North Carolina's Mack Brown won't return in 2025

Mack Brown will not return as head coach at North Carolina next season, the school announced Tuesday.

The Tar Heels (6-5, 3-4 Atlantic Coast Conference) play their regular-season finale Saturday at home against rival North Carolina State.

The university said no decision has been made about whether Brown, 73, will coach the team in a bowl game.

Brown is the winningest coach in UNC history with a record of 113-78-1 over two stints (1988-97, 2019-24).

"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 news release. "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.

"... We thank Coach Brown for his dedication to Carolina, and wish him, Sally and their family all the best."

He also coached at Tulane (1985-87) and Texas (1998-2013), winning a national championship with the Longhorns in 2005.

Brown's overall record is 282-149-1 in 35 seasons as a head coach, including a 14-12 record in bowl games. He was the ACC Coach of the Year in 1996, the Big 12 Coach of the Year in 2005 and 2009 and the Bobby Dodd national Coach of the Year in 2008. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2018.

"While this was not the perfect time and way in which I imagined going out, no time will ever be the perfect time," Brown said in a statement. "I've spent 16 seasons at North Carolina and will always cherish the memories and relationships Sally and I have built while serving as head coach.

"We've had the chance to coach and mentor some great young men, and we'll miss having the opportunity to do that in the future. Moving forward, my total focus is on helping these players and coaches prepare for Saturday's game against N.C. State and give them the best chance to win. We want to send these seniors out right and I hope our fans will show up Saturday to do the same."

Brown has three years remaining on his contract in Chapel Hill. His salary for the 2024 season was $5 million, according to USA Today. The school said remaining payments will come through the athletic department and not state funds.

The university's announcement came one day after Brown said he intended to return in 2025.

"I'm not gonna think about retiring. I'm not gonna talk about retiring," Brown said Monday. "... There will be a morning when I'll get up and I'll say, 'You know what, somebody else should be leading this team. They're better than I am at this at this point.' Then I'll go do something else."

North Carolina started 3-0 this season before a stunning 70-50 home loss to James Madison on Sept. 21 sparked a four-game losing streak.

--Field Level Media