One played for UNC, the other for NC State. Now they’re Super Bowl rivals, too.
Joe Thuney and Mack Hollins may not realize it, but they are the only two players representing the state of North Carolina in Sunday’s Super Bowl LII in Minneapolis.
Former N.C. State standout Thuney, a second-year offensive lineman for the New England Patriots, will be trying to win his second straight Super Bowl. Hollins, a former standout at North Carolina, is a rookie wide receiver with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Thuney has been steady for the Patriots after being chosen in the third round of the 2016 NFL draft with the 78th overall pick. Thuney has started every game at left guard over the past two seasons, including the 34-28 win over the Atlanta Falcons in last year’s Super Bowl.
Thuney played in 41 games at N.C. State from 2012-15. He was named a first-team All-American by USA Today after his senior season.
Hollins totaled 16 catches for 226 yards and a touchdown for the Eagles during the regular season. His touchdown came on a 64-yard pass from Carson Wentz against the Washington Redskins. He caught one pass for 9 yards in the Eagles’ 15-10 playoff win over Atlanta on Jan. 13 in the divisional round.
Hollins, who walked on at UNC, played in 47 games from 2013-16 at UNC and caught 81 passes for 1,667 yards and 20 touchdowns, including eight each in 2014 and 2015.
Hollins helped UNC to a big win over Thuney’s Wolfpack squad in 2015. Hollins had three catches for 65 yards, including a 53-yard touchdown in the Tar Heels’ 45-34 win over N.C. State.
Thuney got to celebrate last year’s Super Bowl win with former N.C. State teammate Jacoby Brissett, who was a backup QB.
It’s a light year for Super Bowl players from North Carolina. The NFL’s championship game has the fewest players from North Carolina since 2011 when the Packers and the Steelers played in Super Bowl XLV. That game had just Green Bay defensive end C.J. Wilson, an East Carolina product. During the past 10 years there have been as many as six participants from the state in a Super Bowl, including two years ago in Super Bowl 50 when the Carolina Panthers lost to the Denver Broncos.
Sam Newkirk: 919-829-4526, @samnewkirk64
North Carolina players in the past 10 Super Bowls
New England vs. Philadelphia, Feb. 4, 2018
Joe Thuney, NCSU, New England
Mack Hollins, UNC, Philadelphia
New England 34, Atlanta 28 (OT), Feb. 5, 2017
Joe Thuney, NCSU, New England
Jacoby Brissett, NCSU, New England
Justin Hardy, ECU, Atlanta
Ayodeji Olatoye, NC A&T, Atlanta
Denver 24, Carolina 10, Feb. 7, 2016
Jerricho Cotchery, NCSU, Carolina
Kenny Anunike, Duke, Denver
Juwan Thompson, Duke, Denver
Tre Boston, UNC, Carolina
Sylvester Williams, UNC, Denver
Josh Bush, Wake Forest, Denver
New England 28, Seattle 24, Feb. 1, 2015
Steven Hauschka, NCSU, Seattle
J.R. Sweezy, NCSU, Seattle
Russell Wilson, NCSU, Seattle
Cooper Helfet, Duke, Seattle
Seattle 43, Denver 8, Feb. 2, 2014
Steven Hauschka, NCSU, Seattle
J.R. Sweezy, NCSU, Seattle
Russell Wilson, NCSU, Seattle
Nate Irving, NCSU, Denver
Cooper Helfet, Duke, Seattle
Steve Vallos, Wake Forest, Denver
Baltimore 34, San Francisco 31, Feb. 3, 2013
Michael McAdoo, UNC, Baltimore
Vonta Leach, ECU, Baltimore
Daniel Kilgore, Appalachian State, San Francisco
N.Y. Giants 21, New England 17, Feb. 5, 2012
Andre Brown, NCSU, N.Y. Giants
Marvin Austin, UNC, N.Y. Giants
Hakeem Nicks, UNC, N.Y. Giants
Linval Joseph, ECU, N.Y. Giants
Green Bay 31, Pittsburgh 25, Feb. 6, 2011
C.J. Wilson, ECU, Green Bay
New Orleans 31, Indianapolis 17, Feb. 7, 2010
DeMario Pressley, NCSU, New Orleans
Jeff Saturday, UNC, Indianapolis
Pittsburgh 27, Arizona 23, Feb. 1, 2009
Adrian Wilson, NCSU, Arizona
Patrick Bailey, Duke, Pittsburgh
Willie Parker, UNC, Pittsburgh
Jeff Reed, UNC, Pittsburgh
Greg Warren, UNC, Pittsburgh
This story was originally published February 2, 2018 at 1:07 PM with the headline "One played for UNC, the other for NC State. Now they’re Super Bowl rivals, too.."