UNC Football Faces Internal Issues After Assistant Coach Reportedly Suspended

The mess keeps piling up in Chapel Hill

Oct 28, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; A detailed view of a North Carolina Tar Heels helmet on the field before a game against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field. | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Even with the ACC Tipoff happening this week, North Carolina basketball is once again being overshadowed by the football program—and for all the wrong reasons, again.

Following the embarrassing revelation that head coach Bill Belichick instructed UNC’s social media team to stop posting about Drake Maye due to his ties with the New England Patriots and an ongoing dispute with the organization, as well as the football program canceling its docuseries with the streaming service Hulu, a North Carolina assistant coach has now been suspended.

North Carolina cornerbacks coach Armond Hawkins has been suspended by UNC, according to Bruce Feldman of The Athletic. Feldman reports that the allegations of extra benefits include sideline passes for family members, a privilege not available to every player on the roster.

Toxicity in Chapel Hill

Head Coach Bill Belichick; Sept. 13, 2025 | Jackson McCurdy, North Carolina Tar Heels On SI

This news comes in light of a report from WRAL that the toxicity around the program itself has gotten worse over the course of the season due to various issues.

According to the report, some Belichick-recruited transfers have preferential parking for themselves and their parents, as well as more tickets for games compared to non-Belichick players. The two most prominent names have been linebacker Khmori House and cornerback Thaddeus Dixon, who played for Belichick's son, Steve Belichick, at the University of Washington. Dixon's family members have field access on game days. He's the only player of note to have that privilege.

There's a board in the UNC football facility that lists people who have missed workouts and class. Some Belichick-recruited players repeatedly show up on the list but have not had their playing time affected.

Steve Belichick | Jackson McCurdy, North Carolina Tar Heels On SI

There has been a lack of communication between the current coaching staff and the players and their parents, further deepening the divide. The players who chose to remain at UNC after Mack Brown's dismissal did not greet Belichick for weeks after he was hired. Even their parents were told not to approach Belichick or get a chance to meet him and the staff until the 'Practice Like a Pro' spring game a few months later.

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

This differed from Brown’s tenure, when parents had relationships with coaches and even had their phone numbers. Coaches might call a parent if they felt something was going on with their son, allowing for much more effective communication.

Some say Belichick’s son Brian, the defensive backs and safeties coach, is approachable and friendly; however, they described Belichick’s other son, Steve, the defensive coordinator, as the opposite.

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