Bill Belichick reveals why he banned Patriots scouts from UNC

Part of Bill Belichick’s new job is to help his players get to the NFL, but a certain professional team has been denied access to his college program at North Carolina.

After earning his first win as the Tar Heels’ coach Saturday night over Charlotte, Belichick confirmed that Patriots scouts and staffers are banned at UNC facilities.

“It’s clear that I’m not welcome around their facility, so [they’re] not welcome at ours. Pretty simple,” Belichick told reporters after the game.

The 73-year-old Belichick coached the Patriots for 24 seasons through 2023, winning six Super Bowls before parting ways with owner Robert Kraft.

Staffers of other NFL teams have been granted limited access to UNC facilities in Chapel Hill, but a New England scout reportedly requested to watch one team practice in August and was rebuffed.

The decision does not officially violate NCAA rules, although it is uncommon for schools to deny access to NFL teams.

The breakup between Kraft and Belichick initially was termed “amicable” by the Patriots’ owner, but the two men have publicly fired shots at each other back and forth in recent months.

Kraft said in June that he took “a big risk” by hiring Belichick away from the Jets in 1999, saying, “I gave up a No. 1 draft pick for a coach that had only won a little over 40 percent of his games to get him out.”

Belichick later replied that he was the one who took “a big risk” by accepting the job.

Belichick took a year off from coaching following his split with the Patriots before taking the UNC job in December. The team was trounced, 48-14, at home by TCU in its first game of the Belichick era on Sept. 1 before rebounding with a 20-3 win Saturday night on the road against Charlotte.

The Tar Heels will play two more non-conference games against Richmond and Central Florida before opening the ACC slate against Clemson on Oct. 4.