That’s an important potential finding, as it relates to Article 11 of Bill Belichick’s five-year, $50 million deal. The provision sets forth the various ways in which Belichick can be fired for cause.
Also covering this story
2 other newsrooms covered this event. We read each version separately.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in