Bill Belichick’s Class of 2026 quarterback commit, who terrorized Georgia high school defenses, suddenly found himself on the sidelines at the end of August. On August 22, in a high-stakes clash against Thompson High, Travis Burgess went down into the trenches. On the second play of the game, he was trying to throw the ball when he was tackled by the opponent’s defender. He was taken to the sidelines with a torn ACL, putting an end to his 2025 season. Following the surgery, the 6’5, 205-pound quarterback has given an update on his health.

On Wednesday, the Georgia native QB shared a snap of himself resting on a hospital bed, his foot still under the braces. “Surgery went well 🙏🏽Thanks to everyone for the thoughts and prayers #4theG #tarheels,” he wrote. Travis Burgess, the Tar Heels’ prized class of 2026 commit, had more than 20 offers in hand, but chose to go with Bill Belichick’s roster. His ultimate goal? To be in the NFL. And what better place than the “33rd NFL team,” as Belichick claims it.

Burgess threw more than 2,200 yards, 23 touchdowns, and added nearly 600 rushing yards with four more scores while leading Grayson High to a GHSA Class 6A state title. But instead of defending that crown this fall, the signal caller is facing an unexpected setback.

Travis Burgess entered the national conversation during the Elite 11 event, the quarterback camp that showcases fresh talent from across the country, and saw to his potential. “He really stood out,” said Justin Hoover, an Elite 11 coach. “He was a big riser for me.” His prowess on the turf bled into his overall rankings. Earlier, a three-star, No. 30th-ranked QB across the country saw a huge spike in his rankings following his Elite 11 stock display. Presently, he enjoys the No. 14th rank as a quarterback in the Class of 2026.

Although his injury has put him out of further season appearances. Nevertheless, he is still excited to begin his next chapter at Chapel Hill come next year.

What’s next for Bill Belichick’s future QB

Ever since Bill Belichick hit the gravel at Chapel Hill, he has given a major chunk of time to recruiting efforts. One of which was the recruitment of Travis Burgess. The Rams’ star quarterback was eager to be coached by the former Patriots head coach, and called being recruited by the NFL legend “awesome”.

When Burgess and his family visited Chapel Hill, the head coach nit-picked Burgess’ game films, prodding further about his decisions on the turf, and why he made those, discussing his progress on that front. In his first years as a starting quarterback for the Rams, he chipped in 24 touchdown passes, with just four interceptions. In addition to that, he recorded four more touchdowns. Belichick told, “I’m gonna show you why I wanted to recruit you,” and proceeded to show his game film where he led the Rams to a 7A state title.

But Belichick does not have a stacked up QB room yet. Previously, Class of 2026 Zaid Loot was in, but he later flipped to Syracuse. Others include Class of 2025 Bryce Baker, Au’Tori Newkirk, and Gary Merrill in the fold as of now. But other than Baker, no other quarterback looks promising for the future. And Travis’ injury exacerbated the Tar Heels’ problems. North Carolina will be holding it breath for Burgess’ recovery curve.

As a Tar Heel commit, he is in awe of the football program. Regular interactions and meetings with the roster keep him hooked and excited for his future. “The quarterbacks meet every Wednesday and talk about the game of football,” he said. “And then they talk about the life of football because there is the physical and the mental. So,  just being able to sit in there in those meetings with Bill Belichick and the other quarterbacks has been awesome,” he added. In addition to being a football standout, he helped the Grayson High School basketball team win its first title.