Cincinnati Professional Athletes

Travis Kelce Passes an NFL Legend

Cincinnati's most famous NFL export did what he's done for more than a decade — made history look routine. Travis Kelce needed just one catch against the Las Vegas Raiders to pass an NFL legend on the all-time receptions list for tight ends, and he got it, hauling in 2 passes for 15 yards as the Chiefs held on for a 30-27 win. It wasn't a vintage Kelce stat line, but the milestone was the story — another marker on what is quietly becoming one of the greatest careers at any position in NFL history.

Kelce was candid after the game about the stakes, admitting that a loss to the Raiders on his 37th birthday would have "ruined" the occasion. It didn't. Kansas City entered its bye week at the top of the AFC, with its franchise tight end now standing alone in the record books.

Off the field, Kelce made additional career news during the bye week — unrelated to football — as his business ventures with wife Taylor Swift continued to generate headlines. The Kelce empire, it seems, is as active as the man himself.

Jason Kelce: Still an Eagle at Heart

Meanwhile, the other Kelce alumnus stayed busy in the broadcast booth. Jason Kelce, now a full-time analyst after his Eagles career, was tapped as part of the NFL Network crew for the Eagles-Jaguars London game — alongside Dave Pasch and Kurt Warner. The former All-Pro center has been so immersed in his broadcast role that he's had to keep apologizing on air for referring to Philadelphia as "we," a habit that apparently dies hard after more than a decade snapping the ball in Philly. He also sent a five-word message to Eagles rookie Markel Bell as the team scrambles to replace the retired Lane Johnson on the offensive line — a situation both Kelce brothers addressed on their New Heights podcast.

Jason also made a surprise appearance at an amateur rugby practice in London during the trip, stunning local players by showing up unannounced. Some things transcend sport.

Sauce Gardner's Rough Stretch Continues

It was a week Sauce Gardner would rather forget. The Colts cornerback was outspoken about his performance in Indianapolis's 30-13 win over Washington in Week 4, calling his effort "unacceptable" and "embarrassing to watch." Gardner's self-criticism is notable — the Colts won convincingly, but the former Jets standout held himself to a higher standard. He'll look to bounce back as Indianapolis, already dealing with Alec Pierce on injured reserve with an ankle injury, tries to stay afloat in the AFC South.

Pierce, the Colts' wideout who recently signed a contract extension before going down, is eligible to return in Week 7, giving Bearcat fans on the Indy bandwagon a timeline to watch.

Bryan Cook Battles Through in Cincinnati

Back in the Queen City, Bengals safety Bryan Cook spent the week navigating an injury situation ahead of a road matchup at the Dolphins. Cook returned to practice Thursday and expressed he was "very hopeful" to play, aware that the Cincinnati defense — already stretched thin — needed him badly. The Bengals clearly agree, as his absence was a visible gap in their back end.

For Bearcat fans, it was a week that spanned milestone catches in Kansas City, broadcast booths in London, accountability moments in Indianapolis, and a healing room in Cincinnati. Not a bad haul.

The Moment Sauce Gardner Exhaled

Six hundred and fifty-one days. That's how long Ahmed "Sauce" Gardner went without tasting an NFL win on American soil — a drought that began during his time with the Jets and stretched into his first year with the Indianapolis Colts. It ended Sunday when the Colts edged the Houston Texans 19-17, and Gardner, true to form, wasted no time making jokes about the whole ordeal.

The former Cincinnati Bearcat cornerback had played in international games during that stretch, which technically broke the streak overseas, but the stateside wait was its own particular purgatory. Now that it's over, Gardner and the Colts are already back on international soil for another London game — which, given recent history, might be where he feels most at home.

The win matters beyond the meme, though. It's a signal that this Colts defense — with Gardner anchoring the secondary — is capable of closing out tight games against legitimate AFC competition.

Pierce Still Sidelined, Colts Adapting

Gardner's Colts teammate and fellow Bearcat Alec Pierce remains on Injured Reserve with a heel injury, and Indianapolis is still working through how to fill the void at wide receiver. The Colts managed to win without him against Houston, leaning on other options down the depth chart. With Keenan Allen also dealing with his own injury setback, the team has even explored adding a veteran receiver via trade to help stabilize the position. Pierce's timeline for return hasn't been specified, leaving his status open-ended heading into October.

Coby Bryant's Cryptic Tease Has Bears Fans Buzzing

In Chicago, Bears safety Coby Bryant — the big-ticket free agent addition who went down in the offseason before the season even started — posted something on social media this week that sent Bears fans into a spiral of cautious optimism. The post, described as cryptic, hinted at a potential earlier-than-expected return from his injury. Bryant was supposed to be a cornerstone of what looked like a genuinely dangerous Chicago secondary, alongside Jaylon Johnson and first-round rookie Dillon Thieneman. Three weeks in, with Johnson struggling and Kyler Gordon still on an unknown timetable, the Bears desperately need Bryant back. Whether that post means anything concrete remains to be seen — but it was enough to get the fan base dreaming.

Travis Kelce Keeps Padding the Resume

Travis Kelce is approaching another milestone on the NFL's all-time receptions list, with his next catch set to push him past Tim Brown and into the No. 7 spot all-time. The Chiefs tight end went for 2 catches, 59 yards, and a touchdown in Kansas City's 24-10 win over Miami on Sunday — yet another quietly excellent performance in what has been, by multiple accounts, a reinvigorated late-career run. That reception total keeps the record well within reach.

