Bill Belichick
Head football coach at North Carolina; former New England Patriots head coach with six Super Bowl wins
- Entries
- 31
- On the record
- 10
- Stories
- 2
- Latest entry
- Nov 6, 2026
The record
- $500,000Spygate fine in September 2007, the league maximum and the biggest fine ever on an NFL coach
- 6Super Bowl titles in 24 seasons as Patriots head coach, which ended in January 2024
- $10Ma year under his five-year North Carolina contract, with the first three years guaranteed
- $1Mbuyout he owes UNC for leaving since June 1, 2025, down from $10 million
Three National Football League fines against Bill Belichick are on the record. The first and largest, $500,000 on September 13, 2007, was the league maximum and the biggest fine ever imposed on an NFL coach. Commissioner Roger Goodell imposed it over Spygate, the filming of New York Jets coaches' signals from the New England Patriots sideline, and said he had considered suspending Belichick but chose penalties he judged more lasting. Belichick said he accepted full responsibility. In September 2012 the league fined him $50,000 for grabbing an official's arm after a loss in Baltimore, and he said he accepted the discipline. In May 2023 he was reported fined another $50,000 after an optional offseason meeting was run as mandatory; the league did not announce that fine. A Jets season-ticket holder also sued him over the taping, and a federal appeals court upheld the suit's dismissal in 2010.
Belichick was not disciplined in the two later Patriots cases. On January 22, 2015 he told reporters he had no knowledge of the under-inflated footballs until that Monday morning and had never talked to a player or staff member about air pressure. The Wells report and the league's May 11, 2015 statement found no evidence that he or any other coach knew of wrongdoing; the club and quarterback Tom Brady were penalized. When a team production crew filmed the Cincinnati Bengals' sideline in December 2019, he said he had no involvement in it and no knowledge of it, and the 2020 penalties fell on the club and a team employee. ESPN reported that Spygate and Deflategate came up when Hall of Fame selectors met in January 2026, and that he fell short of the 40 votes he needed in his first year of eligibility.
Belichick and the Patriots parted ways on January 11, 2024, and the University of North Carolina hired him on December 11, 2024. His contract, released by the university in January 2025, runs five years at $10 million a year in base and supplemental pay, with the first three years guaranteed and up to $3.5 million a year in bonuses; the buyout he would owe for leaving fell from $10 million to $1 million on June 1, 2025. His first season ended 4-8. In July 2026 UNC put general manager Michael Lombardi on paid leave during an investigation of the football program, and Lombardi resigned in September. On September 17 the university said the investigation found conduct that disregarded its standards but was isolated, not systemic, and that defensive coordinator Steve Belichick, his son, would resign. The university has announced no finding against Bill Belichick.
Questions people ask
How much was Bill Belichick fined for Spygate?
$500,000, the NFL maximum and the biggest fine ever imposed on a coach at that time, announced on September 13, 2007. It equaled about 12 percent of his reported 2007 salary. The Patriots were fined $250,000 and lost draft picks; Goodell decided against suspending Belichick. source
Has Bill Belichick been fined by the NFL other than for Spygate?
Yes. On September 26, 2012 the league fined him $50,000 for impermissible physical contact with an official, after he grabbed a replacement official's arm as he left the field following a loss at Baltimore. He said it was inappropriate and that he accepted the discipline. A further $50,000 fine in May 2023 over offseason meeting rules was reported but not announced by the league. source
Was Bill Belichick involved in Deflategate?
The NFL said no. Its May 11, 2015 statement said the Wells report identified no evidence of wrongdoing or knowledge of wrongdoing by any member of the coaching staff, including Head Coach Bill Belichick, and no discipline was imposed on him personally. source
What is Bill Belichick's buyout at North Carolina?
Under the term sheet UNC posted in December 2024, the buyout Belichick would owe the university for leaving was $10 million until June 1, 2025 and $1 million from that date. The deal pays $10 million a year for five years, with $30 million covering the first three years guaranteed. source
Why is Bill Belichick not in the Hall of Fame?
ESPN reported in January 2026 that he fell short of the 40 of 50 votes required in his first year of eligibility, and that Spygate and Deflategate came up during deliberations. The Hall does not comment on selection committee voting. source
What did the 2026 UNC football investigation find?
On September 17, 2026 the university said certain actions in the program showed a disregard for its values and standards of conduct, but were isolated and not a systemic failure, and that defensive coordinator Steve Belichick would resign. Investigators interviewed about 60 people, including Bill Belichick; no finding against him or discipline of him was announced. source
Is Bill Belichick being sued?
