Arizona Professional Athletes

Arizona's alumni class didn't waste any time making an impression in the 2026 NFL season. From Las Vegas to Washington to Charlotte, former Wildcats left their mark in Week 1 — for better and worse.

Stukes Announces Himself in the Raiders' Secondary

The most eye-catching debut belonged to rookie safety Treydan Stukes, who picked off a pass in Las Vegas's 27–13 victory over Miami. It didn't take long for the former Arizona standout to make his presence felt at the pro level, and the interception underscored why the Raiders invested in him. For a franchise hungry to establish defensive identity, Stukes looks like a piece worth watching all season.

Croskey-Merritt Scores, but Commanders Fall Short

Running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt gave Washington something to feel good about even in defeat. The former Wildcat rushed for 63 yards and punched in a touchdown against Philadelphia, adding one reception for minus-7 yards in a 24–22 loss to the Eagles. The TD showed Croskey-Merritt's red-zone value, and he's already been vocal about the team's preparation heading into Week 2 against Dallas — a sign he's settled in as a contributor with a voice in the locker room.

McMillan's Debut a Mixed Bag in Panthers' Blowout Loss

Wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan put up respectable individual numbers — 5 catches for 75 yards — but those figures came in the context of a brutal 59–37 blowout loss to the Chicago Bears. McMillan got off to a slow start before finding his footing as the game opened up. The target volume was encouraging for fantasy managers and Panthers fans alike, though Carolina's offense will need to clean things up considerably if McMillan's production is going to matter in the win column.

Folk Stumbles Out of the Gate in Atlanta

Veteran kicker Nick Folk, brought in by the Falcons to stabilize a position that plagued the franchise in 2025, had a rough debut against Pittsburgh. Folk went 0-for-2 on field goal attempts in a 20–13 loss to the Steelers — a jarring start for a player signed specifically for his reliability. Atlanta's front office has expressed confidence in Folk, but the pressure is already mounting after Week 1.

Loop Silences Critics in Baltimore

On the opposite end of the kicking spectrum, Ravens rookie Tyler Loop had a strong outing in Baltimore's 41–23 demolition of the Colts, nailing the longest field goal of his young career. The performance was enough to quiet any early competition concerns — the Ravens had added veteran Jake Moody to the practice squad as a contingency — and Loop climbed into the top 10 of Week 2 kicker rankings as a result.

Others to Watch

Genesis Smith (Chargers, S) and Roy Lopez (Cardinals, DT) were both active in the Chargers' 26–14 loss to Arizona, though neither registered standout counting stats. With Arizona's alumni footprint spanning rosters from Kansas City to Buffalo, Week 1 was just the opening act for what figures to be a busy season tracking Wildcats across the NFL landscape.

Two Arizona Wildcats are making noise as the 2026 NFL regular season kicks off — one remaking his body to become an even bigger threat, the other clawing his way back into the league one practice-squad rep at a time.

McMillan Is Bigger, and Believes It's Making Him Better

Tetairoa McMillan isn't resting on a promising rookie year with the Carolina Panthers. The former Arizona standout showed up to camp roughly 20 pounds heavier than he entered 2025, and he says the added weight hasn't cost him a step — if anything, it's done the opposite. McMillan told reporters he feels "stronger, faster," a combination that tends to raise eyebrows when it comes from a wide receiver carrying extra mass, but one he appears to be backing up on the field.

The physical transformation has the fantasy football community paying attention too. McMillan is being debated as a legitimate early-round target heading into the season, drawing comparisons to emerging receivers like Tampa Bay's Emeka Egbuka in pre-draft rankings discussions. For a second-year player still growing into the NFL game, that kind of chatter signals real expectation — not just intrigue.

If McMillan can translate the added strength into contested-catch dominance and sharper route running, Carolina may have found its answer at receiver for years to come. The 20-pound investment looks like a calculated bet, not a vanity project.

Moody Lands in Baltimore, Eyes Loop's Job

Jake Moody — a Wildcat who made his NFL name as the San Francisco 49ers' kicker before falling out of the rotation — has signed with the Baltimore Ravens' practice squad in a direct challenge to incumbent Tyler Loop.

The timing is pointed. Loop, a 2025 draft pick, closed the preseason by missing field goals from 58 and 51 yards in the finale — a stretch that would make any front office antsy. Ravens defensive coordinator Jesse Minter publicly expressed confidence in Loop, but the organization's decision to sign Moody suggests the evaluation isn't entirely closed.

Moody is getting regular work on the practice squad and making a strong early impression, per reporting from Sports Illustrated. He isn't on the active roster yet, but in a league where a kicker can be elevated on 24 hours' notice, Moody is one shaky Sunday away from a real opportunity. For a player looking to re-establish himself as a reliable NFL leg, Baltimore — with its legitimate Super Bowl ambitions — is exactly the kind of high-stakes audition that can reset a career.

Flannigan-Fowles Released

Elsewhere in the alumni ledger, linebacker Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles was released by the Buffalo Bills with an injury settlement before the regular season began, ending a six-year run in the league on a difficult note. The veteran's status going forward remains uncertain.

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Between McMillan's physical reinvention in Carolina and Moody's gritty bid to reclaim an NFL job in Baltimore, the Wildcats have two genuinely compelling storylines to track as the 2026 season unfolds.

The Ravens drafted Tyler Loop in the sixth round last year to replace former All-Pro Justin Tucker — who fell off the radar following a Personal Conduct Policy suspension — and handed the Arizona product a clear path to a starting job. Loop is now in danger of fumbling that opportunity away.

In Baltimore's preseason finale against the Commanders, Loop was the lone blemish on an otherwise dominant Ravens performance. While the team controlled the game from wire to wire, Loop's struggles at kicker left a conspicuous mark on the box score and, more importantly, on the coaching staff's depth-chart calculus heading into final roster cuts.

The timing couldn't be worse. Preseason finales are famously the last audition for bubble players, and kickers — a position with among the thinnest roster margins in the NFL — get almost no grace period. Loop arrived in Baltimore with legitimate pedigree: the Ravens believed enough in him to spend draft capital on his development, a meaningful signal given how cautiously franchises typically approach the position. But a shaky finish to the exhibition slate has erased some of that goodwill.

Per reporting from Yahoo Sports, Loop is "suddenly on shaky ground" in Baltimore — a phrase that would have seemed unthinkable a year ago when the Ravens were building the post-Tucker era around him. The question now is whether the front office views the preseason performance as a correctable blip or a warning sign about his readiness to handle the pressure of a full NFL season.

Baltimore has a recent institutional wound around kicker reliability. Tucker's dominance masked just how fragile the position can be, and the Ravens will be especially sensitive to any indication that Loop can't absorb that pressure. One bad preseason game doesn't end a career, but it can absolutely end a training camp.

No other Arizona alumni generated significant news across the NFL during the period. Loop's situation stands as the marquee storyline for Wildcat fans tracking the league — and it's one worth watching closely as roster cutdown deadlines arrive.

For Arizona supporters who remember Loop's college days in Tucson, the next 72 hours will be a nervous wait. The Ravens haven't tipped their hand publicly, but the reporting is clear: this kicking competition isn't over, and Loop's grip on the job is looser than it's been at any point since he was drafted.