Bill Belichick Trashed By Top Football Analyst Over 'Bad' Start At UNC: 'It's An Abject Disaster'

Bill Belichick received heavy criticism from ESPN's Paul Finebaum following his disastrous start to college football at UNC.

The veteran coach was hired in December 2024, with many expecting that his impressive NFL pedigree would translate into immediate success for the team.

However, his season has so far fallen short of expectations, with reports suggesting that a divided locker room may have partly contributed to the ongoing struggles.

On Tuesday's episode of "First Take," ESPN's Paul Finebaum ripped into Bill Belichick over his subpar 2-3 record, of which all three losses have come against Power Four teams.

"We're talking about Bill Belichick, who is the greatest NFL coach in history," Finebaum said, per the New York Post. "He's working toward being the worst coach in college football history. That's how bad he is."

The football analyst went on to say that there is currently "nothing to be happy about" in Belichick's football program.

Finebaum further claimed that the legendary coach's run so far has been "an abject disaster."

More harsh remarks from Finebaum occurred during his weekly appearance on "The Michael Kay Show" on ESPN New York.

He claimed Belichick is now an "absolute laughingstock in college football," before declaring that the multi-Super Bowl-winning coach is "washed up."

Digging in further, Finebaum also argued that Belichick hasn't achieved anything noteworthy on the field since parting ways with his star player, Tom Brady, during his tenure as head coach of the New England Patriots.

Finebaum isn't the only one who has taken aim at Belichick in recent days. A parent of a current UNC player also criticized the coach, accusing him of creating a "toxic environment" within the team.

"It's all starting at the top, and the boys are being affected," said the parent in an interview with WRAL sports anchor Pat Welter, per The Blast. "I don't fault the players; I fault the leadership that created this toxic environment. There's an individualistic mindset. The boys are young, and they are feeding into it."

Sources within the program also shared similar concerns, with some attributing the team's rough start to "a divided locker room."

They further alleged that the six-time Super Bowl champion is leading "a disjointed coaching staff" and has struggled to maintain clear communication between stakeholders.

"There's been no communication with coaches and parents, period," said one of the parents. "None, zero, zilch. Not one email from a coach, one text, phone call, nothing."

Regarding how the alleged division in the locker room began, a source claimed it started shortly after Belichick joined UNC in December 2024 and quickly brought in several new recruits.

Those recruits reportedly struggled to mesh with the existing players, with some allegedly believing they deserved different treatment.

"It started with recruits coming in acting entitled to certain things," said the insider. "It was about them individually, not the team. It was about me and what I was going to do."

Beyond the lack of cohesion, the team's fortunes have reportedly been affected by the supporting staff not sharing the same pedigree as Belichick.

"The lack of experience the coaches have, it's ridiculous," added the insider about the situation at UNC.

While the team's fortunes could still turn around as the season progresses, some players have already begun voicing their frustrations with what appears to be Belichick's long-term approach.

Shortly after the team's 38-10 loss to the Clemson Tigers, sophomore receiver Jordan Shipp gave a scathing statement that seemed to be an indictment of his coach.

"I'm not here to rebuild, I'm here to win football games," the player remarked during an interview, per ESPN. "That's why I'm here.

"Whatever they're doing with the donors, that has nothing to do with me. I'm here to win football games, and that's what 100% of my focus is on."

Shipp's statement appeared to reference GM Mike Lombardi's letter to donors describing the team's current campaign as a "rebuilding season."

While that suggests the board may be willing to give Belichick more time to turn things around, speculation continues to swirl that his contract could be bought out if the string of poor results extends into next season.