Arthur Smith was North Carolina's first choice, not Bill Belichick: report

North Carolina wanted Arthur Smith to coach its football team, before any attention turned to Bill Belichick, who ultimately took the job.

James Parks | Mar 7, 2025

Arthur Smith could have been North Carolina's next head football coach before Bill Belichick became an option. / Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

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North Carolina Tar Heels

Bill Belichick made the biggest splash by far in college football’s coaching carousel this offseason, but he may not have been North Carolina’s first choice to serve as its head coach.

The school’s first option was current Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator and former Tar Heels guard Arthur Smith, according to a report from ESPN.

Belichick had made his interest in the UNC position known by making contact with then-U.S. Senator and now current Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Rubio, in turn, contacted North Carolina Senator Thom Thillis, but even those highly-placed connections weren’t enough to apparently dissuade UNC from wanting Smith instead.

“Smith is who they wanted,” according to the reporting.

Smith acknowledged that North Carolina had reached out to him in what he described as a preliminary call, but said his entire focus was on staying with the Steelers.

From there, the decision was between candidates supported by North Carolina athletic director Bubba Cunningham and the man wanted by the school’s board members.

The latter group wanted Belichick, and it was Belichick they got.

Smith played offensive guard for North Carolina from 2001 to 2005 and coaches the Atlanta Falcons organization for three seasons before landing with the Steelers.

And if he gave UNC word that he was interested, it could be Arthur Smith who was named the head coach of the Tar Heels football program.

Instead, it’ll be eight-time Super Bowl champion Bill Belichick on North Carolina’s sideline in 2025.

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