Pro Football History.com Blog

Most Successful NFL Players Who Have Played for North Carolina Tar Heels

April 17th, 2024

Although the North Carolina Tar Heels football program is not one of the biggest in college football, it has still been very successful, producing players who have gone on to have fantastic careers in the professional ranks.

Here is a look at some of the most successful NFL players to have played for the North Carolina Tar Heels in their college careers.

Sam Howell

Quarterback Sam Howell played 37 matches for North Carolina in college football, breaking several records, including the most touchdown passes and passing yards in a single season. He finished his spell with the Tar Heels with over 10,000 passing yards.

Howell was selected in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL Draft by the Washington Commanders. In just his second season with the NFC East team, he was named the starting quarterback. He threw for 3,946 yards and had 21 passing touchdowns.

The former North Carolina QB was traded to the Seattle Seahawks earlier this year where he will be fighting for the starting position in the team during the offseason. Seattle is +3300 to win the Super Bowl next season. Those looking to back Howell’s side should consider using an ESPN bet NC promo code, as you can pick up a $150 bonus with both BetMGM and bet365 from just a $5 bet.

Mitch Trubisky

Current NFL QB Mitch Trubisky spent four years with the North Carolina Tar Heels between 2013 and 2016. His biggest year came in his final season in college football, as he recorded 30 passing touchdowns and had 3,748 passing yards. What Trubisky achieved in his final year in North Carolina was enough to convince the Chicago Bears to move up the board to draft him as the second overall pick in 2017. It looked as though the NFC North team had selected well, as he led them to playoffs in 2018, following an 11-3 record in the regular season.

Unfortunately for Trubisky, things didn’t work out for him in Chicago following that excellent second season. He played six games for the Buffalo Bills in 2021, while he spent two years on the roster of the Pittsburgh Steelers between 2022 and 2023.

Trubisky has rejoined the Bills where he will be the backup to Josh Allen in 2024. The 29-year-old will be hoping to get another chance to shine in the NFL and prove he can still deliver like he did as a Pro Bowler in 2018.

Lawrence Taylor

Pro Football Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor is widely considered the greatest defensive player in the history of the NFL. He played college football for North Carolina between 1977 and 1980, before being selected as the second overall pick in the 1981 NFL Draft.

Taylor spent his whole NFL career with the New York Giants, winning two Super Bowl crowns. He was named the league’s MVP in 1986, a rare feat for a defensive player. The linebacker also won the NFL Defensive Player of the Year award in his rookie season. Something that has not been replicated since. The former Tar Heels great ended his NFL career with over 1,000 tackles. He is one of the best NFL players in history and everybody at North Carolina is proud of what he went on to achieve as a professional.

Julius Peppers

Defensive end Julius Peppers was named a unanimous All-American whilst playing for North Carolina in 2001. That was his final year in college football before he was drafted by the Carolina Panthers as the second overall pick in the 2002 NFL Draft.

Peppers won the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year in his opening season in the professional league after recording 12 sacks and five forced fumbles. He later went on to feature for the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers.

The nine-time Pro Bowler is the only Carolina Panthers played inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He is one of the best defensive ends in the history of college and professional football.

Chris Hanburger

Five-time First-team All-Pro Chris Hanburger featured in various positions for the Tar Heels during his college football spell. He was a versatile player who won the Gator Bowl with North Carolina in 1963.

Hanburger played all his professional career with Washington as a linebacker. He lined up in the Pro Bowl nine times, the most by any player in the franchise’s history. He is now in the Commanders’ Ring of Fame and the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The former Tar Heels player was elected into the latter in 2011.

North Carolina will be back in action in the 2024 ACC conference football season in early September. Their latest batch of players will be hoping to replicate some of the success that the Tar Heels’ greats have had in the sport.

Profiling the Australian Players Appearing in NFL

April 9th, 2024

Sport, music and casinos are among the top pursuits in Australia, with live performances and games like slots entertaining natives all year around. From events, gigs and Erik King's no deposit bonuses which are easy to use and provide players the ability to strategize and develop casino skills, these pursuits offer an exciting thrill for people who enjoy the pursuit of gaming and an adrenaline rush on the field and main stage.

When it comes to sport in particular, rugby is the most watched sport in Australia, with millions tuning in to watch league games and, of course, the World Cup. Aussie rules football is also hugely popular, with more than one million people playing the sport regularly.

Requiring the supreme ability to catch, throw and kick, these two sports share some striking similarities with America’s NFL allowing plenty of Australians to successfully navigate the crossover and make a career in football based on the skills they learned in their homeland Down Under.

This article will profile some of the Australians currently making a name for themselves in the NFL.

Jordan Mailata

The Philadelphia Eagles offensive tackle was born in New South Wales and started his sporting career in rugby league. Appearing for the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs Under 18s and the South Sydney Rabbitohs Under 20s side, it was these displays which caught the attention of the NFL.

