Max Johnson still has some fire left in him, despite the harsh turn of events that made up his career at North Carolina. After missing out on a chance to start for Bill Belichick, he will now take his talents to the G5 level, where a program in need of a veteran leader is betting on his experience.

The former UNC quarterback has joined Georgia Southern. The well-traveled quarterback brings a wealth of experience to the Eagles, having already thrown for nearly 6,400 yards and 49 touchdowns across stints at LSU, Texas A&M, and North Carolina.

Johnson might not have had to leave Chapel Hill if he had stayed healthy. He played a total of only five games as a Tar Heel, having missed the entirety of the 2024 season except the opener. His femur suffered a nasty blow in that game, sparking some concern for the future of his career.

Johnson missed spring camp ahead of last season, complicating his stint at North Carolina. In another reality, he could have had a stellar career if he’d returned and if UNC football had thrived under Bill Belichick. But it was only after continued uncertainty about his return from the injury that the head coach went to the portal and got Gio Lopez.

Lopez started the season for Belichick. However, in their season opener, Johnson got his opportunity after the Tar Heels’ offense couldn’t get anything going against TCU. However, the results didn’t improve significantly for the program, and consequently, the QB position experienced a lot of upheaval. Belichick tried everyone he had available, but no one worked out.

A move to Georgia Southern makes sense for the son of Brad Johnson, who is known for his notable career with the Vikings and winning the Super Bowl with Tampa Bay in 2002. The Eagles don’t have any veteran experience at the position after starting QB JC French entered the portal. While he moves up the ranks to Cincinnati, Max Johnson comes down to take advantage of a great opportunity. His experience playing for big teams will have an impact on this new role.

“I want to play football,” Max told ESPN ahead of the 2025 season. “That’s what I want to do. I’ll never give up.”

Max Johnson is one player who might turn out to be a serious loss for North Carolina. Given the urgency in Chapel Hill around the repairs needed for the 2026 season, things aren’t heading in the right direction.

Bill Belichick lost 22 players in the portal, and his QB room is practically empty

Despite the presence of such a big name in North Carolina football, it has brought little good to the program, football-wise. The idea of the Bill Belichick effect has clearly lost its charm on its people, who are filing out of the program.

As of publication, 22 players have entered the portal. Belichick did sign a Top-10 recruiting class for this year. But will they be able to see in him what the former Tar Heels couldn’t? Baker was actually his top 2025 signee. Gio Lopez had initially planned to stay but chose to leave in the end.

In fact, the biggest portal wins for Bill Belichick are the stars he managed to retain. Stars Jordan Shipp (WR) and Melkart Abou-Jaoude (LB) have re-signed for the 2026 season. However, after the nightmare that was the 2025 roster, it’s unclear how the new one will fare, despite its presence.

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