Reports: North Carolina to hire Bobby Petrino as offensive coordinator

North Carolina is moving toward hiring veteran coach Bobby Petrino as its next offensive coordinator, according to multiple reports Monday morning. The move that would pair one of college football’s most experienced play callers and respected offensive minds with head coach Bill Belichick.

Petrino, the former head coach at Arkansas, Louisville, Western Kentucky, Missouri State and in the NFL with the Atlanta Falcons, has reportedly agreed to join Belichick’s staff at UNC, as first reported by On3. The university has not yet announced the hire.

The move comes after North Carolina parted ways with offensive coordinator Freddie Kitchens earlier this month. The Tar Heels struggled mightily on offense in 2025, finishing 4–8. UNC averaged just 19.3 points per game (ranking 119th nationally in scoring), and 288.8 yards per game (ranking 129th in total offense).

Petrino, 64, would be tasked with turning around one of the least productive offenses in the FBS. Despite a turbulent end to his most recent stint at Arkansas — he went 0–7 as interim head coach in 2025 after Sam Pittman’s midseason firing — Petrino’s offenses have generally produced at a high level throughout his career.

Belichick and Petrino have not previously worked together, but Petrino has ties within the current North Carolina staff. Petrino would bring more than four decades of coaching experience to Chapel Hill, as well as plenty of controversy.

Petrino would replace Kitchens and become the most high-profile assistant hired by Belichick as the former NFL coach continues reshaping North Carolina’s program entering a make-or-break second season in Chapel Hill.

This is a developing story and will be updated

This story was originally published December 22, 2025 at 11:02 AM.