You can always count on Troy Aikman to speak his mind. This time, the Hall of Fame quarterback and ESPN NFL color commentator seemed to be echoing the growing frustration aimed at Bill Belichick. It all started on Monday when CBS Sports’ Ross Martin reported that Belichick had instructed UNC staff not to post or retweet anything related to the New England Patriots. This also includes content about former Tar Heels QB Drake Maye.

“According to sources inside the UNC football program, it is a directive from the staff (Bill Belichick) to not tweet/retweet anything Patriots-related,” Martin posted on X. “That’s clearly why UNC football has not posted anything from Drake Maye’s electric primetime win over the Buffalo Bills.” 

UNC eventually posted highlights of Maye’s performance, but by then, the story had already sparked outrage. “This is about as bad as it gets for that program. This is pathetic. This is sad. This is embarrassing. It really is. It doesn’t get any worse than this,” Scott Zolak didn’t hold back. This podcast on 98.5 The Sports Hub was later liked by Aikman on Instagram.

“I want to not believe it, but based on the track record of what transpired prior, and the pettiness, that this is truly coming from the petulant old man,” Zolak added. “You’re not going to honor this kid on his coming-out party in the National Football League on the national stage? But you can have him come to your camp and stand there and take pictures with him? That’s all cool and fly back in August.

Well, this is not the first time Troy Aikman spoke bluntly. In September, after the Monday Night Football alongside Joe Buck, Aikman called the Bengals–Broncos matchup a sloppy 28-3 Denver blowout that consisted of 18 penalties and plenty of boos. “The product’s just not very good. I’m gonna be honest,” Aikman said. His blunt criticism felt like it applied beyond the field.

Bill Belichick’s UNC chaos deepens with fresh controversy and mounting losses

Bill Belichick’s run at UNC has gone from rocky to downhill, but the drama just keeps piling up. The six-time Super Bowl champion’s start in Chapel Hill has been a disappointment on the field, and now, it looks like he’s engineering a full-blown mess off it, too.

Last December, Belichick took the reins at North Carolina, but since then, it’s been chaotic. The turbulence seems to be on a never-ending cycle. From making headlines about his relationship with girlfriend Jordon Hudson to a Hulu behind-the-scenes documentary, everything is a disaster for him now. And now comes the latest controversy of Belichick allegedly instructing UNC’s staff not to post anything on the Patriots and Drake Maye.

But the problems didn’t rest there. Winning usually fixes everything, right? But UNC isn’t doing that either. The Tar Heels are sitting at 2-3 under Belichick’s leadership, coming off a brutal 38-10 loss to Clemson. Adding to the drama, UNC cornerbacks coach Armond Hawkins was suspected of violating NCAA rules. According to The Athletic, Hawkins provided special treatment to Thaddeus Dixon, a transfer from Washington who followed defensive coordinator Steve Belichick. Dixon’s family reportedly received pregame field access, which is an NCAA violation under “extra benefits”.

In college football, family members have their own sections in the stands, but field access before kickoff is strictly prohibited. And for Belichick and UNC, it’s just one more fire to put out in what’s exactly becoming a season full of nightmares.