Greatest former UNC athlete by state (Arkansas): Tommy Thigpen
Posted May 14, 2019
Tommy Thigpen was born in El Dorado, AR, and spent the first 16 years of his life there before moving to Potomac, VA, which is in the outer reaches of the Washington, D.C., suburbs. From there, he was heavily recruited by Mack Brown to the University of North Carolina. The decision to attend UNC propelled Thigpen to a long and successful career in football.
(Tar Heel Illustrated)
Related: Football, Football Recruiting
James Spurling, Longtime UNC Athletics Staff Member, Passes AwayJames Spurling, whose selfless nature, honesty, commitment to teamwork, and dedication to all things Tar Heels wove him through the tapestry of Carolina for more...
Thu Feb 5, 2026Chansky’s Notebook: Super Bowl History
Before Drake Maye takes the field Sunday, sixteen other Tar Heels have played in more than 20 Super Bowls and won. Receiver Mack Hollins played...
Thu Feb 5, 2026
The key to Super Bowl quarterback Drake Maye's success? Being a little brother
In sports, some siblings are so accomplished they can be recognized only by their surnames. The Manning brothers. The Williams sisters. In North Carolina they...
Thu Feb 5, 2026
Young Drake Maye: How a future Super Bowl QB shredded an NC youth football league
They still remember it today. Everyone who saw Drake Maye on a football field on Saturday mornings in Huntersville, N.C., from age 6 to 12,...
Wed Feb 4, 2026