Ryan Hoffman left behind many questions for those who knew him

Posted Dec 2, 2015
Ryan Hoffman and his family believed that the hits he took during his football career had profoundly damaged his brain, and they were sure that the sport had caused him to unravel, thread by thread, until there was hardly anything left for him to live for. He had been a physical marvel once: a 6-foot-5, 287-pound left tackle for North Carolina in the 1990s, a starter for a team ranked in the top 10. (New York Times)

Related: Football, Football Recruiting

Video: UNC Football 2026 Preview with Bill Belichick, Jordan Shipp, Melkart Abou Jaoude
Bill Belichick enters year two in Chapel Hill. Defensive end Melkart Abou Jaoude returns to help anchor the UNC defense, and wide receiver Jordan Shipp...
Sat Aug 8, 2026

Bill Belichick Breaks Down Four Key UNC Defenders
UNC Football opened Week 2 of training camp Thursday morning at the Koman Practice Complex and there’s still plenty to learn about the Tar Heels’...
Sat Aug 8, 2026

Power Echols Signs With Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks signed linebacker Power Echols on Friday. Echols, a three-year starter and a team captain at North Carolina, initially came into the league...
Sat Aug 8, 2026

A Bill Belichick call at Buc-ee’s changed UNC LB Derek McDonald’s football path
Derek McDonald was at a Buc-ee’s in Florida, unsure where the next step in his football journey would take him when he got a phone...
Sat Aug 8, 2026