NEWYou can now listen to Pakinomist articles!
North Carolina football is less than two weeks away from the opening of summer camp ahead of its second season under seven-time Super Bowl-winning coach Bill Belichick.
Belichick led the Tar Heels to a 4-8 record in his first season in Chapel Hill, but a series of off-field headlines largely overshadowed the team.
The controversy has carried into the offseason, apparently prompting at least one prominent UNC football alumnus to forgo attending games in person when the 2026 season begins this fall.
Marquise Williams, who earned All-ACC honors during his four-year run with UNC, announced his plan to skip games this year.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON Pakinomist
Marquise Williams of the North Carolina Tar Heels warms up before a game against the Clemson Tigers at Bank of America Stadium on December 5, 2015 in Charlotte, NC (Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
“I will not be attending any UNC football games this year!” Williams wrote on Thursday, X. “The things I hear, I would never have thought.” He added a broken heart emoji, but didn’t elaborate on exactly what put him off.
Williams still lives in North Carolina and serves as the quarterbacks coach at Louisburg College. He ranks sixth on UNC’s all-time passing yards list.
BILL BELICHICK ADDS THIRD QUARTERBACK TO UNC ROSTER THIS SEASON AFTER DISAPPOINTING FRESHMAN
While Williams’ exact reasoning remains unclear, much of the talk surrounding the program has centered on Belichick, 73, and his 24-year-old boyfriend, Jordon Hudson.
Marquise Williams of the North Carolina Tar Heels looks to pass against the North Carolina State Wolfpack during a game at Carter-Finley Stadium on November 28, 2015 in Raleigh, NC (Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
During last year’s much-publicized “CBS News Sunday Morning” interview, Hudson faced accusations that she tried to exert control during the former NFL coach’s sit-down. The interview was part of a promotional tour for Belichick’s new book, “The Art of Winning – Lessons from My Life in Football.”
The viral moment called into question Hudson’s involvement in both his personal and professional life and whether it could affect football operations.
North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Bill Belichick and Jordon Hudson before a game against the Richmond Spiders at Kenan Memorial Stadium on September 13, 2025 in Chapel Hill, NC (Lance King/Getty Images)
North Carolina Football General Manager Michael Lombardi recently addressed the scrutiny and outside criticism that surrounded the program last season, defending the team’s response amid what he characterized as inaccurate accounts.
“All through those stormy times, all through the capsizing, people attacking us with false rumors and false stories all over the place — no one has corrected them yet, but that’s OK, we understand — our players stuck together,” Lombardi said on the “Pat McAfee Show” last week.
