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Steve Belichick Won’t Travel to Dublin as UNC Names Billy Edwards Jr. Starter

The defensive coordinator’s ongoing medical leave leaves play-calling unsettled and raises pressure on Bill Belichick’s second season.

Overview

  • Steve Belichick, who was placed on indefinite medical leave earlier this month, will not make the trip to Dublin for UNC’s Week 0 game, a team confirmation reported Monday shows.
  • Bill Belichick told reporters he had no update on his son’s status and declined to name who will call the defense for the opener.
  • Billy Edwards Jr. was announced as North Carolina’s starting quarterback for the Aug. 29 rematch with TCU at Aviva Stadium in Dublin.
  • General manager Michael Lombardi remains on paid administrative leave after a human-resources complaint, a separate staff disruption that has reduced continuity in the program.
  • Oddsmakers opened TCU as about a 7.5-point favorite and national pundits have publicly criticized Belichick, making the Dublin opener an early test of whether the program’s offseason changes produce measurable progress.