Reinforcements appear to be on the way for Bill Belichick and the UNC football program ahead of their rivalry matchup this weekend against Duke.
On Thursday night, the ACC injury report was revealed ahead of this weekend's action. One very notable player was absent from the report for the Tar Heels for the first time in over a month, a likely sign that this defensive playmaker will return to action on Saturday afternoon.
North Carolina CB Thaddeus Dixon expected to play vs. Duke
Star cornerback Thaddeus Dixon suffered what appeared to be an upper-body injury in North Carolina's loss to Clemson on October 6. He left the game in the second quarter and hasn't returned since, as UNC fans have anxiously awaited his return to the field.
As a starter for the first five games of the 2025 season, Dixon provided a lockdown defender who made teams weary of throwing the football his way. He recorded 14 tackles and three pass deflections, only allowing 9 catches on the 16 plays he was targeted.
It's been stated by Belichick that Dixon was making progress, and it now appears that he's going to be ready to go for the final stretch of the regular season.
What this means for North Carolina
If all goes according to plan, Dixon is rejoining a defensive unit that has been extremely productive in his absence.
As the defensive unit has emerged as one of the best in the country, adding a lockdown corner to the mix will just elevate that even more. While Dixon's presence was missed, it allowed the opportunity for others to gain valuable experience within the secondary, as it's safe to say this group drastically improved in just a short period of time.
Not only is Dixon expected to return but so is fellow defensive back Kaleb Cost, who was sidelined for last weekend's loss to Wake Forest due to injury.
Fans should be pumped to have Dixon back, adding him back into the fold as North Carolina aims to win out to become bowl eligible.