Admitting he only watched one game a year - the Super Bowl, of course - Mailata didn’t have a strong knowledge of the sport and had never played American football before when he was invited to try out for the NFL’s International Player Pathway Program.

However, it seems that didn’t matter at all as his talent was enough and he was scouted by Jeff Stoutland to play for the Philadelphia Eagles and has been a starter since 2021.

Daniel Faalele

Faalele is a man mountain with the Baltimore Ravens offensive tackle standing at six foot eight inches and weighing in as the fifth heaviest player in NFL history. The 24-year-old was born in Melbourne and, like Mailata, was spotted after playing rugby in his homeland. Playing football for the University of Minnesota, he had received offers from a host of colleges after impressing at IMG Academy in Florida.

His performances in Minnesota led to recognition and in 2019, he was listed by GQ Australia as one of the country’s 50 Greatest Living Athletes. Two years later he was being tipped for the NFL draft but elected to play college football for his senior year.

However, his talent is so great he was drafted by the Ravens in 2022 and he has since made 32 appearances. Deputizing for Patrick Mekari against the New York Patriots, his showing earned plenty of plaudits as he helped Baltimore earn an important win.

Michael Dickson

Having earned the Golden Boot award during his first year playing Aussie rules football at the age of just nine, Dickson boasted the kicking ability to make it as a sportsman and, in particular, make it in the NFL.

Born in Sydney, the Seattle Seahawks punter showed his talent for football at the University of New South Wales which soon saw him recruited by the Sydney Swans talent academy.

However, despite his obvious skill, it was actually being overlooked by the Australian Football League which set him on a path to the NFL. Failing to be selected in the AFL Draft of 2014, Dickson actively moved to join Prokick Australia in Melbourne to try his luck in NFL.

It proved an inspired decision as he was selected to play by the University of Texas where he would be awarded the ‘Ray Guy Award’ after being identified as college football’s most outstanding punter. Also named a 2017 Texas Bowl MVP and unanimous All-American, this form saw him drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in 2018.

Dickson has since written his name into NFL folklore. The first rookie punter voted into the Pro Bowl since 1985 when he made the grade in 2019, his career punt average of 47.7 yards is the highest in the history of the NFL. The kicking ability he showed as a kid has helped him become a major player in the professional game.

Lou Hedley

Punter Lou Hedley took a more unconventional route into NFL and actually worked as a scaffolder and planned to open a tattoo shop in Bali before deciding to pursue football as a career.

Having played football for Peel Thunder for a season in 2013, Hedley had ability despite struggling to break into the senior side in his native Australia. However, capable of long kicking, he too joined Prokick Australia and by 2017 was on track for an NFL career.

Playing one season of college football at the City College of San Francisco, Hedley was averaging 38.6 punts and in 2019, signed for the Miami Hurricanes. Over four years, his punt average climbed 45.2 yards and in 2022 declared for the NFL draft. Despite not being drafted in 2023, Hedley joined the New Orleans Saints and two months after his 30th birthday, made the 53-man roster.

Summing Up

From punters to offensive tackles, the sports Australians love and have grown up with have set many athletes up for successful careers in the NFL. Aussie rules football and rugby are all about successful throwing, catching and kicking and it’s these skills which have seen so many natives make the switch to America and shine on the global stage of NFL.

Analyzing Kirk Cousins’ Impact: How His Arrival Amplifies Falcons’ Playoff Aspirations

March 18th, 2024

By signing Kirk Cousins to a four-year contract on Monday, the Atlanta Falcons added a proven starting quarterback to their offensive arsenal. Mike McCartney, Cousins' agent, took to social media on Monday to announce the signing. According to ESPN, the agreement is reportedly for $180 million, including a guaranteed sum of $100 million.

For a long time, the Falcons have stocked up on offensive talent, including three first-round draft picks—Drake London, running back Bijan Robinson, and tight end Kyle Pitts. However, since Matt Ryan departed after the 2021 season, they have failed to locate a suitable successor.

Although Cousins is among the top quarterbacks in the NFL, he is 35 years old and had a season-ending tear in his Achilles midway through last season. While Desmond Ridder and Taylor Heinicke had a rough go of it for the Falcons, Kirk Cousins had the third-best passer rating in the league in the eight games the Vikings played before his injury. The quarterback room for the Atlanta Falcons was deemed "deficient" by owner Arthur Blank last season, a sentiment shared by few fans.

Cousins, the prototypical late bloomer, has had some of his best games since the Vikings brought in coach Kevin O'Connell in 2022.

Even though the Vikings wanted to keep Cousins around for a long time, they had to be realistic about how much they could promise due to their salary cap and their rivals in the NFC North, who have been making strides recently and looking good.

