A Bill Belichick call at Buc-ee’s changed UNC LB Derek McDonald’s football path

Posted Aug 8, 2026
Derek McDonald was at a Buc-ee’s in Florida, unsure where the next step in his football journey would take him when he got a phone call. He might have had his mind on a brisket sandwich, but that quickly changed. "I got a call from a Massachusetts number, and it’s like, 'Hey, this is Bill Belichick,'" McDonald said. "I’m like, 'Yeah, I know who you are.'" (Tar Heel Tribune)

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