The Patriots-UNC feud just got even messier, with Drake Maye caught in the crossfire. The standout rookie QB’s brilliant performance against Buffalo somehow became the latest battleground in Bill Belichick’s ongoing grudge match with his former team.
Maye lit up the Bills Sunday night, helping New England hand the NFL’s last unbeaten team their first loss. But fans noticed something odd — UNC’s official football account (@UNCFootball) stayed suspiciously silent about their homegrown star’s breakout game.
The reason? According to a source familiar with UNC’s social media strategy, the football program’s social media team had been explicitly told to avoid posting or retweeting anything Patriots-related.
This blackout wasn’t accidental.
When this directive leaked Monday morning, college football and NFL fans alike erupted online, outraged that one of Carolina’s most celebrated players was being snubbed because of Belichick’s personal vendetta.
The backlash was swift and severe. Less than two hours after the story broke, UNC’s official account finally acknowledged Maye’s performance with a highlight video showing one play from Sunday night followed by some of his best Tar Heel moments.
.@DrakeMaye2 pulling off some magic, where have we seen this before 🤔
— Carolina Football (@UNCFootball) October 6, 2025
🔟➡️8️⃣ pic.twitter.com/qTd8sqorsc
The post quickly racked up over 700,000 views in under an hour, but the comments weren’t celebrating Maye’s performance. Instead, they focused on the belated nature of the post and the reported ban.
“It’s pathetic that the internet had to bully Belichick into letting you post this. Drake is Carolina royalty,” wrote one UNC fan.
Two separate sources within the North Carolina football program confirmed the social media team had been directed to avoid posting Patriots highlights — a blackout that lasted from September 15 until October 6. It remains unclear whether this directive came directly from Belichick himself. A spokesperson for UNC’s strategy and communications department didn’t respond to requests for comment Monday morning.
A Pattern of Promotion — With One Glaring Exception
College programs routinely showcase their NFL alumni on social media — it’s practically standard practice. Maye’s performance against Buffalo (22-of-30 passing for 273 yards in an upset win) would normally be prime content for UNC’s social channels.
Looking at UNC’s recent social activity reveals they’ve been actively promoting other NFL Tar Heels. They highlighted Javonte Williams’ multiple touchdowns for the Cowboys, posted about a jersey exchange between the Texans’ British Brooks and Titans’ Cedric Gray, and celebrated Omarion Hampton’s long touchdown run for the Chargers.
Yet Maye — arguably their most prominent NFL star right now — was conspicuously absent until the Monday morning post.
Before that, UNC’s last mention of Maye came on September 14, when they highlighted the “Tar Heel to Tar Heel” connection of Maye hitting former UNC player Mack Hollins for a touchdown against Miami.
The rookie quarterback has been nothing short of spectacular this season. He ranks fifth in the NFL in passing yards (1,261) and 15th in touchdowns, helping the Patriots to a surprising 3-2 record. At UNC, Maye was the 2022 ACC Player of the Year and led the NCAA in total offense before declaring for the NFL Draft following the 2023 season.
Even Mack Brown, who coached Maye at North Carolina, posted about his former quarterback Monday morning — before the official UNC account and after reports of the social media strategy surfaced.
The Belichick-Patriots Cold War Continues
This isn’t the first time UNC has been caught in Belichick’s crosshairs. Earlier this season, North Carolina banned Patriots scouts from observing practices under Belichick’s orders.
“It’s clear I’m not welcome there at their facility. So they’re not welcome at ours,” Belichick stated in September.
The 73-year-old coach took a year off after parting ways with New England following the 2022 season. Since then, he and Patriots owner Robert Kraft have exchanged public barbs.
At Fanatics Fest in New York this summer, Kraft identified trading for Belichick in 1999 as the best move in his 30 years of ownership. Belichick later countered that the “big risk” was actually accepting Kraft’s offer.
“As I told Robert multiple times through the years, I took a big risk by taking the New England Patriots head coaching job,” Belichick told ESPN. “I already had an opportunity to be the head coach of the New York Jets, but the ownership situation was unstable.”
Meanwhile, North Carolina is 2-3 in their first season under Belichick’s leadership — and apparently willing to snub one of their greatest players to accommodate their new coach’s grudges.