Cousins expressed his desire to end his career in Minnesota, but he also needed more than just a one-year contract to feel appreciated.

From being overlooked as a college recruit to being selected in the fourth round and now having for almost 40,000 yards for his career, Cousins has been the epitome of an overachiever on the field. Under McCartney's tutelage, he has also become an expert in the game's business aspects.

Atlanta Falcons at the Bookmakers

The outcome of the Cousins’ signing is that the Falcons' chances of winning the Super Bowl have been reduced from +5000 to +3000. On the other hand, the Vikings are now +7500 from +4000 in the championship odds. Not to forget, the SB odds on the Falcons do not include the use of promotional codes at ESPN Bet. So, technically, there’s room for even greater prices when approached wisely.

Cousins was clearly the most prominent individual on the list. He was a strong contender for the NFL MVP title last season until he sustained a career-ending injury.

Building His Postseason Legacy in Atlanta

Of course, the most frequently asked question now is how Cousins can assist the Falcons in their playoff aspirations.

Adding Cousins to the Falcons' offense—which finished the season ranked 27th in quarterback rating and 22nd in passing yards—should greatly improve their chances of breaking a six-year postseason drought. Cousins can help the Falcons' offense make the most of its three first-round choices in a row: Pitts, receiver Drake London, and running back Bijan Robinson.

With a wager of at least $100 million, the Atlanta Falcons are certainly making a huge gamble on him as the quarterback who can guide this troubled team to its first Super Bowl victory.

Theoretically, Cousins should feel at home in the Falcons' offense under Kevin O'Connell, who coached the Vikings in 2020–21. Zac Robinson, who just joined the Falcons as offensive coordinator, was an assistant with the Rams from 2019–23 when the two of them overlapped. Many have noted that there is already a family presence in the region since Julie, Cousins' wife, is from the Atlanta suburbs, and her parents still reside there.

Although there is a danger in investing much in a 35-year-old who has just had a serious injury, his Achilles tendon surgery seems to have gone well. This past week, he shared a video of himself doing an indoor exercise, and back in January, he described his rehabilitation as "a positive experience," expressing hope that he would be fully ready for the next season.

In his postseason career, Cousins has a paltry 1-3 record. He guided the Vikings to a 13-4 record in 2022, but they were upset by the Giants in their playoff-opening. Regardless of the Falcons' postseason record, Cousins can at least restore their chances of becoming playoff contenders.

Bearish or Bold? Analyzing the Chicago Bears' Strategies for the First Pick

March 14th, 2024

As the NFL draft approaches, the Chicago Bears find themselves in a unique position with the first overall pick. The team could use this valuable selection in a few different ways. One possibility is trading the pick to another team in exchange for multiple picks or players. Another option is using the pick to draft standout quarterback Caleb Williams.

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With all that said, Let's take a closer look at these two potential paths for the Bears.

Trading the Pick

One option the Chicago Bears have with the first overall pick in the NFL draft is to trade it to another team. This could be a strategic move if the Bears feel they have other areas of need that could be addressed by acquiring multiple picks or players in exchange for the top selection. For example, by trading the pick, the Bears could add depth to their roster and address multiple positions of need in one fell swoop.

Several teams are likely to be interested in trading for the first overall pick, as it is a valuable asset in the draft. Teams looking to secure a top quarterback prospect or a game-changing player at another position may be willing to offer a significant package in exchange for the pick. The Bears could leverage this interest to their advantage and make a deal that sets them up for success in the future.

Drafting Caleb Williams

On the other hand, the Chicago Bears could choose to use the first overall pick to draft standout USC quarterback Caleb Williams. Williams is widely regarded as one of the top prospects in the draft and has the potential to be a franchise-changing player for the Bears. By selecting Williams with the first pick, the Bears would secure a talented young quarterback to lead their team for years.

Williams has all the tools to succeed at the NFL level, with a strong arm, impressive accuracy, and excellent decision-making skills. He has shown the ability to make plays with his arm and legs, making him a dual-threat quarterback that could give the Bears' offense a dynamic new dimension. By drafting Williams, the Bears would be investing in the future of their franchise and setting themselves up for success for years to come.

The Justin Fields Dilemma

The Chicago Bears passed up C.J. Stroud and Bryce Young last year because they had Justin Fields, the 11th pick overall in the 2021 draft, in their ranks. Fields has gone 10-28 in his three seasons at the Bears; however, he finished strong at the end of their last campaign, leading the Bears to a 4-3 record over their final seven games of the season. However, Williams, the 2022 Heisman Trophy winner, seems to have all the tools that Fields, unfortunately, lacks in the pro game and is being touted by many as the man to lead the Bears franchise forward to better days.

