Josh Palmer’s Game-Winner Headlines a Vol-Heavy Opening Weekend in the NFL
A touchdown catch may draw the attention here. But the broader picture is that there are Vols as starters anchoring two blowout wins, rookies logging their first NFL snaps, veterans grinding through injury and roster battles. It is the very real measure of what Tennessee has built at the professional level.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Professional football is back, and so are the former Tennessee Volunteers to watch at the next level. The best Week 1 clip from a former Vols standout came straight out of the heart of Texas. Buffalo trailed Houston at Reliant Stadium, and with the clock bleeding away, it was a Tennessee man who ended it.ee man who ended it.
Josh Palmer turned upfield on a slant with 1:36 left, hauled in a 34-yard strike, and gave the Bills a 36-31 win to open the 2026 season. To me, it was the signature play of Week 1 around the league. and it belonged to a VFL.
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That Was Just One Headline. It Wasn’t The Whole Story.
Across the NFL’s opening weekend, nearly 40 former Tennessee players suited up, started, debuted or waited their turn on a practice squad. It’s a snapshot of just how deep the program’s pipeline into the pros has become. From Kansas City to Chicago, from a first-ever regular-season game in Australia to a rookie’s first defensive snap in Washington, the Volunteers were everywhere.
The Trenches Held
While Palmer’s catch made highlight reels, the more telling performances came up front, where two Tennessee offensive linemen anchored winning teams from start to finish.
Trey Smith started at guard for Kansas City and played every offensive snap, all 69 of them in a 31-10 dismantling of Denver. In Chicago, Darnell Wright started at tackle and played 75 snaps as the Bears piled up 59 points in a lopsided win over Carolina. Neither play was flashy. Both were foundational.
New Faces, First Snaps
Week 1 also marked debuts. Giants cornerback Colton Hood played 18 total snaps in a 28-20 win over Dallas. It was his first regular-season action. I was most impressed that he locked up George Pickens.
Commanders outside linebacker Joshua Josephs got his first NFL defensive snaps, 13 of them, in Washington’s matchup with Philadelphia.
Alontae Taylor pulled on a Titans uniform for the first time and started at cornerback, finishing with six tackles in a loss to the Jets. Half a world away, in the NFL’s first-ever regular-season game played in Australia, Rams safety Jaylen McCollough matched that total, recording six tackles against San Francisco.
The Rest Of The Roster
Beyond the headliners, Tennessee’s fingerprints were on rosters across the league.There were some in reserve roles, some on injured reserve, some biding their time on a practice squad, waiting for their own opening.
Current Vols In the NFL
Here’s a look at where Tennessee’s current NFL players stood after Week 1, from standout performances and NFL debuts to practice squads and injured reserve.
- Joey Aguilar (QB, Jaguars) — Practice squad.
- Dominic Bailey (DT, Texans) — Practice squad.
- Derek Barnett (DE, Browns) — Played 17 defensive snaps at Jacksonville.
- Chris Brazzell II (WR, Panthers) — Injured reserve.
- Morgan Cox (LS, Titans) — Snapped nine times against the Jets.
- Joshua Dobbs (QB, Lions) — Did not see action.
- Bryson Eason (DT, Chiefs) — Did not see action.
- Princeton Fant (TE, Cowboys) — Injured reserve.
- Kamal Hadden (CB, Packers) — Made one tackle at Minnesota.
- Colton Hood (CB, Giants) — NFL debut, 18 total snaps.
- Hendon Hooker (QB, Titans) — Practice squad.
- Jalin Hyatt (WR, Giants) — Practice squad.
- Theo Jackson (DB, Vikings) — Two tackles in a win over Green Bay.
- Jauan Jennings (WR, Vikings) — Played 31 offensive snaps against the Packers.
- Velus Jones Jr. (WR, Seahawks) — Practice squad.
- Joshua Josephs (OLB, Commanders) — NFL debut, 13 defensive snaps.
- Alvin Kamara (RB, Saints) — Did not see action.
- Cade Mays (C, Lions) — Injured reserve.
- Jaylen McCollough (S, Rams) — Six tackles in the NFL’s first game in Australia.
