Bill Belichick made the transition from the NFL to college football on Wednesday – with a brief detour into some media duties this year – and officially became the head coach at North Carolina.

His former quarterback Tom Brady responded to the news with a nod to the New England Patriots’ old philosophy, “The Patriot Way.”

Former Patriots running back Kevin Faulk offered his own definition for “The Patriot Way” in an article for The Players’ Tribune in 2017:

“Some people say it’s the way coach Belichick runs the team, preaching responsibility and placing great emphasis on doing his job. Some say it’s our style of play, with Brady as our quarterback. But honestly, it’s neither one nor the other. The Patriot Way is It’s not all about winning, man, this is the guy who doesn’t care what you do in your free time and wants you to come to work every day and do your job to the best of your ability. He doesn’t care about anything else.

“The Patriot Way” led to six titles during the Belichick and Brady years, and trying to replicate that success at North Carolina – traditionally a basketball school – will be no easy task. And unlike in the NFL, Belichick may have to reiterate to his players that maintaining their grades is important to remaining eligible.

But the transition will be much smoother if North Carolina’s players understand the central tenet of a Belichick team — it’s not just about winning, man.