Steve Belichick's wife issues statement following his resignation from UNC

On Thursday, North Carolina announced that defensive coordinator Steve Belichick will resign from his position, upon the October 27 expiration of his medical leave. His wife, Jen, has issued a statement to ESPN.

“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 said.

“Our priority will always be to show up with a healthy and strong mind for ourselves and our 5 children. We are humbled by the relationships that have been fostered here in North Carolina and would like to thank each and every person that has positively impacted our experience.

“Unfortunately there is misinformation and speculation about our own situation, but we believe prioritizing health [is] the most important thing you can do in this life and is invaluable compared to anything else. We strongly encourage anyone in need of support to utilize their resources in order to achieve the best version of themselves.

“We will always be Uncle Brian and Pop’s biggest supporters and have no doubt that the UNC defense is prepared to ball out. GO HEELS.”

Steve Belichick’s medical leave began in August 2026. No specific reason for the medical leave was disclosed or reported.

Two weeks ago, a report from WRAL indicated that witnesses questioned during an internal UNC football investigation were being questioned regarding whether Steve Belichick “used drugs on the job or provided drugs to at least one player.”

Steve’s brother, Brian, has taken over the defensive playcalling duties for their dad, Bill, the second-year head coach at UNC.