There are currently only four NFL teams left in the playoff picture, with four former UNC football standouts scattered among those rosters. The one that deserves the most mention, though, is MVP contender Drake Maye.
Meyer, who plays as a quarterback at North Carolina from 2021 to 2023, is leading the New England Patriots to their most successful season since the Bill Belichick era as head coach. Meyer leads the team to its first AFC Championship game since 2019, when New England won the most recent Super Bowl title.
advertise
On Thursday, Meyer earned well-deserved recognition for her groundbreaking campaign, earning an honor from The Associated Press five NFL MVP finalist nomination.
Joining Meyer in this unique group are San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey, Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen, Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence and Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford, who is widely considered the MVP front-runner.
The Patriots will face the Denver Broncos in a cold AFC Championship game on Sunday at 3 p.m., and Meyer has a prime chance to win MVP.
Bias aside, Meyer made an extremely strong case for winning MVP in his “sophomore” NFL season. Meyer’s 4,394 passing yards ranked fourth among regular-season quarterbacks, his 31 passing touchdowns ranked third, and his 77.1 QB rating ranked first in the NFL.
advertise
Meyer also rushed for 450 yards and four rushing touchdowns during the regular season, showcasing his dual-threat ability as a Tar Heel.
Despite committing five turnovers in the postseason, Meyer still performed well, leading New England to a Super Bowl victory. Meyer completed 33 of his first 56 passes for 447 yards and four touchdowns while rushing 14 times for 76 yards.
If Meyer can take better care of the football on Sunday and his offensive line can hold up, Meyer will undoubtedly put an exclamation point on his NFL MVP award.
follow us @TarHeelsWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page. Facebook Follow continued coverage of North Carolina tar heels News, Notes and Views.
advertise
This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: Drake Maye named finalist for 2025 AP NFL MVP Award