North Carolina coach Mack Brown plans to return to the program next year amid buzz that the 2024 season would be his last, according to 247Sports' Matt Zentiz. Brown has been telling people around the program, including staff and players, that he plans to remain with the Tar Heels for at least another season.
Rumors have swirled that Brown could retire practically since he returned to coaching with the Tar Heels in 2019. Brown, 73, is the oldest coach in the Football Bowl Subdivision by four years and joins 69-year-old Kirk Ferentz as the only coaches older than 65. UMass coach Don Brown is also 69 years old, but he was fired this week.
Brown, who is under contract through the 2027 season, has long claimed that retirement rumors were driven by opposing coaches negatively recruiting against North Carolina. North Carolina has become bowl-eligible every year during his second stint with the program, with Brown posting a 44-31 record. After going on a four-game losing streak this year, the Tar Heels have won three straight games to reach 6-4.
In a strange moment earlier this season, Brown offered to step down in the locker room after a 70-50 loss to James Madison. However, he returned to work without disruption after players took responsibility for the performance.
Brown's decision is another major development in what is shaping up to be an underwhelming coaching cycle. Zero power-conference coaches have been fired, and both Baylor's Dave Aranda and Florida's Billy Napier will be retained. There are 12 Group of Five openings.
Brown is one of only three active coaches to win a national championship, which he did as coach of Texas in 2005. The others are Georgia's Kirby Smart and Clemson's Dabo Swinney. Brown has a 288-153-1 all-time record, which marks the most wins by any active coach.