Max Johnson is preparing to play his sixth season of college football as a 24-year-old. His latest announcement makes things very interesting at quarterback for Bill Belichick at North Carolina.
Will the eight-time Super Bowl champion go with a proven veteran with experience or will he risk inexperience and go with the young kid?
Johnson, a former three-star prospect in the recruiting Class of 2020, began his college football career at LSU. He started 14 games in two seasons with an overall record of 8-6. The son of Brad Johnson then chose to enter the transfer portal as a rising junior and landed at Texas A&M for two seasons. He went 4-4 in eight starts before a second entry into the portal.
Although Johnson was ultimately named the starting quarterback at North Carolina in 2024, his fifth-year senior season was cut extremely short by a gruesome leg injury in Week 1. What was initially thought to be a knee injury instead a clean break. Fair warning, the video is graphic:
It has been a very difficult journey for Max Johnson. Most people expected him to retire.
However, the soon-to-be 24-year-old refuses to quit. He put in the work during rehab with the hope of playing one final season. And he will!
Johnson recently announced that his leg will be ready in time for the fall. His caption indicates a return by the season-opener on Sept. 1.
UPDATE: Grinding!!! Looking forward to the season! pic.twitter.com/OlwHRMONrL
— Max Johnson (@MaxJohnson14) April 10, 2025
This creates an interesting decision for Belichick in his first year as head coach at UNC. Johnson, assuming everything goes according to plan, will compete with Purdue transfer Ryan Browne and four-star freshman Bryce Baker for the starting job during fall camp. Browne and Baker might be out in front of the competition by nature of their status during spring ball, but neither guy may end up as the answer when there is a veteran leader with a proven track record nipping at their heels.
Belichick loves pocket passers like Max Johnson, who is listed at 6-foot-5. Do not rule him out if his health is truly in a place where he can fully participate over the summer.
Leg strength will obviously be the biggest factor here. If he can’t go, he can’t go. If he can go, he adds a very interesting wrinkle to the mix in Chapel Hill. This should be fun!