Michael Jordan, Lawrence Taylor among celebrities planning to attend Bill Belichick's first North Carolina game

The stars are expected to be out for Bill Belichick‘s debut as North Carolina‘s head coach. On Monday, ESPN’s Pete Thamel revealed a laundry list of celebrities who are planning to attend the Tar Heels’ season-opener against TCU this evening.

“Attendees expected tonight for Bill Belichick’s UNC debut against TCU, per ESPN sources, include Michael Jordan, Mia Hamm, Lawrence Taylor, Julius Peppers, Eric Church, Chase Rice and Blake Snell. Hard to quantify the buzz here in Chapel Hill,” Thamel wrote on X.

The scene will likely be reminiscent of Colorado head coach Deion Sanders‘ home-opener in the 2023 campaign. The game drew appearances from rapper Lil’ Wayne, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and NBA star Kawhi Leonard.

While Belichick never starred on the NFL field, there are few men with more accomplishments in the league. Belichick coached in the NFL for nearly 50 years, including 24 seasons as the New England Patriots’ head man.

Belichick won six Super Bowls while at the helm of the Patriots, and two more titles as a defensive coordinator for the New York Giants. He boasts a 333-178 overall record as an NFL head coach and is a three-time AP NFL Coach of the Year.

Despite all of his accolades, Belichick doesn’t have any coaching experience at the collegiate level. Naturally, college football fans across the country can’t wait to see how Belichick’s game translates to this level. During an appearance on The Joel Klatt Show, legendary QB and former Belichick pupil Tom Brady revealed what to expect from the 73-year-old head coach.

“What they’re going to get is obviously the most prepared, the most hard working coach that I’d ever been around,” Brady said. “If you go to that school, you will be prepared to play at the next level. He’s going to teach you the right fundamentals, the right techniques. He’s going to have a high expectation for you, and you’re going to develop a lot. That’s what I know.

“I think the challenge for him is he’s dealing with a lot of probably underdeveloped players because he’s dealt with guys that are 4, 5, 6 years further along than what he’s normally had to deal with. So I think there’s probably a learning curve for him. This is just me hypothesizing. I don’t have much knowledge of it, but I’m sure it’s different coaching a 17 or 18 year old than even a 22 or 23 year old.”

North Carolina and TCU will square off at 8 p.m. ET on Monday. The game will air live on ESPN.