Boston College Professional Athletes

The Play That Defined the Week

It took seven seconds. That's all Baltimore needed — and all Zay Flowers needed to remind everyone why his hamstring situation had NFL circles holding their breath all week.

The Boston College product had been listed as questionable entering Week 3, missing the Ravens' Week 2 loss to New Orleans with a hamstring injury suffered in the opener against Indianapolis. The Ravens were reportedly "not counting on" him for the trip to Rio de Janeiro. Then Flowers was activated, and when it mattered most, he made the only play that mattered.

With the Ravens trailing the Cowboys 31-28 and just seven seconds left on the clock in Brazil, Lamar Jackson found Flowers over the middle for a 27-yard gain. Flowers had the awareness — or Jackson did — to call timeout with one second remaining, stopping the clock and setting up kicker Tyler Loop for a 56-yard walk-off field goal. Loop split the uprights. Ravens win, 34-31.

The play capped a ridiculous sequence that will be on NFL highlight reels for years: a full scoring drive completed in seven seconds, engineered by the reigning MVP and executed by a receiver who wasn't even supposed to play. On the day, Flowers logged five receptions for 84 yards and added 20 rushing yards, carrying Baltimore's passing attack largely on his own. Sports Illustrated's coverage noted that the diminutive receiver has been functioning as a "one-man army" in the passing game despite the hamstring issue limiting his full practice load.

The injury saga isn't over, either. Reports emerging ahead of Week 4 indicate Flowers is again carrying questionable status, with the lingering hamstring remaining a concern. For BC fans, the fear is obvious: the Eagles faithful know what it looks like when a dynamic slot receiver plays through soft-tissue trouble — it's never quite all the way right until it is.

Around the League

Flowers wasn't the only Eagle with something at stake in Brazil. Josh DeBerry and Donovan Ezeiruaku, both BC alumni now with the Cowboys, were on the wrong end of that walk-off. Ezeiruaku, the Cowboys linebacker, had no recorded stats in the loss. It was a tough Week 3 for Dallas's BC contingent.

Elsewhere, Zach Allen continued to quietly contribute for Denver, recording a sack in the Broncos' 30-26 win over the Rams on Sunday — a bright spot in what has been a competitive AFC West battle. AJ Dillon saw limited work for Carolina in a 21-18 loss to Cleveland, totaling 16 rushing yards and a negative-two-yard reception as the Panthers continue to struggle to find offensive footing. Hunter Long hauled in one catch for five yards in Arizona's 36-30 loss to San Francisco.

On the injury front, Ozzy Trapilo remains sidelined for Chicago as he recovers from patellar tendon surgery, with the Bears navigating an uncertain left tackle situation heading into Week 4 against the Jets.

The Bottom Line

This was Zay Flowers' week, full stop. Regardless of what the snap count looked like or how many targets went elsewhere, the BC wideout made the catch that won a game in South America in the most dramatic fashion imaginable. For a player who wasn't even expected to suit up, that's about as good a story as BC alumni football gets.

Boston College sent two players to college football's pipeline and the NFL returned the favor this week — with injury reports. Zay Flowers and Ozzy Trapilo, two of the Eagles' most prominent alumni in the league right now, are each navigating health scares at the worst possible moment: prime-time games and international stages don't wait for hamstrings or offensive linemen.

Flowers in Brazil Limbo

The Ravens traveled to Brazil for a Week 3 showdown with the Dallas Cowboys, and the biggest question surrounding Baltimore wasn't the trip — it was whether their No. 1 receiver would make it onto the field.

Flowers has been managing a hamstring injury first suffered in training camp, then reaggravated late in the first half of Baltimore's Week 1 win over the Indianapolis Colts. He sat out Week 2 entirely as the Ravens dropped a loss to the New Orleans Saints — a game that underscored just how dependent Baltimore's passing attack is on the BC product. Flowers is officially listed as questionable for the Brazil game, and even if he suits up, reports indicate he could be on a pitch count, limiting his reps.

The optimistic signs trickled in late in the week. Flowers returned to practice Friday, participating in individual drills — an encouraging development that opened the door for a potential appearance. Ravens defensive coordinator Jesse Minter signaled cautious optimism, suggesting Flowers could play, though the team wasn't ready to commit. With Dallas' secondary catching what multiple outlets called a "lucky break," the Cowboys will be preparing for both scenarios.

