Max Johnson will return to North Carolina in 2025 after season-ending leg injury

Injured North Carolina quarterback Max Johnson intends to return and play for the Tar Heels in 2025 after breaking his leg in the season opener, according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel. Johnson is a graduate transfer and will presumably take a medical redshirt for 2024.

Johnson broke his leg during the second half of the season opener against Minnesota and will miss the rest of the 2024 season. In his stead, North Carolina is start Conner Harrell at quarterback.

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“I have a lot of football left in me, and know I will be back out there next year,” Johnson said to ESPN.

Head coach Mack Brown originally revealed the day after the game that Johnson would be out for the year. Johnson originally stayed overnight at a hospital in Minneapolis after North Carolina’s Thursday game. Brown said Johnson would have another procedure that Monday and could be back in a week. However, Brown also clarified it could be “two weeks” before Johnson could return to campus, per Inside Carolina.

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The injury occurred when UNC was trailing the Gophers in the third quarter. Johnson dropped back in the pocket on third down before being taken down by a Minnesota defender. He remained on the ground for an extended period of time as he was tended to by medical staff and trainers on hand.

Eventually, a cart was brought to him and escorted him off the field.

Johnson finished the game 12 of 19 with 71 yards and an interception to go with a rushing touchdown. 

A fifth-year college journeyman, Johnson spent the last four seasons with the LSU Tigers and the Texas A&M Aggies, Johnson has thrown for 5,853 yards and 47 touchdowns while completing 60.5 percent of his passes. He signed with LSU as part of the Class of 2020 and was the Tigers’ starter in 2021, throwing for 27 touchdowns.

And with Johnson out for the rest of the year, Harrell is stepping into the limelight.

Harrell spoke about his readiness for this opportunity to start his media availability earlier this week. All in all, though, he’s as ready as he would have been as a reserve because nothing about his process is shifting although he’s moving up on the depth chart. That’s because of how set that he has to be in every game regardless of how much that he would have played each week.

“Nothing different,” said Harrell. “Yeah, I know, nothing different. Just preparing like I always would. Nothing different.”

“I’d say – I said this in the last interview also. I always have to prepare like I’m going to play because I get my opportunity, I’m not ready, and then, you know, that’s not the best,” Harrell said. “So I always have to prepare week-to-week like I’m going to play. You know, I try to do that. I try to be the same person week-to-week.”

On3’s Nick Kosko and Sam Gillenwater contributed to this report.