Bill Belichick is paid $10 million a year at North Carolina on a five year, $50 million contract, double what UNC paid Mack Brown in his final season. Only the first three years are guaranteed, and the contract says UNC will never owe him any salary for time after December 31, 2027, no matter when he is let go. He went 4 and 8 in his first season in 2025.
| Annual pay | $10 million in base and supplemental salary |
| Bonuses | Up to $3.5 million more, including $150,000 for eight regular season wins up to $350,000 for 12 |
| If UNC fires him | Only the salary left through Dec. 31, 2027. Fired during 2026, that is the rest of 2026 plus $10 million for 2027, at least $20.8 million as of December |
| After 2027 | No buyout at all: the final two years carry no guarantee |
| If he leaves | $1 million since June 1, 2025 (it was $10 million before that date) |
How It Compares
| Coach | School | Annual pay |
|---|---|---|
| Dabo Swinney | Clemson | $11.5 million |
| Brent Venables | Oklahoma | $10.5 million average |
| Bill Belichick | North Carolina | $10 million |
| Mack Brown, 2024 | North Carolina | $5 million |
Contract terms are from the contract UNC released in January 2025, as reported by WTVD and CBS Sports, with buyout figures from Fox Sports and USA Today’s salary database. The full national list is on our college football coaching salaries page.
Why the Structure Is Unusual
Most coaching contracts are long and heavily guaranteed. Belichick’s is effectively a three year, $30 million deal with two optional years, and his own cost to leave dropped to $1 million after his first June in Chapel Hill, which is why NFL rumors followed him through his first season. Year 2 began with wins over TCU and East Tennessee State, but general manager Michael Lombardi resigned on Sept. 3 and defensive coordinator Steve Belichick on Sept. 17.
The Bottom Line
Bill Belichick makes $10 million a year on a five year, $50 million North Carolina contract, with only salary through 2027 guaranteed, no buyout after that, and just $1 million owed if he leaves. Follow the Tar Heels on the North Carolina football schedule and North Carolina score today.