A painter sued Forty Five Fair Street LLC, a company Belichick manages, in Nantucket Superior Court in April 2026, seeking nearly $300,000 over a fall at the Nantucket property in June 2024. The complaint names the company, not Belichick personally. source
Roles and honours on the record
- 1985 Defensive coordinator, New York Giants, where he won two Super Bowls under Bill Parcells source
- 1991-1995 Head coach, Cleveland Browns, for five seasons source
- 2000-2024 Head coach, New England Patriots, from January 27, 2000 until the club and he parted ways on January 11, 2024 source
- as of 2026 Head football coach, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, named December 11, 2024 source
Every entry, newest first
- Filed
Jordon Hudson sued Elise McDevitt and Craig Nolan in Massachusetts over a leaked Ring video of him, per the Daily Mail. Jordon Hudson sues Airbnb hosts over Belichick video leak
- Reported
North Carolina announced Belichick as head football coach on a five-year deal. Bill Belichick's Spygate fine: $500K and a first-round pick
- Ruled
NFL fined Belichick $50,000 for grabbing an official's arm after a game in Baltimore, the AP reported. Bill Belichick's Spygate fine: $500K and a first-round pick
- Ruled
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell fined Belichick $500,000 over videotaping of Jets signals, ESPN reported. Bill Belichick's Spygate fine: $500K and a first-round pick
- Admitted
Belichick apologized in a statement after the NFL seized a Patriots video camera, USA Today reported. Bill Belichick's Spygate fine: $500K and a first-round pick
Stories in this file
Celebrity ยท โ๏ธ Jordon Hudson sues Airbnb hosts over Belichick video leak
The suit claims the hosts leaked Ring video of Belichick; McDevitt told the California Post she has no comment. ๐ฃ๏ธ
Sports ยท ๐ธ Bill Belichick's Spygate fine: $500K and a first-round pick
Goodell fined him the NFL maximum in 2007 and he apologized. Hudson's new suit targets Airbnb hosts, not Belichick. ๐ฃ๏ธ
The record, entry by entry
Spygate and NFL fines
- 2007-09-13 Ruled Goodell fined Belichick $500,000 and the Patriots $250,000 for filming Jets coaches' signals in the season opener, and took the club's 2008 first-round pick if it made the playoffs, or its second- and third-round picks if not. He found that Robert Kraft and ownership were unaware of the filming and that it had no impact on the game's outcome. Boston Globe report quoting Goodell's letter
- 2007-09-13 Admitted In a team statement Belichick said, "I accept full responsibility for the actions that led to tonight's ruling," and apologized to the Kraft family, the club and its fans. Boston Globe report
- 2007-09-13 Reported ESPN reported that the $500,000 fine was the biggest ever imposed on an NFL coach and about 12 percent of Belichick's reported 2007 salary, and that taking a first-round pick was a first in league history. ESPN report
- 2008-02-13 Reported After meeting Goodell, Senator Arlen Specter said the commissioner had confirmed that the Patriots had been taping signals since 2000, when Belichick took over. Goodell had said earlier that month that the league destroyed six tapes from the 2006 season and 2007 preseason. ESPN Spygate timeline
- 2008-05-13 Reported After meeting former Patriots video employee Matt Walsh, Goodell said no new information had emerged about the team's videotaping, that there was no tape of the St. Louis Rams' walkthrough before Super Bowl XXXVI, and that he did not envision further penalties. Boston Globe report
- 2012-09-26 Ruled The NFL fined Belichick $50,000 for impermissible physical contact with an official after he grabbed a replacement line judge's arm leaving the field after a 31-30 loss at Baltimore. He said it was inappropriate and that he accepted the discipline. ESPN report
- 2023-05-25 Reported Multiple outlets reported that the NFL fined Belichick $50,000 and took two of the Patriots' organized team activity sessions after a players' union observer found that an optional early offseason meeting had been treated as mandatory. ProFootballTalk report
Deflategate and the 2019 filming
- 2015-01-22 Official At a news conference on the under-inflated footballs, Belichick said he had no knowledge whatsoever of the situation until Monday morning and had never talked to any player or staff member about football air pressure. Patriots transcript of the news conference
- 2015-05-06 Official The Wells report, published by the league, found no evidence of wrongdoing or knowledge of wrongdoing by Belichick, any other coach or the head equipment manager, while finding it more probable than not that two other team employees deflated game balls. NFL.com summary of the Wells report
- 2015-05-11 Official Announcing Deflategate penalties against the Patriots, the NFL said the Wells report identified no evidence of wrongdoing or knowledge of wrongdoing by any member of the coaching staff, including Belichick. The club was fined $1 million and lost two draft picks; the league cited the 2007 videotaping as the club's prior record. NFL statement on the Patriots' violations
- 2019-12-10 Reported Asked about the team production crew that filmed the Bengals' sideline, Belichick said, "I have no involvement in this and no knowledge of it," and that his coaching staff had never used footage shot by the production staff. NFL.com report
- 2020-06-28 Ruled The league's penalties for the filming fell on the club, which was fined $1.1 million and lost a 2021 third-round pick, and on a team employee, who was banned from NFL facilities. No penalty on Belichick was reported. ESPN report
