While the University of North Carolina has produced more than 230 National Football League players overall, led by the likes of Lawrence Taylor and Julius Peppers, the Tar Heels have had shockingly little success at sending quarterbacks to the NFL.
In fact, only two UNC players have even become starting quarterbacks at the next level, and that’s in the history of a league that was founded in 1920, more than a century ago.
Here in 2022, two former Tar Heels, Pittsburgh Steelers veteran Mitch Trubisky and Washington Commanders rookie Sam Howell, would like to change that narrative.
Trubisky, who will turn 28 years old on Saturday, is already the most successful NFL quarterback in UNC history. The No. 2 overall pick in the 2017 draft, he started 50 games during his four seasons with Chicago, going 29-21 and leading the Bears to two playoff appearances. After spending last year as the top backup in Buffalo, he’s projected as the Steelers’ starter this fall.
Mitch Trubisky used a stellar 2016 season at UNC to vault to No. 2 overall in the NFL Draft, but struggled to find the same success with the Chicago Bears. (Jeffrey A. Camarati/ UNC Athletics)
Howell, who will turn 22 in September, was the Commanders’ fifth-round draft pick this spring, after becoming the most prolific passer in UNC history, with more than 10,000 passing yards and 92 TD passes during his three seasons in Chapel Hill. So far in the preseason, he has been Washington’s third-string QB, behind veterans Carson Wentz and Taylor Heinicke.
Pending Howell’s development, Trubisky and TJ Yates are the only former Carolina players who have ever started NFL regular-season games at quarterback and produced documented passing statistics. Yates, who played for the Tar Heels from 2007-10, started 12 games (including two in the postseason) for the Houston Texans from 2011-17.
Every other Big Four program already has produced at least one legendary NFL quarterback.
Former Duke star Sonny Jurgensen, who started at QB and defensive back for the Blue Devils, played 18 seasons in the NFL, from 1957-74, throwing for more than 32,000 yards, earning four All-Pro honors, making five Pro Bowls and leading the league in passing yards five times. He’s a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Former Wake Forest All-American Norm Snead played 16 seasons in the NFL, from 1961-76, throwing for more than 30,000 yards and making four Pro Bowls.
North Carolina State has had three of its star quarterbacks go on to become superstars in the NFL: Roman Gabriel over 16 seasons (1962-77), Philip Rivers for 17 seasons (2004-20) and Russell Wilson for 10 seasons and counting (2012-present).
Photo via Geoff Burke/USA TODAY Sports
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