Tag: Tar Heels in NFL

Drake Maye’s rookie NFL season to continue the weekend before Super Bowl

Drake Maye isn’t done playing football quite yet in his rookie NFL season.

When the New England Patriots selected former UNC football star Drake Maye third overall in the 2024 NFL Draft, they hoped to finally secure their first franchise quarterback since moving on from Tom Brady.

While Maye initially began his rookie season on the bench, it only took New England six weeks to name Maye their starter. Given a young roster with a struggling offensive line, Maye played fairly well in his first pro season: 2,276 passing yards, 15 passing touchdown to 10 interceptions, 421 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns.

The Patriots finished 4-13, last in the AFC East for the second-straight year, but Maye was definitely a rare bright spot for his team.

It turns out, Maye isn’t done playing football quite yet this season

On Tuesday, January 28, Maye was named as an AFC Pro Bowl Games replacement.

Maye and former Super Bowl champion Russell Wilson, the latter of whom is now the Pittsburgh Steelers‘ starting quarterback, were tabbed as replacements for Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson.

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Maye’s nod also makes him New England’s first Pro Bowl quarterback since 2021, when now Jacksonville Jaguars backup Mac Jones was a rookie.

The star-studded Pro Bowl Games replacement list goes on, but Maye joins a group that includes Buffalo Bills running back James Cook, a former Georgia Bulldog and Seattle Seawhawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, a former Ohio State Buckeye.

With the Patriots earning yet another high NFL Draft selection in April’s 2025 draft, additional help should be on the way for Maye. He has a talented, young wide receiver corps that includes fellow 2024 draftee Ja’Lynn Polk, but no one who’s proven to take over as a WR1.

If you want to watch Maye in the Skills Showdown, you can do so on Thursday, January 30 from 7-8:30 p.m. ET on ESPN. If you want to watch Maye in the actual Pro Bowl Championship, which is a Flag Football format, that’ll be on Sunday, February 2 from 3-6 p.m.

Will Maye, the 2022 ACC Player of the Year who threw for 8,018 yards and 63 touchdowns during his Tar Heels career, earn more accolades as his NFL career progresses?

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Former UNC football player to referee Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans

There’s going to be at least one UNC football alum in the Super Bowl…

The AFC and NFC Championship games, which will both be played on Sunday, January 26, are going to feature a pair of former UNC football stars in Dyami Brown and Mack Hollins.

If the Washington Commanders and Buffalo Bills win, Brown and Hollins will face off in Super Bowl LIX on Sunday, February 29 in New Orleans.

Even if Brown and Hollins don’t advance, there will be at least one Tar Heel alum in the Super Bowl.

Mike Morton, who played at North Carolina from 1991-1994 under former head coach Mack Brown, was assigned to referee Super Bowl LIX.

Morton will make history with his assignment, becoming the first referee to officiate a Super Bowl after winning one. Morton helped the St. Louis Rams (now Los Angeles Rams) capture Super Bowl XXXIV, his fifth of seven seasons in the NFL and lone year in St. Louis.

Originally drafted by the Oakland (now Las Vegas) Raiders, Morton compiled 183 tackles, two interceptions and a sack in his NFL playing career.

Morton was a part of four winning teams at UNC, highlighted by a win over Mississippi State in the 1993 Peach Bowl. The Tar Heels barely squeaked by in that game, 21-17, a game in which Natrone Means won MVP honors.

Morton’s refereeing history dates back to 2014, when he started officiating ACC football games. Morton’s first NFL game came back on September 11, 2022 when the New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons faced off in Atlanta.

Even if you’re not a huge pro football fan, you should watch the next two weeks of postseason football. There’ll be at least one Tar Heel in the Super Bowl.

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Former UNC football walk-on hired as newest NFL head coach

Which former UNC football player was recently hired as an NFL head coach?

You’d be surprised at how many former North Carolina Tar Heels have NFL connections.

Currently playing in the NFL postseason are a pair of former UNC wide receivers: Mack Hollins (2013-2016), a member of the Buffalo Bills and Dyami Brown (2018-2020), who leads the Washington Commanders in playoff receiving yardage.

There’s another former Tar Heel who, despite his recent elimination from the postseason, is the new leader of a once-storied NFL franchise.

On Monday, the Chicago Bears hired Ben Johnson, formerly the Detroit Lions‘ offensive coordinator, to be their next head coach.

Johnson, a North Carolina native from just outside of Asheville, played at UNC from 2004-2006 as a walk-on quarterback. Despite never seeing game action for the Tar Heels, Johnson’s official team bio lists him as the third-string quarterback in each season, played underneath the guidance of John Bunting.

