As North Carolina coach Bill Belichick continues to build out his staff in Chapel Hill, he’s keeping his promise of having a “strong NFL presence.”

According to ESPN’s Pete Thamel, Belichick and the Tar Heels are working towards finalizing a deal with longtime NFL special teams coach Mike Priefer. He is expected to be UNC’s special teams coach.

Priefer has coached special teams in the NFL since 2002—with stops as an assistant special teams coordinator for the Jacksonville Jaguars and New York Giants, as well as as the head special teams coordinator for the Kansas City Chiefs, Denver Broncos, Minnesota Vikings, and Cleveland Browns. The 58-year-old is also a former Navy graduate and served on their coaching staff as a grad assistant from 1994 to ’96.

Though rumors continue to swirl that Belichick could make the jump back to the NFL, his GM at North Carolina, Michael Lombardi, has vehemently shot down said rumors. Continuing to build out their football program at UNC will only throw more cold water on said speculation.

The Tar Heels open up their 2025 season against the TCU Horned Frogs on Aug. 30 from Chapel Hill.