North Carolina has terminated head coach Mack Brown, six years into his second stint with the Tar Heels, as announced by the university on Tuesday.

Brown will still be on the sidelines for the final game of the season against North Carolina State, but the university has not yet decided if he will coach in a potential postseason game.

This news follows a day after Brown expressed his desire to return for the 2025 season as head coach. After a disappointing 70-50 loss at home to James Madison, Brown needed to clarify statements he made about potentially stepping down if the team’s struggles could not be resolved.

“This is not the way I envisioned ending my time here, but there’s never a perfect time for such things,” Brown stated. “For now, my main focus is on preparing our players and coaches for Saturday’s game against N.C. State, and doing everything I can to help them succeed.”

This season, UNC has a record of 6-5, which includes several tough losses such as the defeat against JMU and a close 21-20 loss to arch-rival Duke. Of the six wins, only one has been against a team with a winning record, which was Minnesota in the opening game.

Over his second term at UNC, Brown compiled an overall record of 44-32, achieving bowl eligibility in each of the six seasons and securing a national ranking once. The 2020 team finished with an 8-4 record, 7-3 in the ACC, participated in the Orange Bowl, and ended the season ranked No. 17 in the US LBM Coaches Poll.

North Carolina will owe Brown over $2.8 million, which is the base salary from his contract set to last until January 15, 2028. Overall, the contract was valued at $5 million per year.

As of Saturday, Brown’s total record at UNC stands at 113-78-1, making him the winningest coach in the program’s history. During his initial stint from 1988 to 1997, the Tar Heels competed closely with Florida State for the ACC title. Following two tough seasons with a 2-20 record, he rebounded by winning at least nine games in four seasons, including a stellar 10-1 record and a No. 6 finish in 1997.

“Coach Brown has successfully brought Carolina Football back into the national spotlight, improving facilities, expanding the coaching staff, increasing salaries, and enhancing our nutrition and conditioning programs,” athletic director Bubba Cunningham remarked. He also highlighted Brown’s effectiveness in fundraising, strengthening the football endowment and supporting other athletic programs.

Following the 1997 season, Brown was appointed as head coach at Texas, where he recorded a remarkable 158-48 over 16 years, earning a national championship in 2005 and reaching the finals again in 2009.

His coaching career also included stints at Appalachian State (1983) and Tulane (1985-87). In 2018, he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.