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North Carolina HC Bill Belichick discusses Max Johnson's injury rehab
The hope for North Carolina football in 2024 was that quarterback Max Johnson would be the real deal as a starting quarterback.
He had been with LSU and Texas A&M previously and started 22 games in his time with both of those programs. He came to UNC to replace Drake Maye, who was selected No. 3 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots.
However, Johnson suffered a devastating season-ending injury in his first game with the Tar Heels. That cost him his 2024 season, but now, new head coach Bill Belichick has an update on his potential starter.
It hasn't been easy for the soon-to-be sixth-year quarterback.
“Max is doing very well. His rehab has been long and I have a lot of admiration for him," Belichick recently told the media (h/t On3)." It’s a tough injury, but nobody’s worked harder than he has, and he certainly is able to do a lot more than he was last spring. So, we’ll see exactly where he is when things start, but it’s a whole lot closer, and we certainly expect to see him out there. So, it’s been very encouraging.”
While Belichick did say that he's encouraged by the progress Johnson has made, that is quite a vague update. In fact, as positive as it sounds, Belichick didn't really give anything specific as it relates to whether or not Johnson will be available for the season opener against TCU on September 1. He did say they expect to see him "out there", but in what capacity?
The Tar Heels will certainly hope that he'll be ready to go because he likely gives them the best chance to win in 2025.
If not Johnson, Belichick has two young quarterbacks with very little experience. DJ Mazzone is a redshirt freshman with no snaps under his belt and Bryce Baker, a former four-star recruit, has a ton of potential, but he's a true freshman.
The Tar Heels have put a ton of hope into Johnson being fully recovered in 2025, and they've also put hope in his ability to shake off the rust.
That's a lot of eggs in one perilously shaky basket, especially heading into Belichick's first-ever season as a college football head coach.
More must-reads:
- Deion Sanders provides major update on reported health problem
- Joey McGuire is embracing the pressure to win at Texas Tech
- The 'Other QBs from Tom Brady's first start' quiz
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NFL legend Tom Brady unleashes on current climate in college sports
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Vikings WR gets brutal injury news for second straight season
A Minnesota Vikings wide receiver's season is already over. The Minnesota Vikings announced on Tuesday that wide receiver Rondale Moore is being placed on season-ending injured reserve due to a leg injury that he suffered in the team's first preseason game against the Houston Texans this past weekend. It is a devastating blow for Moore, who is now being sidelined for an entire season, before it even begins, for the second year in a row. Moore signed a one-year, $2 million contract in free agency with the Vikings this offseason in the hopes he could return from a different injury that cost him the entirety of the 2024 season. Moore was a member of the Atlanta Falcons in 2024 after being acquired in a trade with the Arizona Cardinals for backup quarterback Desmond Ridder. This is now two different teams that Moore has been a part of, but will never play a game for them due to injuries. Moore was injured while returning a punt. He began his career with the Arizona Cardinals, catching 135 passes for 1,201 yards over three seasons before being traded. He was never going to be counted on to be a key contributor for the Vikings offense this season, especially given the superstars they already have at wide receiver in Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison, but he still had a chance to be an interesting depth player. Now it is fair to wonder what the rest of his career might even look like. Missing two full seasons due to two different leg injuries is going to be a brutal thing to try to come back from. Missing two seasons for any reason is difficult, but when you add the leg injuries to the equation, it makes the obstacle even steeper.
Milwaukee Brewers Force Paul Skenes Into Unfiltered Admission About Brew Crew After 14-0 Beatdown
Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes was no match for the Milwaukee Brewers – again. The former LSU Tigers star pitcher got lit up on the mound by the red-hot Brew Crew on Tuesday night, as he allowed four earned runs on six hits (including two home runs) while issuing two free passes and striking out four Milwaukee hitters across four innings of work. The Brewers eked out a 14-0 victory to win the series and move just a win away this Wednesday to sweep the Pirates and extend their win streak to 12 games. Skenes’ start tied his shortest thus far in the 2025 MLB regular season. The last time he pitched for only four innings was against the Brewers as well on June 25, when he surrendered four earned runs on four hits with two walks and four strikeouts in a 4-2 loss, also at American Family Field. Skenes is now 0-2 with a 5.79 ERA in three starts this season versus the Brewers. Skenes speaks up on Milwaukee Brewers after 14-0 loss The reigning National League Rookie of the Year opened up about his thoughts on the Brewers and his performance against the streaking Milwaukee side. “They’re obviously hot right now,” Skenes said of the Brewers, per Rich Rovito of MLB.com. “I got in positions that weren’t very advantageous to me to where I had to be perfect, and I didn’t have my best stuff. I couldn’t really count on any singular pitch to be executed and get guys out. “I had some 3-2 pitches that caught too much of the plate and didn’t execute two-strike pitches as well as I should have. They did a good job capitalizing on it.” The Brewers improved to 75-44 with their win over the Pirates, while Pittsburgh dropped to 51-70.
Najee Harris may have role reduced after fireworks accident
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