North Carolina football coach Bill Belichick and school officials have signed his official employment contract, formalizing last month’s hiring after speculation that the six-time Super Bowl-winning head coach might opt instead for a return to the NFL.

The school released the contract Thursday, which was signed by chancellor Lee Roberts and athletic director Bubba Cunningham and approved by university trustees earlier in the day. Belichick signed the deal Wednesday.

The formal contract replaces the signed term sheet released as the school held its introductory news conference for the 72-year-old Belichick, who is taking over a college program for the first time.

The sides agreed to a five-year deal, though only the first three years are guaranteed with $10 million per year in base and supplemental salary with another $3.5 million available in bonuses. There was also a $10 million buyout for Belichick to leave until June, when it drops to $1 million.

Belichick’s name had been thrown about as the NFL hiring cycle continued into January, though the coach had been frequently showing up on social media in photos from his recruiting stops.

Additionally, Michael Lombardi — a former NFL executive now working as UNC’s general manager — had also taken to social media to reinforce Belichick’s commitment to the Tar Heels.

“His focus is on North Carolina football, hiring staff members and developing the team,” Lombardi posted last week on X in response to a story about Belichick having yet to sign a formal contract. “The NFL (isn’t an) option so please stop making it one. Thank you.”

mlb

Jurickson Profar agreed to a $42 million, three-year contract with the Atlanta Braves, less than a year after the outfielder got a $1 million deal from the San Diego Padres with spring training already underway.

Profar revived his career with the Padres last year when he hit .280 with 24 home runs. Profar scored 94 runs, drove in 85 runs and had 10 stolen bases. He finalized his $1 million deal on Feb. 24 and earned an additional $2.5 million for plate appearances.

Atlanta does not expect 2023 NL MVP Ronald Acuña Jr. to be ready for the start of the season. Acuña tore his left ACL on May 26 and had surgery on June 6.

Profar will join Michael Harris, Jarred Kelenic and De La Cruz as Atlanta’s top outfielders. Acuña could be ready to join the team in May or June.

Left-hander A.J. Minter and the New York Mets finalized a two-year contract. Minter can opt out after the 2025 World Series and become a free agent again.

The 31-year-old, coming off left hip surgery, has spent his entire eight-year major league career with the NL East rival Atlanta Braves, was 5-4 with a 2.62 ERA and one save in 39 games last year before season-ending surgery in August.

New York Yankees legend Mariano Rivera and his wife are accused in a lawsuit of failing to protect a young girl who was sexually abused by an older child during a summer camp trip sponsored by their church. In a lawsuit filed this month, lawyers for the girl allege that the Hall of Fame pitcher and his wife Clara Rivera, a pastor at the Refuge of Hope Church, flew from New York to Florida to investigate after the girl’s mother expressed concerns about her daughter’s safety during the 2018 trip.

But rather than take action, the couple “isolated and intimidated” the victim into remaining “silent about her negative experiences,” including the abuse, the lawsuit says.

miscellany

Notre Dame offensive lineman Pat Coogan, who started 26 games over the last two seasons and often served as the team’s pregame hype man, is transferring. Coogan announced his intentions on social media and will have one year of eligibility remaining as a graduate transfer.

He joins fellow guards Rocco Spindler and Sam Pendleton as well as receivers Deion Colzie and Jayden Thomas in leaving the Fighting Irish following the team’s 34-23 loss to Ohio State in the College Football Playoff national championship game Monday night, according to various reports.

A bipartisan group of lawmakers looking for reforms at the World Anti-Doping Agency reintroduced a bill that would give the White House permanent authority to withhold money from the drug-fighting agency.

The “Restoring Confidence in the World Anti-Doping Agency Act” would make permanent an already temporary ability to hold back the money. It would put more teeth behind the government’s recent decision not to pay $3.6 million to WADA — a move WADA said would cost the U.S. its seat on one of its top policymaking boards.

The federal government has long been critical of WADA. The agency’s handling of a doping case involving Chinese swimmers who were allowed to compete despite testing positive reignited tensions that have simmered since the Russian doping scandal erupted in 2014.

Formula 1 drivers could be suspended from racing or lose championship points for swearing or making political statements under new rules from series governing body the FIA. That could deepen a rift with the drivers, who criticized the FIA last year after Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc were punished for swearing in FIA news conferences.

Alysa Liu, making a comeback after a break from figure skating, delivered a brilliant and breathtaking short program in her return to nationals, scoring 76.36 points to take a solid lead over two-time U.S. champ Bradie Tennell and defending champion Amber Glenn in the U.S. Figure Skating Championships at Wichita, Kan., heading into today’s free skate.

In the pairs competition earlier in the night, Ellie Kam and Danny O’Shea scored 77.19 points in a near-flawless short program. It was more than four points better than their best in international competition, and put Kam and O’Shea more than eight ahead of second-place Emily Chan and Spencer Howe heading into Saturday night’s free skate.