Legendary UNC QB to boycott UNC football games
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Few fan bases understand Marquise Williams’ loyalty to North Carolina better than Tar Heel fans.
The former star quarterback has long been one of the program’s most visible supporters, both during his playing days and in the years since. He’s a regular at Kenan Stadium and is often on hand for UNC football games.
He’s more than a familiar face on the sideline, too. His on-field résumé carries real weight.
Williams set more than 20 North Carolina records, including most career rushing yards and rushing touchdowns by a quarterback, as well as career total offense. His 99 total touchdowns were a school record before Sam Howell broke it.
His best season came in 2015, when he led the Tar Heels to their first ACC championship game appearance and an 11-win season, the program’s first since 1997. That year, he threw for 3,072 yards with 24 touchdowns and 10 interceptions, and added 948 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns on the ground.
That history is what makes his latest social media activity so alarming. On Thursday morning, Williams posted on X that he will not attend any UNC football games this season.
I will not be attending any UNC football games this year! The things I’m hearing man I would have never thought💔
— Marquise Williams (@1MjWilliams2) March 12, 2026
For someone who has consistently backed his alma mater and the program he once led, that’s a troubling development.
What went wrong?
While more context is still needed, there could be several different reasons Williams is frustrated with the football program.
For starters, Williams might not be happy with the direction of the program under Bill Belichick, whose tenure began with a 4-8 season and no bowl appearance for the first time since 2018.
Williams and other former Tar Heels also may feel pushed to the margins under the new regime. During his tenure, Mack Brown made the “family” element central to the program, creating space for alumni not just to visit Chapel Hill, but to stay involved in mentoring the current team and contributing to its development, chemistry and success.
If it’s in fact a Belichick-related issue, this is the price UNC chancellor Lee Roberts and the board of trustees must pay, especially given that Belichick does not care for the program. And given how much of a PR move his entire tenure has been, he might have used UNC as a way to get back into the NFL, which obviously did not work.
If Williams’ boycott stays intact, that is a bad omen for signs to come if some of the reasons for why he’s doing it come out.
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This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: UNC Football: Former QB Marquise Williams boycotts UNC football games
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