A major domino falls to kick off the UNC football program's offseason

The first major domino for the UNC football program's offseason has officially dropped.

Chris Culliver set to enter the transfer portal

After not appearing in the final six games of the 2025 season, Chris Culliver took to social media to announce that he will be entering the transfer portal once it officially opens on January 2.

At the start of the season, Culliver was factoring in heavily among the program's offensive attack. The Maiden, North Carolina native started each of the first four games of the Bill Belichick era, recording five catches for 100 yards, including a 51-yard score.

Targeted 13 times, drops were a bit of an issue for the talented wide receiver. He recorded three drops, which could've played a role in his diminished role on offense.

The writing was on the wall

Given the circumstances surrounding the situation, this all but felt as if this was the eventual outcome. The junior spent three seasons at North Carolina but was never able to carve out a major role for an entire season, as he will now look at other options to get a fresh start as he heads into his true senior year.

It will be interesting to see if Culliver will qualify for a red shirt season, given his lack of participation in the final six games of the year. His stock as a transfer will grow if he's able to commit for two seasons as opposed to just the one he currently has available to him.

What's next?

This is a simple one: expect more announcements on the future of certain UNC football players.

Now, the transfer portal has made this the new "norm," as players and coaches alike will be in and out like revolving doors across the country. Culliver is a pretty big name to get the ball rolling, but the hope is that Belichick and company can retain some of its bright young stars heading into 2026.