Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. On such an auspicious day--announcing the arrival of Bill Belichick as head coach of the UNC football program--Bubba Cunningham welcomed his new coach by doing some Belichick Winter Szn cosplay.
UNC AD Bubba Cunningham brought out the sleeveless suit in honor of Bill Belichick 😅 pic.twitter.com/t8GM2w3BOm
— ESPN (@espn) December 12, 2024
This look was made famous by Bill Belichick during his time in New England. Foxboro Stadium (followed by Gillette Stadium) is about as cold a place as you can find to play football in December, but Coach Belichick would regularly eschew the puffy jackets in favor of a hoodie with the sleeves cut off.
Was this done for comfort? To portray toughness across the sidelines? Who knows. But as someone who has spent Christmas in Massachusetts a few times as a kid, I can tell you that the biting cold is a foundational memory bordering on PTSD. It's no joke!
The annual grudge match against NC State after Thanksgiving may not shiver Belichick's spine the same way an AFC championship game would at Foxboro, so maybe we'll get to see this look without the long sleeves underneath.
In any case, Bubba Cunningham got his man and clearly digs his style!