Shockwaves at North Carolina: Bill Belichick’s Assistant Coach Suspended Amidst Mystery

Things in Chapel Hill are spiraling faster than anyone probably imagined. Just when you think the North Carolina football mess couldn’t get any stickier, news drops that Armond Hawkins, the rookie secondary coach and recruiting analyst who came aboard with defensive czar Steve Belichick, has been suspended for allegedly handing out sideline passes to a player’s family members — a perk that might raise eyebrows given how the Tar Heels have been performing lately (seriously, is that even a “perk” at this point?). What really has tongues wagging is whether Bill Belichick himself was in the loop about this — an ambiguity that could shove the program toward some very tough decisions, maybe even triggering a contract termination for cause if this isn’t just a one-off. The swirling rumors about UNC potentially cutting ties with Belichick, despite the sky-high buyout price-tag north of $20 million, are gaining traction as donors might just step in to foot the bill to pull the plug on more seasons plagued by chaos, debacles, and heartbreak. No matter how the chips fall, the Tar Heels are staring down the barrel of major upheaval — and I, for one, can’t wait to see how it unfolds. LEARN MORE

It’s going from worse to clusterfudge in Chapel Hill.

Bruce Feldman of TheAthletic.com reports that one of North Carolina coach Bill Belichick’s assistants has been suspended.

That punishment has been imposed on first-year secondary coach and recruiting analyst Armond Hawkins, who came to UNC with defensive coordinator Steve Belichick from Washington.

Hawkins, per the report, provided extra benefits by giving a player’s family members sideline passes to a game. (Given the way the Tar Heels have been playing, is that really a “benefit”?)

Feldman doesn’t mention whether and to what extent Belichick knew about the extra benefits. It’s an allegation that lands in the general neighborhood of the kind of thing that could potentially lay the foundation for a termination of Belichick’s contract for cause — especially if the basis for the suspension wasn’t an isolated occurrence.

It would be foolish to think someone at UNC hasn’t at least entertained the possibility of moving on from Belichick without owing him upwards of $20 million. It’s also possible, based on the current state of the program (as outlined in jarring detail on Monday by Pat Welter of WRAL.com), that a major donor will decide to write the check to fund the full buyout in order to give the program an escape from another two years of dysfunction, drama, and blowouts.

Wherever the money may come from, the amount of Belichick’s buyout must ultimately be weighed against the potential damage to the program and the reputation of the institution if Belichick stays for another year or two.

However things play out, it feels like significant changes are inevitable for North Carolina football.