So, if the Bears choose to make Williams their number-one pick, what does this mean for Fields? The quarterback will likely be put on the off-season trading block and shown off to some quarterback-hungry NFL teams. It was initially thought that Fields could be off to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Nevertheless, reports suggest the franchise has different ideas for its quarterback position.

The Atlanta Falcons, Las Vegas Raiders, and New England Patriots are the other teams expected to target quarterback help this offseason. Fields could provide the perfect opportunity for them to capitalize should the Bears pick Williams, which is looking ever more likely as the draft approaches.

Final Thoughts: Analyzing the Chicago Bears' Strategies for the #1 Pick

Ultimately, the Chicago Bears' decision regarding the first overall pick in the NFL draft will be crucial. Whether they choose to trade the pick for additional assets or use it to draft Caleb Williams, the Bears will be shaping the future of their franchise with this selection. Both options have risks and rewards, and it will be interesting to see which path the Bears ultimately choose.

As the NFL draft approaches, all eyes will be on the Chicago Bears and their decision regarding the first overall pick. Will they trade the pick for additional assets, or will they use it to draft Caleb Williams and secure their future quarterback? Only time will tell, but one thing is for certain—the Bears have a big decision to make, and the future of their franchise hangs in the balance.

Early Front Runners for Coach of the Year

By Stephen Juza

March 12th, 2024

As the league opens the new season with free agency this week, all eyes turn toward the 2024 season. Key players are already on the move in free agency as teams aim to address gaps in their rosters before the upcoming draft next month. As coaches around the league start to strategize for the 2024 season, we look today at the most likely candidates for the Coach of the Year award.

Each new signing or departure has the potential to impact the online betting odds for each coach vying for the award. While losing Kirk Cousins in free agency may hurt the Vikings next year, if they can replace him and show improvement next year, Kevin O'Connell will be in advantageous position to win the award. However, if they falter from last year’s 7-10 record, O’Connell may be looking for work next offseason.

When considering the Coach of the Year, it is rarely given to the best coach in the game. For example, Andy Reid, one of the greatest coaches of the last 30 years, has only won the award once in his career.

While new coaches make up about 20-25% of the league each season, they have won four of the last ten COTY awards. Voters love to focus on a ‘narrative’, and a new coach coming in to lead a team to the playoffs is always a compelling story.

Even if it is not a new coach, coaches need to have a major improvement from the prior season. Since 2014, in the year preceding the COTY win, the teams averaged a 7-9 record - right on the cusp of the playoffs but needing just a little more push. The following year, to secure the award, the average COTY winner led his team to five more wins from the prior season, with the largest turnaround at nine wins for Ron Rivera’s COTY win in 2015 when he led the Panthers to a Super Bowl berth.

So, who are the three coaches to look out for next year?

#1 - Jim Harbaugh, Los Angeles Chargers

Jim Harbaugh will make a lot of noise next season. Returning to the NFL after winning the NCAA championship at his alma mater, Michigan, Harbaugh took one of the prime positions in the league. While the Chargers have some key positions filled with potential stars, his coaching will help them with the push needed to improve on last year’s 5-12 finish. It is not rare that one team will go worst-to-first in their division, and with a little luck, the Chargers can achieve that this year.

With a new coach coming in, if he manages to topple the Kansas City Chiefs’ reign in the AFC West, expect Harbaugh to win his first coach of the year award.

#2 - Sean Payton, Denver Broncos

Staying within the AFC West, another strong candidate for the Coach of the Year award is Sean Payton. After returning to coaching after a brief retirement, the Broncos had extremely high expectations with Payton last year. They all fell flat. An 8-9 finish, with a quarterback debacle that led to Russell Wilson’s release last week was not what the team had in mind when they hired the former Super Bowl winner. Poor results in 2023 only lead to increased pressure in 2024, and the job is not any easier this season.

Entering free agency, the team’s top priority is to replace Wilson, and Payton has had major success at working with quarterbacks throughout his tenure in the league. Spinning yarn into gold this season and replacing the Chiefs at the top of the AFC West will put Payton’s name on his second COTY award.

#3 - Shane Steichen, Indianapolis Colts

The last coach to keep an eye on in 2024 is Shane Steichen. The Colts were able to surprise people last year with a strong 9-8 finish to the season, good for a second-place finish behind 10-7 Houston. However, the season encountered early struggles when rookie starting quarterback Anthony Richardson went down with a season ending injury in the fifth game of the season. While his rookie season was brief, they were signs of the explosive potential he possesses - Richardson ranked first in the league in explosive plays before he went down injured.

While backup quarterback Garner Minshew II left the team in free agency, Richardson’s injury rehab is progressing as expected and began throwing the ball last month. With a healthy Richardson, and enough improvement from the rest of the team to take the division title, Steichen could win his first COTY award of his career next February.