North Carolina spends an estimated $20 million to $25 million on its 2026 football roster, according to The Athletic, eighth in the ACC and in the bottom 40 percent of power conference programs. That is a striking contrast with what UNC spends on its staff: Bill Belichick is paid $10 million a year, and his son Steve Belichick was earning $1.4 million as defensive coordinator before resigning on Sept. 17.
| ACC team | Estimated 2026 budget |
|---|---|
| Miami | $44 million to $50 million |
| Clemson | $29 million to $32 million |
| Virginia Tech | $25 million to $30 million |
| Florida State | $23 million to $30 million |
| Georgia Tech | $23 million to $26 million |
| NC State | $22 million to $26 million |
| Louisville | $22 million to $25 million |
| North Carolina | $20 million to $25 million |
Staff Money vs. Roster Money
| Item | 2026 |
|---|---|
| Bill Belichick, head coach | $10 million a year |
| Steve Belichick, defensive coordinator | $1.4 million before resigning Sept. 17 |
| Entire player roster | An estimated $20 million to $25 million |
The comparison is the core criticism of UNC’s approach: the program spent heavily on its head coach, a general manager structure and staff, while leaving a gap of $20 million or more against the rosters it wants to compete with. General manager Michael Lombardi resigned on Sept. 3. UNC opened 2026 at 2 and 0 before starting ACC play at Clemson.
Budget figures are from The Athletic as reported by Sports Illustrated and Tar Heel Blog. Schools do not publish football payrolls, so these are estimates.
The Bottom Line
North Carolina spends an estimated $20 million to $25 million on its 2026 roster, eighth in the ACC, while paying Bill Belichick $10 million a year. The full lists are on most expensive rosters and NIL rankings by conference. Follow the Tar Heels on the North Carolina football schedule.