The road until Bill Belichick's first game as UNC's football head coach is coming closer and closer. But before the day arrives, the 72-year-old is working on creating his staff on top of recruiting for the future.
Belichick will have former New England Patriots' Director of Football Development Chris Mattes join the crew in Chapel Hill.
Mike Kadlick shares on X (formerly Twitter):
In some non-Vrabel news: The Foxborough to Chapel Hill pipeline has begun.
— Mike Kadlick (@mikekadlick) January 12, 2025
Director of Football Development Chris Mattes is leaving the #Patriots to join Bill Belichick’s staff at North Carolina.
Mattes has worked in NE for the last 8 seasons. Was a holdover from BB in ‘24.
As Kadlick said, the pipeline from the Patriots to Carolina will be crucial and play a major role as the program continues its rebuild.
Here is a breakdown of Mattes career thus far in sports, as written on TheOrg.com:
"Chris Mattes currently serves as the Director of Player Operations & Engagement for the New England Patriots, having progressed from the Coordinator role since June 2017. Prior to this, Mattes was a professional athlete in the Premier Lacrosse League and Major League Lacrosse, representing teams such as the Boston Cannons, Denver Outlaws, Charlotte Hounds, and Florida Launch. Mattes co-founded The Faceoff Academy and held coaching positions, including Assistant Coach for the University of Maryland's Men's Lacrosse team, contributing to their 2017 National Championship victory. Additionally, Mattes coached at Westfield High School, leading the team to the 2014 New Jersey Group IV State Championship. Education was completed at Rutgers University, graduating in 2011."
The coaches around Belichick have came from various outlets but to begin the pipeline from Massachusetts is one of the many benefits of his hire. In other words, UNC is being built into an NFL program — considering this is a part Belichick's strategy.
It may still feel like a dream for some, but it's nothing more than reality having a Super Bowl champion lead arguably the country's most historic university. And to do so in a sport that has been lacking for the longest — in need of change, desperately — despite Belichick's age, it doesn't feel like there could have been a better fit.