Reports: Bobby Petrino to become Bill Belichick's OC at UNC

Field Level Media
22 Dec 2025, 21:49 GMT+10

(Photo credit: Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images)

Bobby Petrino is expected to join Bill Belichick's staff and become the next offensive coordinator at North Carolina, several reports said Monday.

The longtime college and NFL head coach will try to help Belichick turn around a program that went 4-8 in its first season under the six-time Super Bowl champion's watch.

The veteran coaches have yet to work together, as Petrino held numerous college and NFL roles before becoming the Louisville head coach in 2003-06.

After resigning from the Atlanta Falcons 13 games into his lone season coaching them in 2007, Petrino served as the head coach at Arkansas (2008-11), Western Kentucky (2013), Louisville again (2014-18) and Missouri State (2020-22). He had an unceremonious departure from Arkansas after a motorcycle accident and an inappropriate relationship with an assistant.

That did not stop Arkansas from bringing him back as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach ahead of the 2024 season. When the Razorbacks fired head coach Sam Pittman on Sept. 28, 2025, Petrino became the interim coach and was considered a candidate for the full-time job.

Arkansas instead hired away Ryan Silverfield from Memphis and did not retain Petrino, who lost all seven games he coached this season.

Belichick fired his offensive and special teams coordinators after the Tar Heels' challenging season.

OC Freddie Kitchens -- himself a former head coach for the Cleveland Browns -- was dismissed after the Tar Heels averaged a mere 19.3 points per game, ranking 119th in FBS. North Carolina scored more than 27 in a game only once.

--Field Level Media

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