Johnson was one of the NFL’s most coveted head-coaching options, due to him anchoring the Detroit Lions’ league-best offense. Detroit averaged 409.5 yards per game in the regular season, second to only the Baltimore Ravens, plus a playoff-best 521 yards per game.

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Despite earning the NFC’s top seed by compiling a 15-2 regular-season record, tied with the Kansas City Chiefs for tops in the NFL, the Lions were upset 45-31 by the Washington Commanders over the weekend.

There’s no doubt that Johnson’s move within the NFC North is odd – and I wonder how Detroit players and brass feel about it. There’s no question, though, that Chicago is in desperate need of a proven winner to revive its once-storied franchise.

Despite finishing 5-12 in the regular season, their fourth-straight losing year, the Bears have the pieces to be a solid team. Chicago drafted Caleb Williams first overall out of USC last year, sport a top-rank defense led by Tremaine Edmunds and Montez Sweat, plus a talented group of pass-catchers led by Pro Bowlers DJ Moore and Keenan Allen.

Can Johnson, the former Tar Heel, lead the Bears back to their 20th century glory?

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Former UNC football WR enjoying breakout postseason

Former Tar Heel Dyami Brown is enjoying quite the NFL postseason.

Does anyone remember how fun it was watching Dyami Brown play football at UNC?

Brown was easily the ACC’s best wide receiver in 2019 and 2020. Brown totaled 2,133 received yards and 20 touchdowns in those final two seasons as a Tar Heel (1,000 yards per season), earned All-ACC Honors in both years and was a semifinalist for the Biletnikoff Award (nation’s best receiver).

Now an integral part of the Washington Commanders‘ NFL Postseason run, which has them in the NFC Championship, Brown is quickly making a name for himself as one of professional football’s top postseason performers.

Between Washington’s upset road victories over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and top-seeded Detroit Lions, Brown has 11 catches – on 13 targets – for a team-high 187 yards and a touchdown.

To put in context how dominant Brown’s postseason run is, Brown caught just 30 passes for 308 yards and a touchdown, in the regular season. Essentially, Brown went from a regular-season bench receiver to Rookie of the Year frontrunner Jayden Daniels’ top postseason threat.

You would think Brown is the Commanders’ WR1, but that title unofficially goes to Terry McLaurin, one of the NFL’s top deep threats who has 176 postseason receiving yards. Washington also has a top-rank tight end in Zach Ertz catching passes, but he has just 51 postseason receiving yards.

Brown caught the Commanders’ opening touchdown on Sunday, January 12 in their 23-20 upset of the NFC South Champion Buccaneers, adding 89 receiving yards on five catches.

Though Brown didn’t catch a touchdown during Saturday’s upset of the NFC’s top overall seed Lions, he set a new postseason high with 98 receiving yards – on six catches.

If you look at Brown’s stats since becoming Washington’s third-round selection in the 2021 NFL Draft, his involvement is increasing each season. Now catching passes from Daniels, Brown’s career will only evolve more in the Nation’s Capital.

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Which former New England Patriots legend praised Drake Maye for his rookie NFL season?

A former New England Patriots legend is recognize Drake Maye for his solid rookie season.

The North Carolina Tar Heels are lucky, in recent seasons, to have extreme talent at the quarterback spot.

UNC first had Sam Howell, who broke over 20 school records from 2019-2021. Howell, who formerly played for the Washington Commanders is now backing up Geno Smith on the Seattle Seahawks.

After Howell came Drake Maye, whom I know North Carolina want back in a heartbeat. Maye declared for the 2024 NFL Draft after three years, to no one’s surprise, with the New England Patriots later selecting him third overall.

Maye didn’t win New England’s starting quarterback job this offseason, but became the starter in October, after inefficient play from Jacoby Brissett.

For the lack of an offensive line and overall talent on the Patriots, Maye played solid football in his rookie NFL season: 2,276 passing yards, 15 passing touchdowns, 10 interceptions, 421 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns.

Though Maye didn’t earn a Pro Bowl honor or make any All-Rookie teams, his play caught the eye of one former NFL legend.

Rob Gronkowski, a 4-time Super Bowl winning in New England and future Hall of Famer, praised Maye for Year One in the NFL.

“I think Drake Maye was phenomenal this year,” Gronkowski told USA Today’s Crissy Froyd. “He exceeded expectations. There’s no doubt about that. Just the way he went in and how he handles himself. Just the energy, the aura that he has around him, he’s going to be a special player for quite some time. The way that he just carries himself as well.”

Maye threw for a career-high three touchdown passes in his first start, back on October 13 in a 41-21 loss to the Houston Texans.

