Despite being bowl-eligible for the sixth consecutive year, Mack Brown’s tenure as North Carolina’s head coach is coming to an end, the school announced on Tuesday.

Brown will coach Saturday’s season finale against NC State before departing the program.

“Mack Brown has won more games than any football coach in UNC history, and we deeply appreciate all that he has done for Carolina Football and our University,” athletic director Bubba Cunningham said in a statement.

“Over the last six seasons – his second campaign in Chapel Hill — he has coached our team to six bowl berths, including an Orange Bowl, while mentoring 18 NFL draft picks. He and his wife Sally have done an outstanding job supporting the Carolina community, including raising funds for UNC Children’s Hospital while hosting other popular events such as the Ladies Day Clinic. Both also have been terrific in leading our program during some incredibly tough stretches, including the tragic passing of wide receiver Tylee Craft this season.”

Mack later issued a statement saying his “total focus is on helping these players and coaches prepare” for Saturday’s game against the Wolfpack:

Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports and 247Sports first reported that Brown informed Tar Heels players on Tuesday he had been fired.

Brown was under contract to the Tar Heels through the 2027 season after signing a one-year extension in February 2023. His base salary was $5 million annually.

North Carolina hired Brown in November 2018 after parting ways with Larry Fedora. Brown had been out of coaching for five years at that point following his resignation from the University of Texas in December 2013.

Brown previously coached the Tar Heels for 10 seasons from 1988 to ’97 before he was hired by Texas. He went 67-46 with six bowl appearances in his first stint with the program.

The Tar Heels had an immediate turnaround during Brown’s second tenure. They went from 2-9 in Fedora’s final season to 7-6 with a win over Temple in the Military Bowl in Brown’s first year.

Brown’s peak in his most recent tenure with the Tar Heels was in 2022. He led the team to a 9-5 record and an appearance in the ACC Championship Game.

North Carolina has made a bowl game in each of the past five seasons. It is bowl eligible again this season with a 6-5 record heading into the regular-season finale against North Carolina State on Saturday.

A decision on whether or not Brown will coach in the bowl game has not yet been made. North Carolina is currently projected to play USC in the Sun Bowl on Dec. 31.