North Carolina quarterback Max Johnson (14) passes during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Minnesota, Thursday, Aug. 29, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Max Johnson, who began UNC football’s opening game as the starting quarterback, will miss the remainder of the 2024 season after suffering a broken right leg vs. Minnesota.
The program shared a release on Friday afternoon saying Johnson successfully underwent surgery in Minneapolis and will be staying in the area before returning to Chapel Hill in a few days. UNC said the Athens, Ga. native is expected to make a full recovery from the injury at the expense of the rest of the football season.
Johnson left the Tar Heels’ season opener on Thursday night in the third quarter on a cart, after his leg and knee got bent underneath him and a defender during a tackle. The five-year collegiate veteran was playing his first competitive snaps with the Tar Heels after having played two seasons at LSU and two seasons at Texas A&M before transferring to Carolina. The television broadcast showed an emotional Johnson on the cart, and his parents in the stands, as he was removed from the game. Friday’s release from the UNC program said Johnson’s parents accompanied him during the hospital stay and surgery.
"My mom was a 3-time QB mom, it's a hard job… every eyeball judges a QB on every single play and moms carry that weight."@BrockHuard gets emotional while watching Max Johnson's mom in tears after her son exited the game due to injury 💔 pic.twitter.com/PJuMsn7pCV
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) August 30, 2024
Although he’s a college graduate, Johnson is technically a redshirt junior and will have another year of NCAA eligibility left following the 2024 season.
During Thursday’s game, redshirt sophomore Conner Harrell replaced Johnson under center and Carolina beat Minnesota 19-17. Despite the injury, Johnson was the Tar Heels’ lone touchdown scorer in the game, having gotten into the end zone after a scramble and dive during the second quarter.
After the game, several Tar Heel teammates expressed their concern and support of Johnson — with head coach Mack Brown also committing to giving the quarterback one of the night’s game balls.
“Max doesn’t know it yet,” said Brown during the post-game press conference, while Johnson was being evaluated at the hospital. “We will get that word to him when we can talk to him.”
“I hated that Max got hurt — I thought he was getting his confidence and coming into his own in the third quarter when he got hurt,” the head coach said earlier. “He’s in our thoughts and prayers, for sure.”
Moving forward, Harrell is expected to take over the starting duties for the Tar Heels’ next game against Charlotte on Saturday, September 7. Grad student Jacolby Criswell and freshman DJ Mazzone are the only other quarterbacks listed on UNC’s 2024 roster.
Featured photo via AP Photo/Abbie Parr.
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