Few people are better qualified to recognize a Bill Belichick-style finish than Devin McCourty.
The former New England Patriots captain spent his entire 13-year NFL career playing for Belichick, and he saw a classic formula resurface Saturday in Dublin.
North Carolina protected a five-point lead, forced TCU into repeated mistakes and closed the game with one final situational win.
“Nothing better than watching Bill win the situational football battle. NO BRAINER!!!!” McCourty wrote on X shortly after North Carolina finished off a 15-10 victory over TCU on Aug. 29.
The reaction — from a player who spent more than a decade inside Belichick’s program — feels like a testament to what Belichick is capable of.
North Carolina entered the opener trying to recover from a 4-8 first season under the six-time Super Bowl-winning head coach.
McCourty Saw a Classic Bill Belichick Ending
The game came down to the type of late-game sequence Belichick has emphasized for decades.
TCU reached the North Carolina 10-yard line trailing 15-10 with a little more than four minutes remaining. The Horned Frogs failed on fourth-and-2, allowing the Tar Heels to take possession and begin draining the clock. North Carolina then moved the ball close to midfield and faced fourth-and-1 at the TCU 45 with 30 seconds remaining.
TCU jumped offside before the snap. The five-yard penalty handed North Carolina a first down and effectively sealed the game without Belichick needing to risk a fourth-down play.
That was the “situational football battle” McCourty was referencing.
McCourty had 13 seasons of experience watching those details become part of New England’s weekly identity.
The Patriots’ official retirement announcement noted that he was a 12-time captain, three-time Super Bowl champion and starter in all 205 regular-season games he played for the franchise. The Patriots later described his football IQ and on-field awareness as an ideal match for Belichick’s defense.
Belichick offered similar praise during McCourty’s playing days. In 2016, he explained that McCourty’s observations from the secondary regularly helped the coaching staff make adjustments during games.
Saturday’s reaction showed the appreciation goes both ways.
Belichick Flips Script From 48-14 TCU Loss
The result also provided an immediate contrast to the beginning of Belichick’s college career.
North Carolina opened the 2025 season with a 48-14 loss to TCU in Chapel Hill, a result that foreshadowed a difficult 4-8 campaign.
This time, North Carolina won with defense and discipline.
The Tar Heels held TCU scoreless for the final 49 minutes. North Carolina forced three turnovers on downs and recovered a fumble, while TCU finished with 11 penalties for 90 yards. Two of the Horned Frogs’ failed fourth-down attempts came deep in North Carolina territory.
The offense never pulled away. It did enough to keep the defense playing from ahead, and Belichick’s team repeatedly won the smaller moments that decided a five-point game.
For Patriots fans, McCourty’s reaction may have captured the most recognizable part of the afternoon.
The setting was different and the roster was filled with college players, but the ending looked like something Belichick spent years drilling in Foxborough.
Former Patriots Captain Reacts to Bill Belichick’s UNC Win