Gronk also sees franchise player traits in Maye, who showed a ton of poise – and maturity – in Year One.

“I’ve never met him before, but I feel like you can just tell in how he plays the game that he’s the guy that wants to get better,” Gronkowski told Froyd.. “He wants to take in the coaching and he wants to grow year in and year out. That’s what is going to make him a special player for several years to come.”

With the Patriots sporting a high draft pick and plenty of cap space entering the 2025 season, Maye should grow even more in his “Sophomore” year.

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Drake Maye’s next head coach a former New England Patriots legend

Drake Maye has his new head coach.

The New England Patriots began their season with Jacoby Brissett as starting quarterback, but after ineffective play through five weeks, New England turned to highly-touted rookie Drake Maye,

This was a smart move by the Patriots, as their third overall pick threw for 2,276 yards, 15 touchdowns and 10 interceptions in his rookie season. Despite Maye’s solid play, New England finished last in the AFC East and fired Jerod Mayo as head coach.

With Mayo out, the Patriots had one goal in mind: find a leader who could work with their star rookie out of North Carolina.

New England did exactly that on Sunday, January 12, hiring former player and 3-time Super Bowl champion Mike Vrabel as its next head coach.

Vrabel, a linebacker who played eight of his 14 NFL seasons as a Patriot, won his three Super Bowls as a player under now-UNC head coach Bill Belichick. Vrabel is a defensive-minded guy, but he’s young and someone who knows how to connect with his players.

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I feel pretty confident that Maye, who threw for 8,018 yards and 63 touchdowns in his 3-year (2021-2023) Tar Heel career, will enjoy playing under Vrabel. Just look at this tweet below, which showcased a few advantages Vrabel will have in second head-coaching gig.

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I know Vrabel isn’t in charge of drafting players, but if I’m New England general manager Robert Kraft, I draft and sign Maye top-tier offensive linemen.

Vrabel spent 2019-2023 as the Tennessee Titans‘ head coach, winning a pair of AFC South titles. Vrabel’s greatest head-coaching highlight came during his second season in Nashville, leading the Wild Card Titans, to the AFC Championship Game behind upsets of the New England Patriots and Baltimore Ravens.

Vrabel spent the 2024-2025 NFL regular season with the Cleveland Browns as a coaching and personnel consultant.

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Drake Maye to have new head coach in second NFL season after Jerod Mayo’s firing

Drake Maye will have a new head coach during his “sophomore” NFL season in 2025.

After several weeks of ineffective quarterback play from Jacoby Brissett, the New England Patriots named rookie Drake Maye their starting quarterback in Week 7.

Maye played solid football in his rookie season, finishing with 2,276 passing yards, 15 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Maye also showcased his speed, running for 421 yards and two scores, proving to be the same effective quarterback who led the North Carolina Tar Heels.

Maye wasn’t the only rookie on New England, as he played under first-year head coach Jerod Mayo, a former Patriots player. In 2025, though, Maye will play under a new head coach.

Not long after New England’s 23-16 victory on Sunday, January 5 over the Buffalo Bills to close out their season, Mayo’s lone season as head coach came to an end.

Despite the Patriots ending their year by beating one of the AFC’s best teams, they finished their 2024-2025 campaign at just 4-13. New England also finished 4-13 last season, their third-straight year missing the playoffs after 11 appearances in 13 seasons.

Mayo’s initial hiring came with plenty of praise in Foxborough and around the NFL, as he spent his entire playing and previous coaching career, as a Patriot. New England saw Mayo as a fresh, young mind who could inject a needed energy into a program which once ruled professional football.

Instead, Maye will be playing for his second coach in two seasons. Given that Maye is the Patriots’ franchise quarterback, New England needs to hire someone who has a proven track record working with QBs.

I can’t imagine Maye will have a say in his next head coach, given he’s just a rookie, but Kraft would be smart to consult him before beginning his coaching search.

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UNC football’s all-time sack leader will be a North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame Inductee

Greg Ellis terrorized opposing quarterbacks during his four seasons at UNC.

The North Carolina Tar Heels are known for their electric offense on the football field, but back in the mid-late 90s, the Tar Heels had a pretty solid defense.

From 1994-1997, the leader of UNC’s defense was none other than Greg Ellis. If you remember Ellis, he left North Carolina with 32.5 sacks, the most in program history.

After the Dallas Cowboys chose him eighth overall in the 1998 NFL Draft, Ellis played 11 years in the Lone Star State – and 12 overall in the NFL. Ellis produced at a high level in all 12 seasons: 531 tackles, 84 sacks, 22 forced fumbles and 11 recoveries, four interceptions and two defensive touchdowns.

