Ex-Patriots Defender Jabs Bill Belichick With Fenway Park Chirp

Bill Belichick marks the start of his next football chapter in North Carolina at the college level with the Tar Heels in the ACC. The former New England Patriots head coach won’t be on the sidelines for the bowl game that wraps up this season, but his focus will be there.

North Carolina faces the UConn Huskies at Fenway Park for the Wasabi Fenway Bowl at 11 a.m. ET on Dec. 28 in the third-ever installment of the game. That matchup sparked a reunion for Belichick with one of his former players.

Belichick made his weekly appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show” Monday afternoon and conversed with former Patriots cornerback and UConn alum Darius Butler, who had jokes for his former head coach.

“Congrats again, Coach,” Butler said. “I’m glad this loss in the Fenway Bowl to UConn isn’t going on your record.”

That joke elicited an unusually genuine laugh from Belichick.

The Patriots drafted Butler in the second round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He played two seasons in New England for Belichick with 58 tackles and three interceptions, one of which was for a touchdown.

The 6-6 Tar Heels battle the 8-4 Huskies with one team looking to follow Louisville and Boston College as previous champions in the Fenway Bowl.