- Jermod McCoy (CB, Raiders) — Did not see action.
- Jalen McMurray (CB, Titans) — Practice squad.
- Joe Milton III (QB, Cowboys) — Practice squad.
- Omarr Norman-Lott (DT, Chiefs) — Injured reserve.
- Josh Palmer (WR, Bills) — Game-winning 34-yard touchdown catch with 1:36 left.
- James Pearce Jr. (DE, Falcons) — NFL exempt list.
- Dylan Sampson (RB, Browns) — Two kickoff returns for 64 yards.
- Elijah Simmons (DT, Buccaneers) — Did not see action.
- Jabari Small (RB, Lions) — Practice squad.
- Trey Smith (OG, Chiefs) — Started, played all 69 offensive snaps.
- Alontae Taylor (CB, Titans) — Titans debut, started, six tackles.
- Dont’e Thornton Jr. (WR, Raiders) — Injured reserve.
- Cedric Tillman (WR, Saints) — Practice squad.
- Shy Tuttle (DT, Commanders) — 16 defensive snaps, one tackle.
- Tyre West (DL, Lions) — Practice squad.
- Darnell Wright (OT, Bears) — Started, played 75 offensive snaps.
- Jaylen Wright (RB, Dolphins) — Two kick returns for 106 yards.
- Byron Young (OLB, Rams) — One tackle in the divisional matchup with the 49ers.
A Program Built For This
One touchdown catch may draw the attention here. But the broader picture is that there are Vols as starters anchoring two blowout wins, rookies logging their first NFL snaps, veterans grinding through injury and roster battles. It is the very real measure of what Tennessee has built at the professional level. Nearly 80% of the names listed played for Josh Heupel, underscoring how much the program’s NFL pipeline has grown since he arrived.
22 Heupel-coached players have been drafted in his time as head coach at UT. It’s the program’s best five-year draft stretch since 2003–07. Week 1 was just the opening chapter.
Read on my draft day coverage from Full Hearts Media:
And Check Out How To Watch The Vols In Week 2 –
Thursday, Sept. 17
- 8:15 PM (Prime Video) Lions at Bills: Joshua Dobbs (Lions), Cade Mays (Lions), Jabari Small (Lions), Tyre West (Lions), Josh Palmer (Bills)
Sunday, Sept. 20 (1:00 PM)
- Panthers at Falcons: Chris Brazzell II (Panthers), James Pearce Jr. (Falcons)
- Saints at Ravens: Alvin Kamara (Saints), Cedric Tillman (Saints)
- Vikings at Bears: Theo Jackson (Vikings), Jauan Jennings (Vikings), Darnell Wright (Bears)
- Bengals at Texans: Dominic Bailey (Texans)
- Steelers at Patriots: no Vols on either roster
- Packers at Jets: Kamal Hadden (Packers)
- Browns at Buccaneers: Derek Barnett (Browns), Dylan Sampson (Browns), Elijah Simmons (Buccaneers)
- Eagles at Titans: Morgan Cox (Titans), Hendon Hooker (Titans), Jalen McMurray (Titans), Alontae Taylor (Titans)
Sunday, Sept. 20
- Jaguars at Broncos: Joey Aguilar (Jaguars)
- Raiders at Chargers: Jermod McCoy (Raiders), Dont’e Thornton Jr. (Raiders)
Sunday, Sept. 20
- Seahawks at Cardinals: Velus Jones Jr. (Seahawks)
- Commanders at Cowboys: Joshua Josephs (Commanders), Shy Tuttle (Commanders), Princeton Fant (Cowboys), Joe Milton III (Cowboys)
- Dolphins at 49ers: Jaylen Wright (Dolphins)
Sunday, Sept. 20 – 8:20 PM (NBC)
- Colts at Chiefs: Bryson Eason (Chiefs), Omarr Norman-Lott (Chiefs), Trey Smith (Chiefs)
Monday, Sept. 21 – 8:15 PM (ESPN)
- Giants at Rams: Colton Hood (Giants), Jalin Hyatt (Giants), Jaylen McCollough (Rams), Byron Young (Rams)
