From Chapel Hill to the Super Bowl: Four Former Tar Heels Set for NFL’s Biggest Stage
CHAPEL HILL - When Super Bowl LX kicks off, a piece of Chapel Hill will be on both sidelines. Four former North Carolina Tar Heels are headed to the NFL’s biggest stage, and no matter who hoists the Lombardi Trophy, a pair of UNC alumni will leave Las Vegas as champions.
The Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots are set to face off, and each team carries some Carolina Blue with them. Linebackers Chazz Surratt and Amari Gainer are with the Seahawks - Gainer on the practice squad - while wide receiver Mack Hollins and quarterback Drake Maye are suiting up for the Patriots. It's a full-circle moment for these players, each of whom took different paths from Kenan Stadium to the NFL spotlight.
Drake Maye: From ACC Star to NFL MVP Finalist
Let’s start with the headliner. Drake Maye has quickly become one of the most electrifying young quarterbacks in the league. After a stellar college career at UNC from 2021 to 2023, Maye made the leap to the pros with sky-high expectations - and he’s not only met them, he’s exceeded them.
His breakout came in 2022, when he led the ACC in passing yards (4,321) and touchdowns (38) as a redshirt freshman, earning ACC Player of the Year honors. That season put him on the national radar, and the New England Patriots took notice, selecting him third overall in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Fast forward to his second season in Foxborough, and Maye has already led the Patriots to a 14-3 record and the No. 2 seed in the AFC. His numbers are eye-popping: 4,394 passing yards (fourth in the league), a league-best 72% completion rate, and 31 touchdowns (third). He’s not just managing games - he’s dictating them.
Maye’s composure, accuracy, and football IQ have made him the face of a Patriots resurgence. Now, he’s one win away from adding “Super Bowl champion” to his resume.
Mack Hollins: The Veteran Target Making Plays
While Maye represents the new wave, Mack Hollins is the seasoned vet. His journey has been anything but conventional. A former walk-on at UNC, Hollins carved out a role with the Tar Heels from 2012 to 2016, finishing with 81 catches, 1,667 yards, and 20 touchdowns over his final three seasons.
That production earned him a fourth-round selection by the Philadelphia Eagles in 2016, and since then, he’s become one of the NFL’s ultimate journeymen. Hollins has played for six teams - including Miami, Las Vegas, Atlanta, Buffalo, and now New England - bringing leadership and versatility to every stop.
This season, he’s developed strong chemistry with Maye, hauling in 46 passes for 550 yards and two touchdowns. He’s not the flashiest name on the Patriots’ depth chart, but his reliability and experience have made him a trusted option in critical moments. For a young quarterback like Maye, that kind of presence is invaluable.
Chazz Surratt: From QB to Linebacker to Super Bowl
Chazz Surratt's path to the Super Bowl has been anything but linear. He began his UNC career as a quarterback, throwing for over 1,300 yards and eight touchdowns in his first two seasons. But it was his switch to linebacker that changed everything.
In his final two years in Chapel Hill, Surratt became a defensive force, racking up 206 tackles and 12.5 sacks. That transformation caught the attention of NFL scouts, and the Minnesota Vikings took him in the third round of the 2021 draft.
After a stint in Minnesota, Surratt spent three seasons with the New York Jets, appearing in 32 games. He signed with the San Francisco 49ers this past offseason but didn’t make the final roster. Seattle picked him up, and he found a role on special teams, playing in 11 games and recording 11 special-teams tackles before an ankle injury in Week 12 sidelined him.
Now designated to return from injured reserve, Surratt has a shot to be active for the Super Bowl - a potential comeback story fitting for a player who’s reinvented himself more than once.
Amari Gainer: Fighting for a Spot, One Step at a Time
Amari Gainer’s NFL journey is just beginning. After transferring to UNC from Florida State for his final college season in 2023, Gainer made an impact in Chapel Hill with 27 tackles, six tackles for loss, and 2.5 sacks across 13 games.
He went undrafted in 2024 but signed with the Las Vegas Raiders before eventually landing with the Seahawks. Currently on Seattle’s practice squad, Gainer isn’t expected to play in the Super Bowl, but being part of a championship-caliber roster is a valuable step in his development.
For Gainer, this experience offers a front-row seat to what it takes to compete at the highest level - and that’s something he can build on as he continues to chase a bigger role in the league.
A Tar Heel Touch on the NFL's Biggest Stage
Whether it’s Maye slinging touchdown passes, Hollins making clutch grabs, Surratt flying downfield on special teams, or Gainer grinding behind the scenes, the Tar Heels are well-represented in Super Bowl LX.
It’s a reminder of how far a UNC football foundation can take you - and how different paths can all lead to the same destination. Come Super Bowl Sunday, two of these former Heels will walk away with a ring. The only question left is: which ones?