Sep 13, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Bill Belichick on the field before the game at Kenan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

May 23, 2026, 12:30 PM CUT

“Almost Normal Human Being”: Bill Belichick’s Media Run Faces Stern Comments From NFL Insider Mike Florio

Bill Belichick has been all over the internet lately. First, a sit-down with Pardon My Take, then an interview with Sean Hannity. Pro Football Talk hosts Mike Florio and Michael Holley watched both and had one word for it: pod washing.

Florio was direct about what he thinks this whole exercise is really about. He described it as Belichick deliberately handpicking platforms where he knows he will get favorable treatment.

"I've referred to it as podwashing; this whole thing is about finding favorable platforms for Bill Belichick to go seem like he's not an a*** to go have an opportunity to come off like an almost normal human being, to yuck it up," Florio said Friday.

NCAA, College League, USA Football: Virginia at North Carolina Oct 25, 2025 Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Bill Belichick with the team before the game at Kenan Stadium. Chapel Hill Kenan Stadium North Carolina USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xBobxDonnanx 20251025_bsd_sd2_0328

About two to three weeks before the media run, former UNC QB Gio Lopez transferred to Wake Forest. And has now gone public about how miserable he was playing under Belichick.

"Back at the other school [North Carolina], it felt like there's no air," Lopez said, per North Carolina Tar Heels on SI. "Here, it's fun again."

Gio's father, Barney Lopez, also spoke out, saying his son was ridiculed simply for trying to get out of a bad play at the line of scrimmage.

"You gotta ask him about what Gio Lopez said," Florio said in a Pro Football Talk video. He said, "Journalism is just a fancy way of saying responsible curiosity. You gotta be at least curious."

Neither Pardon My Take nor Hannity asked Belichick a single question about Lopez. That is what got Florio the most.

Belichick's Numbers at UNC Are Hard to Ignore

UNC had zero players selected in the 2026 NFL Draft. Holley pointed that out directly, noting that Boston College and Rutgers both got players drafted while North Carolina came away with nothing.

For a program Belichick sold as an NFL pipeline, that is a damaging number to answer for.

"The 33rd NFL team went 0 for the 2026 NFL draft. That is no players drafted," Holley said. "He's [Belichick] got to make this make sense."

Holley also went after Belichick's comments about Tom Brady during the Hannity sit-down. Belichick said the Patriots were simply at the end of their run when Brady left in 2020. Holley was not buying it.

"You weren't a good team in 2020 because you pushed Tom Brady out the door," he said, "He was looking for a Drew Brees contract, two years, $50 million. You didn't want to give it to him."

What do you think about Bill Belichick's media run ahead of his second season at UNC? Let us know in the comments.

Written by

Farheen Fathima

Edited by

Shubhi Rathore