The most prolific quarterback in UNC football history is now a Cheesehead.

It was announced late Thursday afternoon that Marquise Williams, who went undrafted in April’s NFL Draft, was signed to a rookie contract by the Green Bay Packers.

The Charlotte native also had a tryout with the Packers’ division rival–the Minnesota Vikings–earlier this month before eventually ending up in Wisconsin.

Now the fourth quarterback on Green Bay’s roster, Williams will compete with former UCLA star Brett Hundley and fellow rookie Joe Callahan–last season’s Division III Player of the Year at Wesley College.

Each man will battle during training camp to be the backup to Aaron Rodgers, with at least one of them likely to be cut during the preseason.

Tar Heels vs Cavaliers

Marquise Williams added an extra dimension to the UNC offense with his superb rushing skills. (Photo via Smith Cameron Photography)

Williams also leaves behind a legacy that still may loom over Kenan Stadium in the fall.

Junior Mitch Trubisky will take control of the Tar Heel offense after two years studying under Williams–and at times taking over for him whenever he was struggling, or if his helmet was knocked off by a defender.

A highly talented player in his own right, Trubisky will still have some large shoes to fill.

Over the course of his career in Chapel Hill, Williams played in 48 games–starting in 33 of them. He also set or tied more than 20 school records at the helm of head coach Larry Fedora’s spread offense.

No Tar Heel signal caller has ever run for as many yards (2,458) or touchdowns (35) as the 23-year-old Williams.

Clemson’s Tajh Boyd (2010-2013) and NC State’s Philip Rivers (2000-2003) are the only ACC quarterbacks to have tallied more than Williams’ 99 career touchdowns–when factoring in passing, rushing and receiving scores.

That versatility helped the Tar Heels become one of the nation’s premier offensive forces over the past couple seasons, as he capped his career in 2015 by leading UNC to its first ACC Coastal Division Championship en route to a school-record 11 wins.

Related Stories
‹
Julius Peppers Announces Retirement Following 17-Year NFL Career
After spending the last 17 seasons as one of the most feared pass rushers in the NFL, former Tar Heel star Julius Peppers announced Friday that he will be retiring. The No. 2 overall pick of the 2002 draft coming out of UNC, Peppers ends his career with 159.5 sacks–a number good enough for fourth […]
Bernard Scores Two Touchdowns In Bengals 20-10 Win
NFL rookie and former Tar Heel standout, Giovani Bernard found the goal line twice Monday night in his Cincinnati Bengals’ 20-10 win against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
UNC Football Single Game Tickets Go On Sale Monday
Beginning on Monday at 9 a.m., single-game UNC football tickets for the 2021 season will be available to the general public. Season tickets have already sold out according to the school, as the Tar Heels look to meet the high expectations awaiting them for the upcoming campaign. Limited quantities are available, with pricing starting at […]
Sam Howell Selected to Davey O'Brien Award Watch List
Preseason accolades continue to roll in for UNC junior quarterback Sam Howell, who was named earlier this week to the watch list for the Davey O’Brien Award. Howell was one of 30 players on this year’s watch list for an award which has been presented annually to the top quarterback in the country since 1981. […]
Ty Chandler Selected to Watch List for Doak Walker Award
Ahead of his first year with the Tar Heels, Tennessee running back transfer Ty Chandler was named Wednesday to the watch list for the Doak Walker Award. The award is presented the top running back in college football. Chandler arrives in Chapel Hill ranked fifth in Tennessee history with 3,245 all-purpose yards — 2,015 of […]
Former UNC Kicker Noah Ruggles Transferring to Ohio State
Through a post on Instagram earlier this week, former UNC kicker Noah Ruggles announced he has accepted a scholarship offer to take over the kicking position at Ohio State. Ruggles will join the Buckeyes as a graduate transfer with two years of eligibility remaining — filling a desperate need on special teams for one of […]
Kick-Off Times and TV Info Revealed for Five UNC Football Games
The UNC football program revealed Thursday that it has received the game times and TV information for five games in the upcoming 2021 season. First is the season opener in Blacksburg against Virginia Tech, which will kick off at 6 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 3 and air on ESPN. The Tar Heels then move on […]
UNC Agrees to Home-and-Home Football Series With South Carolina
UNC announced Monday that it has agreed to a home-and-home football series against South Carolina, with the games set to take place during the 2028 and 2029 seasons. The first of the two games will happen in Columbia, SC on Sept. 2, 2028. South Carolina will then make the return trip to Kenan Stadium for […]
New York Jets Select Michael Carter In Fourth Round of NFL Draft
Day Three of this year’s NFL Draft began very similar to Day Two, with a Tar Heel running back taken off the board early–as the New York Jets selected Michael Carter with the second pick of the afternoon and 107th overall. Carter’s partner in the UNC backfield last season, Javonte Williams, was taken with the […]
Javonte Williams Selected No. 35 in NFL Draft by Denver
UNC junior running back Javonte Williams became the first Tar Heel off the board in this year’s NFL Draft on Friday night, as the Denver Broncos selected him in the second round with the No. 35 overall pick. Williams ran for 2,297 yards and 29 touchdowns during his three years at UNC, including setting a […]
›