Ellis will soon be permanently enshrined for his numerous contributions to football.

On Tuesday, December 17, Ellis was announced as one of 10 nominees in the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame’s 2025 induction class.

Ellis and his fellow nominees will be inducted on Friday, May 2, 2025 at the Koury Convention Center in Greensboro, NC.

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Ellis played his fourth and final season in Chapel Hill under Carl Torbush, but his first three were under Mack Brown, whose first stint at UNC spanned from 1988-1997. Brown returned to North Carolina in 2019, but was fired in November days after a loss to Boston College.

The Tar Heels are currently preparing to play UConn in the Fenway Bowl, which will kick off on Saturday, December 28 at 11 a.m. from historic Fenway Park. Freddie Kitchens will lead UNC through the bowl game, then stay on Bill Belichick’s staff.

With Ellis’ induction, Belichick’s hiring and talented transfers choosing to play college football in Chapel Hill, it’s a great day to be a Tar Heel.

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Record-setting UNC football standout named Tulsa interim head coach

The best punt returner in UNC football history landed his first head-coaching job.

If you watched the North Carolina Tar Heels during the 2013-2016 college football seasons, chances are you witnessed a certain wide receiver deliver several, electric punt returns.

If you remember those same years, you also likely saw that same UNC player catch nearly every ball that was thrown to him.

Okay, enough with the mystery. That former Tar Heel is none other than Ryan Switzer, who was named the Tulsa Golden Hurricane’s interim head coach on Monday afternoon.

Switzer replaces former Indiana head coach and Ohio State offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson, another former North Carolina player (1980-1983), who went 7-16 in just under two seasons as the Tulsa head man.

Switzer was an integral part of the Larry Fedora era, playing arguably the top offensive role in leading UNC to four straight bowl appearances, which included a 2013 Belk Bowl victory over Cincinnati.

Switzer caught 244 passes for 2,907 yards and 19 touchdowns over four seasons, which made him the Tar Heels’ all-time leader in receptions and receiving yards.

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As impactful as Switzer was in North Carolina’s passing game, he was even more of a factor in the punt return game.

Switzer is UNC’s leader in punt return yardage (1,082) and touchdowns (7), the latter of which is most in ACC history and one short of the NCAA’s all-time mark. Switzer’s five return TDs in 2013 tied him with former Hawaii standout Chad Owens, who initially set the mark in 2004.

NFL teams noticed Switzer’s collegiate prowess, but it was the Dallas Cowboys who made him their 2017, fourth-round NFL Draft selection.

Switzer’s best years were with the Pittsburgh Steelers, though – and after just three NFL seasons in which he totaled 321 receiving yards, one receiving touchdown, 537 punt returns yards, one punt return TD and 1,373 kickoff return yards – Switzer joined the Tulsa coaching staff.

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Drake Maye earns praise after Week 11 game

Drake Maye was recognized as one of the NFL’s top rookies in Week 11.

Since New England Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo switched to former UNC standout Drake Maye as his starting quarterback, one of the NFL’s worst offensive units now suddenly has life.

Maye has a touchdown pass in each of his five starts, including a career-high three in his first start against the Houston Texans. Taking Maye’s stats a step further, Maye has multiple touchdown passes in three of those starts.

Maye is fresh off his highest passing yardage total, with 282 in a 28-22 loss to the Los Angeles Rams on Nov. 14. He completed 29-of-39 passes, tossed two touchdowns and ran for 27 yards.

For Maye’s latest outing, he was tabbed one of NFL Analyst/former Good Morning Football host Peter Schrager’s Top 5 Week 11 rookies.

Maye, ranked third amongst Schrager’s rookies, found himself on the list with Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Quinyon Mitchell (second), Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Ladd McConkey, Seattle Seahawks linebacker Tyrice Knight and Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix.

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After New England suffered below-average quarterback play from initial starter Jacoby Brissett, Mayo decided the team needed a spark. That’s why he went to Maye, the third overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, whom the Patriots invested heavily in to be their franchise guy.

Overall through seven appearances, Maye has 1,236 passing yards, nine touchdowns and six interceptions. Maye is also showcasing his speed for the Patriots, collecting 260 rushing yards and a rushing touchdowns, on 28 carries.

What makes Maye’s rookie year even more impressive is that he’s playing behind a struggling offensive line. Maye also lacks a true number one wide receiver, like he had at North Carolina, with the likes of Josh Downs and Devontez Walker.

I was hopeful Maye would be the latest Tar Heel to thrive in the NFL, but I didn’t think it’d be this early in his rookie season. I’m excited to watch how Maye’s career pans out.

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