DC Belichick resigns as UNC probe finds ‘isolated’ disregard for conduct

DC Belichick resigns as UNC probe finds 'isolated' disregard for conduct. North Carolina DC Steve Belichick has resigned as the university's probe into the football program's culture and climate found "isolated" disregard for standards of conduct.

What happened

Skip to main content Skip to navigation DC Belichick resigns as UNC investigation finds disregard for conductNorth Carolina Tar Heels16hDavid HaleSarkisian: Mishandled ESPN interview, knows Manning owns his mistakeTexas Longhorns13hNorthwestern rewards Braun with three-year extensionNorthwestern Wildcats15hAdam RittenbergTexas co-DC Nansen charged with DWI, Sarkisian saysTexas Longhorns13hJake TrotterSources: Baylor QB Lagway doubtful to play against La. UNC announced the findings of its investigation Thursday in conjunction with Steve Belichick's resignation, saying in a statement that the investigation "determined that certain actions demonstrated a disregard for Carolina's values and standards of conduct.

Oklahoma State Cowboys3dBill Connelly'Probably should've won by 25': Inside Oklahoma State's upset of OregonOklahoma State Cowboys3dMax OlsonplayCanty calls out UNC's transparency after Steve Belichick's resignation (1:36)David HaleSep 17, 2026, 09:54 AM ETCloseCollege football reporter. Follow on XMultiple AuthorsEmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsSteve Belichick has resigned as North Carolina's defensive coordinator amid the conclusion of an internal investigation into the football program's culture under his father, head coach Bill Belichick. ""These actions were isolated in scope and not a systemic failure," the school said in the statement.

UNC did not provide specific findings of its investigation, nor did it specifically connect Steve Belichick, 39, or former general manager Michael Lombardi, who resigned earlier this month, to the investigation despite mentioning both in Thursday's statement. Huff, an attorney and former federal prosecutor, confirmed his team interviewed more than 60 people, including Bill Belichick, while looking into allegations tied to drugs, relationships and NCAA issues.

The wider picture

". . . [Bill Belichick] made his whole staff and himself available to me during football season. And I had access to people, even people like coach Bill Belichick. "Steve Belichick will officially leave the program Oct. "We are grateful for our time and our opportunity in Chapel Hill, and we are very proud of our influence on the positive direction of the program," Jen Belichick, the wife of Steve Belichick, said in a statement. TechBaylor Bears14hTwo-sport standout Russell to make Syracuse football debut vs.

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What has been reported

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With these actions, the University considers the investigation to be resolved. "According to sources with direct knowledge of the proceedings, the investigation was wide-ranging in scope and included questions about sex between female staff and players as well as drug use within the program. "Our scope was broad, so we looked into a lot of stuff," lead investigator Nate Huff told The Associated Press on Thursday.

What happens next

Lombardi resigned after being put on paid administrative leave in late July in the wake of an internal investigation into a human resources complaint filed by a former UNC front office employee, a source told ESPN's Pete Thamel. The scope of that investigation had widened and included attorneys reaching out to UNC staffers, coaches, and even coaches' wives and girlfriends, sources told ESPN. Questions were asked of witnesses about Lombardi's role in hiring and firing decisions regarding female and minority staffers.

"This was not a circumstance where we were targeting any individual person or any specific people," Huff told The Associated Press. "We were looking program-wide — football program-wide. And these coaches that I talked to, people that I talked to in that building, the only thing they were asking me was, 'When do you need me? ' and 'Where do you need me to be? ' So I was able to investigate football in the middle of football season fully.

"Despite the university declaring the matter "resolved," UNC general counsel Paul Newton told The Associated Press on Thursday that the "door is essentially never closed" and that the UNC would "take corrective actions in the future" if new, "credible" information warranted.