By R.L. Bynum
CHAPEL HILL — When Bill Belichick called, Jamie Collins didn’t hesitate.
He retired from the NFL in 2023 after a 10-year career as a linebacker that included making the Pro Bowl in 2015 and winning a Super Bowl in 2014, both with Belichick.
Collins was ready when Belichick offered him the job as Carolina’s inside linebackers coach.
“I thought about it for like two seconds, but it was a no-brainer,” Collins said after talking about it with his wife. “Because he is the greatest coach, and it would have been ignorant for me to not accept it. It was very easy; it was very quick. This was an opportunity I just had to take.”
He wasn’t going to let the chance to work for Belichick, who he played for in three stints with the New England Patriots, get away. He was 6–3, 255 pounds during his NFL career and looks like he could still play.
Collins said he initially tried to enjoy life away from the game, but it didn’t take long before he missed the structure and challenge of football.
“I did that for a year. I played golf. I just chilled for a year,” Collins said Thursday ahead of UNC’s 3:30 home game with Richmond (ACC Network) in a battle of 1–1 teams. “And it was hard, man. I was getting fat on the couch, and the wife told me to go do something.”
That nudge was all he needed. Collins said he knew it was time to pass along what he had learned to the next generation.
“Football is my life,” he said. “The experience and all the knowledge — it’s only right to give it back, and share my experiences and my trials and tribulations with somebody else. What better group would it be than a bright, up-and-coming group of talents here at UNC?”
Collins’ coaching style reflects a blend of influences.
He played college ball for former UNC coach Larry Fedora at Southern Miss, where Fedora’s relentless energy kept the team loose through tough practices. In New England, Belichick drilled Collins on situational football and the value of mastering every detail.
“Fedora — he was super energetic, always happy, kept us having a good time,” Collins said. “And then Bill — just the ultimate brains. Every single detail, and all special situations. I try to pick up on stuff like that from a lot of guys.”
Mike linebacker Khmori House, a Washington transfer, and Will linebacker Andrew Simpson, a Boise State transfer, headline Collins’ room. Collins said that the two have quickly developed chemistry.
“The future is very bright for them,” Collins said. “As soon as Drew got here, they hit it off pretty quickly. They communicate good together. They play well together. It’s still early, but those guys are definitely holding us down on defense.”
Simpson’s elite athleticism has given Collins the flexibility to get creative with his game plans. The junior has been a menace off the edge, allowing UNC to dial up more complex blitz looks and disguise pressures.
“Those two guys, they do a lot for us. They rush, they drop, they cover,” Collins said. “They make changes within the defense as far as audibles and checks.”
That versatility allows Collins to mix and match personnel to keep quarterbacks guessing. It also forces younger players in the rotation to be ready when their number is called.
“I want to see everybody play,” Collins said. “I want to see all the guys in there. We all need to take advantage of the opportunity that we get, and we can all showcase what we’ve got when we get in there. We rotate all the guys, because we need all the looks from everybody.”
That will be especially important this week, when UNC faces Richmond’s 6-foot-4, 260-pound quarterback Kyle Wickersham, who thrives as a runner.
The senior completed 20 of 29 passes for 154 yards, one touchdown and one interception in last week’s 14–10 win at Wofford, in addition to running 17 times for 78 yards.
Collins said his group must be physical and disciplined to handle the challenge, which he compared to dealing with former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.
“You just drill it every day,” he said. “You remind them what they’re up against. I’ve never seen a quarterback that big. Big Ben was big, but I don’t know if he was 260. So, we drill it into them every day and make sure they’ve got the right mindset.”
Collins said Belichick has been as steady as ever, even in his first season back in the college game.
“He’s still Bill,” Collins said. “That’s what I appreciate the most. He’s consistent. He’s going to give you his best every day, all day and he expects the same from you. The only difference is college versus the NFL — the rules and stuff like that. But he’s still the same guy, and yeah, he still has the same energy.”
That consistency is something Collins is determined to bring to his players, whether he’s installing a blitz package, breaking down tape or reminding them of the bigger picture.
“I try to establish it early. I want to make it known,” Collins said. “The sooner we buy in together, the better we’ll be. I check in with the guys mentally every day. I make sure they’re good. I make sure we’re good. I always tell them: your brother needs you. He needs you in the right alignment. He needs you to know the personnel.”
For Collins, this next chapter is about molding players the same way great coaches once molded him, and making sure they leave the program better than they came in.
“I’ve got a lot to give,” he said. “So why not go out here and give it a shot?”
Photo via YouTube screenshot
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