The entire football world was focused on Chapel Hill on Monday night, as Bill Belichick made his collegiate head coaching debut for the Tar Heels. North Carolina and Belichick had a great start, as they scored a touchdown on the opening drive. Then, it got worse. And worse. Oh, and even worse! The Tar Heels lost 48-14 to the TCU Horned Frogs.
Losing a game in your college head coaching debut is understandable. But with a coach like Belichick, who has eight Super Bowl rings, six of which as head coach of the New England Patriots, the expectations are raised tremendously. And the current starting quarterback of the Patriots shared his thoughts on the game.
Patriots quarterback Drake Maye is a former North Carolina starting quarterback. On Wednesday, Maye was asked by reporters if he was concerned about the Tar Heels. While Maye said that the game was "a tough watch," he still has belief that the team can turn things around.
Drake Maye, concerned about the Tar Heels?
— Ian Steele (@RealianSteele6) September 3, 2025
"I wouldn't say yet."
"It was tough watching that Monday night. That first drive looked good. I'm counting on those guys and coaches."@ABC6 #NEPats #NEvsLV #GoHeels pic.twitter.com/jFjotZ3hna
Drake Maye expresses optimism in UNC despite Bill Belichick's disastrous coaching debut
Like Maye, viewers were impressed by the Tar Heels' opening drive. But that was probably their lone highlight. Instead, it was just an embarrassing outing for the former Patriots head coach. The memes were flying across social media, the starting quarterback Gio Lopez didn't complete a pass for nearly two hours (to the point ESPN had a graphic highlighting that fact), and Kirk Herbstreit's Golden Retriever, Peter, actually "provided commentary" on the broadcast. It went that poorly.
It's not difficult to remember that Belichick was pretty close to having Maye as his starting quarterback in New England. The Patriots finished the 2023 season with a 4-13 record and clinched the No. 3 overall pick. But after the campaign, Belichick and owner Robert Kraft opted to part ways. Months later, Maye was drafted by the Patriots.
But Maye and Belichick did interact with one another. During the offseason, Maye visited North Carolina to check out team practice run by Belichick.
Back Home. pic.twitter.com/Y7pLjFDf4j
— Carolina Football (@UNCFootball) April 4, 2025
“First off, was honored to meet him. What a legendary coach,” Maye said on “WEEI Afternoons" on Tuesday, h/t MassLive. “They’ve got a bunch of new players in the program, and they’re figuring it out in college football. But, I have no doubt … what he’s done in the past, and his proof of being a winning coach is going to unfold."
Maye still has belief that Belichick could turn things around. Until he coaches the Tar Heels to an impressive victory, this horrendous outing against TCU will stick in everyone's minds.