North Carolina’s official Twitter account became the hottest topic in college football on Monday.
247Sports/CBS editor Ross Martin reported Monday morning that UNC staff had been directed not to tweet or retweet anything related to the New England Patriots, as a means of explaining the account’s silence during and after the Patriots’ 23-20 Sunday night win over the Buffalo Bills led by quarterback Drake Maye, who spent three seasons in Chapel Hill before becoming the No. 3 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
It has become common practice for college programs’ social media accounts to post highlights and congratulatory messages about their alumni’s activities in the NFL throughout the weekend. There is no standard or mandatory approach to schools’ handling of their former players’ achievements. Still, the fervor over Maye’s 22-for-30 performance in an upset of the previously undefeated Bills made UNC’s lack of public comment more glaring, especially given head coach Bill Belichick’s history with the franchise.
The official UNC Football account on X earlier Sunday had posted highlights of Cowboys running back Javonte Williams’ two rushing touchdowns; Williams played for North Carolina from 2018 to 2020.
.@javontewill33 for 6!
— Carolina Football (@UNCFootball) October 5, 2025
Touchdown No. 2 for @javontewill33!
— Carolina Football (@UNCFootball) October 5, 2025
As the matter gained widespread attention Monday morning, the UNC Football account — which had spotlighted Patriots touchdowns during the first two weeks of the NFL season, including Maye’s efforts in a win over the Miami Dolphins on Sept. 14 — posted twice about former UNC players. First, it posted a custom video comparing a play Maye made during Sunday night’s game to another he made as a Tar Heel.
.@DrakeMaye2 pulling off some magic, where have we seen this before 🤔
🔟➡️8️⃣ pic.twitter.com/qTd8sqorsc
— Carolina Football (@UNCFootball) October 6, 2025
Twenty minutes later, the account posted a compilation of former UNC players’ highlights from Sunday in the NFL.
Our #ProHeels showed out yesterday! Some of the highlights from our guys around the NFL! pic.twitter.com/vSIyBbkgIh
— Carolina Football (@UNCFootball) October 6, 2025
The social media scrutiny came in the wake of the Tar Heels’ 38-10 loss at home to Clemson on Saturday, in which Belichick’s team gave up a 75-yard touchdown on the game’s first play and trailed 28-3 after the first quarter. Former North Carolina coach Mack Brown, who was fired after last season, added fuel to the fire with a post before the Patriots had acknowledged Maye’s big night.
Maye’s two older brothers played basketball at UNC, and his father was a former quarterback for the Tar Heels.
So Happy for Drake. Fun to watch him win last night in Buffalo like he did so many times at UNC. Love ❤️ and Appreciate you my friend! Keep it rolling! pic.twitter.com/BlfuJOGSto
— Mack Brown (@CoachMackBrown) October 6, 2025
Belichick won six Super Bowls as coach of the Patriots but has since feuded with franchise owner Robert Kraft. Earlier this fall, Belichick publicly acknowledged he had banned Patriots scouts from having contact with his players and accessing the UNC facility.
“It’s clear I’m not welcome there around their facility. And so they’re not welcome at ours,” Belichick said last month.
Patriots coach Mike Vrabel later stated that Belichick was welcome at the Patriots facility.
