Bill Belichick Says He Spoke With Michael Jordan Before Taking UNC Job

Bill Belichick checked in with the greatest Tar Heel ever before taking the UNC head coaching job ... revealing Thursday he had a convo with Michael Jordan just days before he formally put pen to North Carolina paper.

The former New England Patriots sideline manager said His Airness was one of a few UNC legends he chatted with before officially accepting his new gig -- telling media members at a news conference in Chapel Hill he also picked the brains of Julius Peppers and Lawrence Taylor.

It's unclear what exactly the GOATs all talked about ... but Bill said he got blessings from all of them.

"Very supportive," he said of the talks with the famed alums.

"There's been a ton of support," he added, "from ex-players and other UNC alums. This is a great brand and a great support system here. So I'm excited to spend more time with these people."

As for his current team, Belichick said he got to have convos with the players just before he stepped to the podium Thursday afternoon ... and based on his demeanor during his first encounter with UNC journalists -- it looks like he's as excited as ever to get started.

Bill -- who was gifted a cut-sleeve UNC hoodie before the ceremony even began -- regularly flashed a smile ... and he even shared that he had kept his dad's old Tar Heels sweater throughout the decades.