When it comes to Bill Belichick, nothing is for certain anymore.
Once considered the man who did everything in his power to avoid distractions, Belichick has become a constant media target in recent months.
The North Carolina head coach’s relationship with Jordon Hudson has turned into a public mess, with rumors swirling — some factual, others fictional.
But all of that has taken place off the field. Belichick is still months away from coaching his first game as the Tar Heels' head coach, and the college football world is bracing to see how the former Patriots icon adapts.
Everyone seems to have a prediction for how Belichick’s first year in Chapel Hill will go. CBS Sports’ John Talty projects an eight-win season, while ESPN’s Kyle Bonagura believes Belichick could be one-and-done.
Sports Illustrated’s Conor Orr took things a step further in his bold predictions, suggesting that controversy could follow Belichick back onto the field.
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“An ultimately baseless but still fantastical and widely spread allegation of sign stealing will arise against North Carolina head coach Bill Belichick and members of Belichick Productions,” Orr wrote.
Such a scenario would only pour gasoline on the already-burning fire surrounding Belichick, opening him up to even more criticism — especially given his history.
While coaching the Patriots, Belichick was at the center of two of the biggest scandals in NFL history: Spygate in 2007 and Deflategate in 2014.
Spygate, in particular, drew comparisons to what Orr is predicting. That scandal involved Patriots staff members videotaping the New York Jets’ defensive coaches' signals during a game — a direct violation of NFL rules. The goal was to gain a competitive advantage by decoding play calls in real time. The fallout was massive: Belichick was fined $50,000, the Patriots were fined $250,000, and the league stripped the team of its 2008 first-round draft pick.
It was a black mark on Belichick’s career and a lasting point of controversy that’s followed him ever since.
If a similar sign-stealing allegation were to surface at North Carolina — even if ultimately baseless, as Orr notes — it would echo the tactics that defined Spygate and once again place Belichick’s methods under a microscope. Only this time, it wouldn’t just be about his reputation — it could reflect poorly on the university itself.
The off-the-field drama involving Hudson is one thing. But for North Carolina, a cheating scandal would strike at the institution’s core values — something the school will be eager to avoid at all costs.