With the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks facing off in this year’s Super Bowl, at least one former Tar Heel is guaranteed to get a ring.
There are a total of four players who came out of UNC between the two rosters, with the Patriots’ Drake Maye–who should need no introduction–being the headliner. He’s the first former Carolina quarterback to reach the Super Bowl.
The Patriots carry two other ex-Tar Heels: wide receiver Mack Hollins and linebacker Amari Gainer. Hollins, who’s in his first
season with New England, played at Carolina from 2012-2016, joining the Tar Heels as a walk-on and leaving as one of the top receivers in program history. He won a Super Bowl with the Philadelphia Eagles as a rookie. In that game, he mostly played special teams, but in this one, he’ll be an offensive starter. Gainer, who spent the 2023 season at UNC after five years at Florida State, was signed to the Patriots’ practice squad on December 17. While he (most likely) won’t get to play in the Super Bowl, he’ll still get to hoist the Lombardi Trophy if they win.
It’s uncertain at this point whether the Seahawks’ lone Carolina product, linebacker Chazz Surratt, will play in the Super Bowl. Surratt has been on injured reserve with an ankle injury since late November, but he was a full participant in practice leading up to the NFC title game. Surratt played at Carolina from 2016-2020 and went from starting quarterback to two-time All-ACC linebacker. This is his first season with Seattle, and he’s been one of the Seahawks’ best special teamers.
This is the first time both Super Bowl teams have had UNC representation since 2016, when Sylvester Williams’ Denver Broncos beat Tre Boston’s Carolina Panthers. No matter what your feelings might be toward either of the teams in this year’s game, it’s worth celebrating that at least one player who not only suited up for the Tar Heels but made a significant impact on the program will get to stand atop the pinnacle of the sport.
