North Carolina Picks Former NFL Head Coach As Interim to Replace Mack Brown

Freddie Kitchens has been North Carolina's tight ends coach and run-game coordinator since 2023.

Kitchens has been North Carolina's tight ends coach and run-game coordinator since 2023. | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

The North Carolina Tar Heels have a new head coach—at least in the interim.

Per the team's official website, they've named Freddie Kitchens as their interim head coach in place of Mack Brown. Brown was fired by North Carolina following their 41-21 loss to Boston College on Nov. 23, and his last day with the program is Sunday, Dec. 1.

"Freddie Kitchens is an incredibly talented coach who is respected by our student-athletes and staff,'' said UNC director of athletics Bubba Cunningham in the statement. "He is dedicated to doing all he can to help lead our program through this transition, and we appreciate his willingness to take on this role."

Kitchens spent 16 years coaching in the NFL, most notably as the head coach of the Cleveland Browns in 2019, before returning to the college ranks in 2022. He was named the Tar Heels' tight ends coach and run game coordinator in 2023.

🫡 @CoachFKitchens to lead us as Interim Head Coach. pic.twitter.com/8TQLfpjJh0

— Carolina Football (@UNCFootball) December 1, 2024

Following their 35-30 loss to NC State on Saturday, Brown's last game at the helm, the 73-year-old laid into UNC's administration for the way his firing was handled.

“All I wanted to do was wait until the end of the year," Brown told reporters. "And they wanted me to retire on Monday, before the [NC] State game. We haven’t beaten State, it was really important for these kids to play well and have a chance to win. I didn’t want to break their hearts on Monday. So I said, ‘No, I won’t do that.’ And then they wanted me to do it on Friday. Well, I sure wasn’t going to do it Friday before the game."

At 6-6, North Carolina is bowl-eligible and will now be led by Kitchen throughout the remainder of the season.

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