If Flowers can't go — or goes limited — the Ravens' offense faces a steep challenge. Baltimore's OC Declan Doyle has already been working on an expanded role for a backup receiver to fill the void, a contingency plan the team hopes stays in the drawer.

Trapilo Ruled Out for MNF

Meanwhile in Chicago, Ozzy Trapilo's Week 3 status was resolved with considerably less drama — and considerably less good news for Bears fans.

Head coach Ben Johnson ruled Trapilo out for the team's Monday Night Football matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles, despite reports earlier in the week that the offensive tackle's recovery had progressed faster than expected. The initial injury news had seemed dire enough that any return this soon was being called near-impossible; the fact that Trapilo was even in the conversation was progress. But Johnson ultimately pumped the brakes, keeping the BC lineman sidelined for the primetime stage.

For a Bears offensive line still finding its footing under Johnson's new-look offense, losing Trapilo for another week is a genuine concern heading into a game against a stout Eagles front.

Around the Alumni Network

Elsewhere in the BC alumni orbit, rookie linebacker Quintayvious Hutchins had a tough week — the Patriots placed the seventh-round pick on injured reserve after he was ruled out for Week 3. It's an early and significant setback for the rookie out of Chestnut Hill.

On a brighter note, Cowboys linebacker Donovan Ezeiruaku is drawing praise from Dallas's coaching staff despite modest early-season stats. Head coach Brian Schottenheimer called him one of the more consistent defensive players through two games, and the organization is publicly backing the second-year edge rusher to break out.

Detroit's Christian Mahogany also got good news, with Lions coach Dan Campbell confirming the guard is set to return as a starter for Week 3 after shuffling through the lineup during a short-week loss to Buffalo.

The injury cloud over Flowers and Trapilo is real — but so is the BC presence across the league. Thirty-plus alumni on active rosters means the Eagles are never far from the headlines.

Zay Flowers' Big Day Ends With a Brutal Asterisk

Boston College's most prominent NFL name had the stage set for a statement game — and then his body pulled the rug out from under him.

Zay Flowers opened the 2026 season against the Indianapolis Colts the way Ravens fans have long dreamed: 5 catches, 150 receiving yards, and a touchdown in Baltimore's 41-23 blowout win. It was a performance that had the makings of a genuine breakout moment — career-level production in the season's first act. Then a hamstring gave out, and the script flipped.

Ravens head coach Jesse Minter initially called Flowers day-to-day, leaving open a window for Week 2 availability. That window closed firmly on Saturday when Baltimore officially ruled him out for the Saints game. Flowers did return to practice on Friday — a mildly encouraging sign — but it wasn't enough to clear him, and the team listed him as doubtful before confirming the scratch. The hamstring injury is the same one that nagged Flowers during training camp, which adds a layer of concern beyond just this week's absence.

In his place, the Ravens elevated Elijah Sarratt — the former Indiana Hoosiers national champion who didn't see the field in Week 1 — to fill the void in Baltimore's receiver rotation. It's a significant step down in proven production, but the Ravens' offensive infrastructure softens the blow somewhat. For Flowers, the priority is getting healthy; the bigger fear is whether this hamstring issue becomes a recurring problem.

Around the Rest of the BC Alumni Circuit

Flowers wasn't the only Eagle in action during the week.

In Denver, defensive end Zach Allen quietly put together a solid Monday night showing against the Chiefs, registering two tackles (including a sack) in the Broncos' 10-31 loss. The production was a bright spot on an otherwise rough night for Denver.

AJ Dillon, now with the Panthers, carried the ball for 28 yards in Carolina's 37-59 beatdown at the hands of the Bears — a tough debut for a team that clearly has a long road ahead in 2026.

On the roster-move front, cornerback Isaac Yiadom was signed from the Commanders' practice squad to the active 53-man roster ahead of Washington's Week 2 trip to Dallas. It's a depth move, but it keeps the BC corner in the mix at the NFL level.

Meanwhile, offensive tackle Ozzy Trapilo of the Bears practiced in full this week, clearing a hurdle on his return from injury — though Chicago has little urgency to rush him back given Braxton Jones' strong Week 1 at left tackle.

And over in Houston, wide receiver Lewis Bond earned a game-day roster spot for the Texans after Nico Collins went down with an injury, giving the BC wideout a chance to show what he can do when opportunity knocks.

The week was unambiguously Flowers' story — just not the ending anyone wanted.