Patriots career, exit and Hall of Fame
- 2000-01-27 Official The New England Patriots named Belichick head coach. He went on to win six Super Bowl titles with the club. New England Patriots announcement
- 2024-01-11 Official The Patriots and Belichick announced they had mutually agreed to part ways after 24 seasons, six Super Bowl titles, nine conference championships and 17 division titles. New England Patriots announcement
- 2026-01-27 Reported ESPN reported that Belichick fell short of the 40 votes out of 50 needed for election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility, and that Spygate and Deflategate came up during the deliberations. The Hall declined to comment. ESPN report
North Carolina
- 2024-12-11 Official North Carolina named Belichick head football coach on a five-year deal, pending approval by the university's Board of Trustees and Board of Governors. University of North Carolina Athletics announcement
- 2024-12-12 Official UNC posted the term sheet: $10 million a year for five years, $30 million of it guaranteed over the first three, bonuses including $1.75 million for a national title, and a buyout Belichick would owe that dropped from $10 million to $1 million on June 1, 2025. ABC11 report on the posted term sheet
- 2025-01-23 Official UNC released the signed contract, approved by trustees, signed by Belichick, Chancellor Lee Roberts and athletic director Bubba Cunningham. It pays $10 million a year in base and supplemental pay plus up to $3.5 million in bonuses, with the first three of five years guaranteed. Associated Press report via ClickOnDetroit
- 2025-10-08 Official After reports that he and UNC had discussed buyout options, Belichick said in a statement, "I am fully committed to the UNC program," and Cunningham said the coach had the full support of the athletics department and the university. CBS News Boston report
- 2025-11-29 Reported Belichick's first season at North Carolina ended with a 42-19 loss at NC State and a 4-8 record, 2-6 in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Associated Press report via KPRC
- 2026-07-27 Official UNC placed general manager Michael Lombardi, whom Belichick had brought in when he was hired, on paid administrative leave while its Office of University Counsel investigated concerns it did not disclose. Chancellor Lee Roberts said, "If something has gone wrong, we want to know about it." ABC11 report
- 2026-09-03 Official North Carolina said general manager Michael Lombardi, whom Belichick had hired and who had been on paid leave since a July 27 announcement, resigned while a university investigation continued. The school did not release specifics; Lombardi thanked Belichick and Chancellor Lee Roberts in his statement. Associated Press report via NBC Sports
- 2026-09-07 Reported Asked about the investigation at a news conference, Belichick said, "We're not allowed to talk about the investigation," and answered yes when asked whether the program maintained an environment of compliance. WRAL report
- 2026-09-17 Official UNC said the investigation, led by an outside lawyer who interviewed about 60 people including Belichick, found actions showing a disregard for the university's values and standards of conduct that were isolated and not a systemic failure. It said defensive coordinator Steve Belichick, the head coach's son, would resign effective October 27 and that corrective actions were under way. No finding against Bill Belichick was announced. WRAL report
Lawsuits
- 2010-05-19 Ruled The Third Circuit affirmed the dismissal of Mayer v. Belichick, a suit by a New York Jets season-ticket holder against Belichick, the Patriots and the NFL over the taping. The court held that the plaintiff had no legally cognizable right or injury, while stating that it did not condone the conduct of the club and its head coach. Third Circuit opinion, Mayer v. Belichick, No. 09-2237
- 2026-04 Filed A painter sued Forty Five Fair Street LLC, a company Belichick manages, in Nantucket Superior Court, seeking nearly $300,000 over injuries from a fall at Belichick's Nantucket property in June 2024. The suit says unsafe construction practices caused the fall. Fox News report
Documents
- NFL statement on the Patriots' Deflategate violations (May 11, 2015)
- Third Circuit opinion, Mayer v. Belichick, No. 09-2237 (May 19, 2010)
- Patriots transcript of Belichick's Deflategate news conference (Jan. 22, 2015)
- Patriots announcement that the club and Belichick are parting ways (Jan. 11, 2024)
- UNC Athletics announcement naming Belichick head coach (Dec. 11, 2024)
- ESPN on the $500,000 Spygate fine (Sept. 13, 2007)
- Boston Globe on the Spygate penalties, quoting Goodell's letter (Sept. 14, 2007)
- Boston Globe on Goodell's 2008 meeting with Matt Walsh
- ESPN on the $50,000 fine for contact with an official (Sept. 26, 2012)
- ABC11 on the UNC term sheet and buyout (Dec. 13, 2024)
- AP on the signed UNC contract (Jan. 23, 2025)
- WRAL on the end of the UNC football investigation (Sept. 17, 2026)
- ESPN on the 2026 Hall of Fame vote
Sources behind this file
- Page Six report on the lawsuit, citing court documents
- Daily Mail report on the lawsuit, citing court documents
- Yahoo Sports report on the lawsuit, citing court documents
- ESPN report on the Hall of Fame vote
- Sportico report on the North Carolina contract
- NBC Sports report on the North Carolina term sheet
- University of North Carolina Athletics announcement
- Page Six profile of Jordon Hudson
- ESPN report on Belichick's job hunt
- Patriots.com announcement of the split
- AP report on the 2012 fine, via Yahoo Sports
- Boston Globe report on the Spygate penalties