While there’s only one more college football game this season, you’ll be able to catch the NFL Playoffs starting this weekend.
Several former Tar Heels are postseason-bound, most notably MVP candidate Drake Maye, quarterback of the New England Patriots. Mack Hollins, a wide receiver who played at UNC from 2014-2016, will be catching passes from Maye.
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On the coaching side, there’s a former North Carolina player leading the charge. Ben Johnson, a walk-on quarterback for the Tar Heels from 2004-2007, is now head coach of the Chicago Bears.
Johnson, in his first season leading Chicago (11-6), has his new team playoff-bound for the first time since 2020. The Bears, who will battle with their archrival Green Bay Packers at 8 p.m. ET Saturday, are searching for their first postseason win since 2010.
Entering 2025, Chicago suffered through four straight sub-.500 seasons. The Bears couldn’t find an answer at quarterback, while simultaneously having a bad head coach in Matt Eberflus.
Johnson has a proven track record of success in the NFL. As an offensive coordinator in 2024, Johnson anchored the Detroit Lions’ top-ranked offense, leading them to a 15-2 record and the NFC’s top overall seed. Detroit lost a 45-31 thumper to the Washington Commanders, but that doesn’t take away from Johnson’s accomplishments.
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Now in the Windy City, Johnson has his group of guys ready to battle for each other. In just one season, Johnson took Chicago from the NFC’s laughingstock to a team that, with plenty of young talent, will be a contender for years to come.
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This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: UNC football’s Ben Johnson leading Chicago Bears into NFL Postseason