Chapel Hill should be celebrating, as Tar Heel alum Drake Maye has accomplished a significant feat in the NFL with a prime-time 23-20 win against the Buffalo Bills. Typically, programs take pride in alumni accomplishments, sharing highlights and accolades to rally fans and reinforce their legacy. However, as relayed by Ross Martin, North Carolina has a new directive from the staff (Bill Belichick) not to tweet or retweet anything about the QB alum. Belichick’s decision has certainly raised eyebrows, and billionaire booster Dave Portnoy is not having it.

“This is so petty and so stupid, even if you hate the Krafts… you are the coach at UNC! How are you not letting them do that?” Wake Up Barstool wrote on X. Robert Kraft, the CEO of the New England Patriots, and Belichick enjoyed success for over years, but Kraft’s decision to designate Jerod Mayo as his successor and his ‘firing’ of the HC, put a crack in their relationship. And this tension has dripped down to UNC alumni’s new achievement.

Meanwhile, Maye, selected as the No. 3 pick by the Patriots in the 2024 NFL Draft, led a 37-yard drive, setting up Andy Borregales’ field goal, with 15 seconds left on the clock. Following the victory, Portnoy was beaming from ear to ear. “Drake Maye outplayed Josh Allen,” he said. “Drake Maye is a superstar. The Patriots’ dynasty…get used to this face. You had a decade off without Patriot football. Not anymore.”

Given that Maye is UNC’s biggest asset presently, “A top 5 QB in his second year and the future face of the NFL in a major market,” as Martin put it. It presents a lucrative opportunity for the Tar Heels’ recruiting efforts. Yet Belichick’s decision to suppress Maye’s spotlight undercuts that advantage, especially as the Tar Heels sit at 2–2 under their new coach. CBS Sports even gave Belichick’s early tenure an ‘F’ grade, fueling frustration among UNC faithful.

Portnoy further said, “It hurts me as a Patriots fan, as somebody who loves this guy, to see him( Belichick) rolled out there, embarrassed every single week in this tweet, you’re not going to let the University of North Carolina talk about Drake.” Belichick’s recent decision to put a stop to talk about Drake’s achievement certainly stings. But the rising tensions crackling between Bill Belichick and the Patriots are not a new development.

Bill Belichick bans the Patriots’ scouts

The legend whose NFL career is defined on the Patriots’ pedestal has turned his face away from the very program. During football practices, Patriots scouts were not permitted on the premises to scout talent. John Middlekauf, a former NFL scout turned podcast host, revealed on his show. “I was told by multiple people that he (Belichick) has banned the New England Patriots,” Middlekauff said.

He continued. “If you’re a scout for the New England Patriots, you are not allowed at the University of North Carolina, which is funny but kind of embarrassing.” Back in August, before North Carolina began his season, Belichick spoke to the Boston Globe’s Ben Volin, saying, “It’s a much more cohesive, and I’d say unified, view of what we’re trying to do and how we’re trying to do it. “

For those who have been following the Kraft-Belichick feud, they did not miss the underlying jab in it. “It’s a lot of football, and there’s not much in your way.” He had further continued. “There’s no owner, there’s no owner’s son, there’s no [salary] cap.” Tar Heels might not be grabbing too many eyeballs over their football program, but Bill Belichick’s affairs surely get them the limelight.