Is Bill Belichick the highest-paid college football coach? Exploring salaries and contracts of top coaches

After a week of speculation, Bill Belichick was announced as the new North Carolina Tar Heels coach on Wednesday, replacing the fired Mack Brown. In a successful career, that has six Super Bowl wins with the New England Patriots, the legendary coach never guided a team in college football.

North Carolina athletic director Bubba Cunningham announced in a press release that the program had signed a three-year, $30 million contract with the former Patriots coach.

"Bill Belichick is a football legend and hiring him to lead our program represents a new approach that will ensure Carolina Football can evolve, compete and win – today and in the future," Cunningham said in the school's release.

"At Carolina, we believe in providing championship opportunities and the best experience possible for our student-athletes, and Coach Belichick shares that commitment."

Is Bill Belichick the highest-paid coach in college football?

No, Bill Belichick is not the highest-paid coach in college football and according to USA TODAY data, he is tied for the sixth position in that list. He is joint-sixth with Alabama Crimson Tide's Kalen DeBoer and struggling Florida State Seminoles coach Mike Norvell.

Above the threesome are under-pressure coaches – Ohio State's Ryan Day ($10.02 million) and USC's Lincoln Riley ($10.04 million), who are fourth and third, respectively.

They are topped by Texas' Steve Sarkisian ($10.6 million), Clemson's Dabo Swinney ($11.1 million) and Georgia's Kirby Smart, who leads with a mammoth $13.2 million annual salary.

Bill Belichick leans into North Carolina roots

Steve Belichick, the former New England coach's father, was an assistant coach for the North Carolina Tar Heels between 1953 and 1955. In a statement released after his confirmation as coach was announced, Bill Belichick referenced his father's time as a coach at the program.

“I am excited for the opportunity at UNC-Chapel Hill,” Belichick said. “I grew up around college football with my dad and treasured those times. I have always wanted to coach in college and now I look forward to building the football program in Chapel Hill.”

Despite his close ties to North Carolina, Belichick is the oldest active head coach in college football and will be 73 years old when the new season begins. With no practical background in college football, he will have his work cut out for him to make the immediate impact expected of him in Chapel Hill.