Bill Belichick vs. Michael Malone: Comparing paths of North Carolina coaches from the pro levels to Chapel Hill

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Bill Belichick vs. Michael Malone: Comparing paths of North Carolina coaches from the pro levels to Chapel Hill originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

For the second time in as many years, a stalwart of professional sports is headed to Chapel Hill in the hopes of resurrecting a dying program.

A little more than a year after Bill Belichick was hired to North Carolina football, Mike Malone will sit atop the Tar Heels men's basketball program's throne.

Neither Belichick nor Malone had much college-coaching experience when they signed their contracts. They'll both look to make their mark during their terms. Belichick's first season with the Tar Heels proved memorable -- albeit for the wrong reasons. Malone will hope for better days when he touches down in Chapel Hill for good.

So, just how does Belichick's appointment compare to that of Malone's? Here's what you need to know.

MORE: Inside Michael Malone's college coaching career timeline

Comparing Bill Belichick vs. Michael Malone's path to North Carolina​

Naturally, Malone's hiring will draw comparisons to Belichick, another championship-winning tactician looking to make the grade at the collegiate level. However, the Tar Heels bosses' journeys to Chapel Hill diverged in a great many ways.

Here's what you need to know

Similarities​

Both Belichick and Malone are championship-winning coaches who joined North Carolina after one-year stints on television. Belichick is clearly the more successful of the two bosses. But Malone will be emboldened by a glistening spell with the Nuggets that saw Denver qualify for the postseason on eight straight occasions.

Like Belichick, Malone figured his time off the sidelines would be brief. Malone was considered a top candidate in the NBA's prospective coaching carousel. His appointment is certain to leave some front offices in disarray.

Famously, neither Belichick or Malone served in a collegiate head-coaching role prior to their appointments at the top of their respective programs. North Carolina's athletic department took a risk in bringing in both, hoping their professional success could serve as a platform for a Tar Heels resurgence. Only time will tell if that vision proves fanciful.

North Carolina shelled out $50 million to land Belichick, a kingly sum that places him among college football's biggest earners. The details of Malone's contract haven't yet been revealed. Given his name and reputation, he stands to sit comfy among college basketball's highest-paid bosses.

MORE: Why did the Nuggets fire Michael Malone in 2025?

Differences​

While both Belichick and Malone were bereft of head-coaching experience in the college game, Malone isn't entirely unfamiliar with men's college basketball. Malone previously served as an assistant, lending his talents to Oakland, Providence and Manhattan before trying his luck in the NBA.

Malone is also 18 years younger than Belichick. While the college game has changed markedly compared to when Malone last pranced onto a campus (2001), he does figure to slightly more in common with the players he is giving his marching orders to.

There's also the question of program prestige. Belichick's appointment, while eye-catching, has proven less consequential to North Carolina football's reputation. With the exception of a few seasons, the Tar Heels have struggled to attract much attention in the ACC. Belichick, for all of his faults, did inject life and relevance to a program desperately lacking in it.

Tar Heels basketball, by comparison, is an institution, with Malone expected to lead North Carolina to success from the get-go. The Tar Heels are not even a decade removed from their last national championship. They made the national title game in Davis' first season and have produced more than a handful of NBA talents, including Caleb Wilson. While Malone's appointment is arguably less risky than Belichick's as far as culture is concerned, North Carolina basketball undoubtedly carries higher expectations than its football side. Malone's goal is not merely to make the Tar Heels relevant again. It is to lead North Carolina to a national championship.

There's also the question of Belichick and Malone's motivation for joining their respective programs. Both Belichick and Malone's family trees cross Tobacco Road -- Belichick's dad was an assistant coach with the Tar Heels while Malone's daughter plays volleyball at North Carolina.

MORE: Why North Carolina made decision to hire Michael Malone as next head coach

But Belichick also desired an excess of organizational control, something he couldn't land at the NFL level. For better or worse, he got that with the Tar Heels.

Malone's motivations aren't quite as clear at this point. But at 54, he has plenty of time to return to the NBA if he so desires. North Carolina basketball is believed to have sought out Arizona's Tommy Lloyd and Michigan's Dusty May for the role. Neither was interested, leading the Tar Heels to "panic" and hire Malone, according to ESPN's Jeff Goodman.

Bill Belichick vs. Michael Malone championships​

Malone has one NBA championship to his name. He led Denver to glory during the 2023 Finals, sweeping aside the Timberwolves, Suns and Lakers before besting the Heat in five games.

Malone's championship record pales in comparison to Belichick, who hoisted six Lombardi Trophies as a head coach (along with another two as a defensive coordinator).

Bill Belichick vs. Michael Malone coaching records​

Belichick is the NFL's most decorated coach, posting a 333-178 record in the NFL. That's good for a 65.1% win rate, nearly 10 percentage points better than Malone's 56.4% mark (510-394).

MORE: North Carolina's pursuit of a new head coach, tracked

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