Around the Rest of the Roster

Bryan Cook was listed as questionable with an ankle injury heading into Cincinnati's Week 4 matchup against Jacksonville, though the Bengals received positive signs on his status before kickoff. Cook suffered the injury in the Bengals' 30-27 loss to Pittsburgh. ... Ivan Pace Jr. continued to build his case for more defensive snaps with the Vikings, who beat Tampa Bay 23-16 on Sunday. ... Chris Moore contributed a 1-catch, 4-yard, 1-touchdown performance for Baltimore in a 34-31 win over Dallas — a small but meaningful stat line for the veteran wideout.

Sunday night in Kansas City delivered a full range of outcomes for Cincinnati Bearcats in the NFL — all in the same building.

Kelce Writes His Name Into the Record Books

Travis Kelce was at his transcendent best in the Chiefs' 33-30 overtime win over the Indianapolis Colts, hauling in 9 receptions for 101 yards and a touchdown. The performance wasn't just another big night — it was historic. Kelce and Patrick Mahomes combined to accomplish something that had never been done before in NFL history, cementing the duo's case as the greatest quarterback-tight end tandem the league has ever seen. The Chiefs organization made the moment official during the broadcast, and the tributes followed swiftly after the final whistle.

For Bearcat fans, it's now routine to watch Kelce operate at an all-time level — and yet the moments still manage to land with full force.

Pierce's Night Ends in Heartbreak

While Kelce was making history on one sideline, fellow Bearcat Alec Pierce was being carted off on the other. The Colts wide receiver — who entered the season already managing a surgically repaired heel from the offseason — re-aggravated that same heel in the loss, recording just 1 reception for 11 yards before his night was cut short.

Indianapolis held out hope early in the week, but the math quickly became grim. The Colts officially placed Pierce on injured reserve on Saturday, Sept. 26. Head coach Shane Steichen had telegraphed the move earlier in the week; the team also signed Anthony Gould to the active roster and elevated Nick Westbrook-Ikhine to help fill the void. No return timetable has been set.

Pierce was the Colts' No. 1 wide receiver entering the year, making the loss a significant one for Indianapolis's offense — and a cruel twist for a player already playing through offseason surgery.

Elsewhere Around the League

The Bearcats had a few other alumni worth tracking in Week 3. Tre Tucker turned in a standout performance for the Raiders in their 26-14 win over the Chargers, catching 5 passes for 119 yards and a touchdown — a breakout effort that put him among the week's more quietly impressive performers.

Jowon Briggs registered a sack for the Jets in their 17-20 loss to the Packers, and with starting DT David Onyemata now sidelined due to surgery, the former Bearcat figures to see an expanded role going forward.

Ivan Pace Jr. did not travel with the Vikings for their Week 3 matchup against the Buccaneers and was listed as questionable — a situation worth monitoring for Minnesota's linebacker corps heading into the following week.

For Cincinnati alumni, the week served as a microcosm of the NFL itself: all-time greatness and devastating injury, sometimes in the very same game.

Travis Kelce Rewrites the Record Books

Travis Kelce's 2026 season is already one for the history books — literally. On Monday Night Football in Week 1, the Kansas City Chiefs tight end surpassed Jason Witten to move into second place all-time in receiving yards among tight ends, reaching the milestone on a 59-yard catch in the third quarter of Kansas City's 31-10 demolition of the Denver Broncos. Kelce finished the night with 3 receptions for 71 yards, a modest stat line that undersells the magnitude of the moment.

The record wasn't the only headline Kelce generated. On his podcast, the former Cincinnati Bearcat admitted he was holding on a key block during Patrick Mahomes' opening touchdown run — a penalty officials missed. The confession reignited debate around Chiefs-friendly officiating, though it did nothing to change the scoreboard.

Fellow Cincinnati alum and Chiefs rookie wideout Cyrus Allen was also on the field Monday night, but saw just one offensive snap. Despite a strong training camp, Allen faces a steep climb for meaningful playing time in Kansas City's crowded receiver room.

Around the League

The Kelce brothers' alma mater had plenty of other alumni making noise in Week 1.

Chris Moore turned in one of the quietly impressive performances of the week, hauling in 1 reception for 53 yards in Baltimore's 41-23 blowout win over the Colts. The Cincinnati product has landed with Lamar Jackson and the Ravens after a stint with the Texans, and his debut showed he can still be a big-play threat.

On the other sideline in that same game, Alec Pierce was one of the few bright spots for the Colts in a tough loss, catching 4 passes for 61 yards. With Indianapolis already navigating injuries heading into Week 2 — Ashton Dulin is out, according to reports — Pierce is set for an expanded role, giving the Bearcats a legitimate pass-catcher to watch down the stretch.

Tre Tucker contributed 2 catches for 27 yards in Las Vegas's 27-13 win over Miami. Tucker's role in the Raiders offense could expand in Week 2 with star tight end Brock Bowers listed as doubtful, a development that has fantasy managers and offensive coordinators alike recalibrating.

In Minnesota, Ivan Pace Jr. finds himself in a precarious spot. Despite the Vikings' dominant 39-22 victory over Green Bay in Week 1, reports indicate Pace is already becoming an afterthought in Minnesota's defensive plans — a concerning early-season signal for a player who has flashed real potential.

Sauce Gardner, now with the Colts after his run with the Jets, played in the Baltimore loss in what was a rough debut for Indianapolis's secondary against one of the NFL's elite offenses.

The Bottom Line

It's early, but Cincinnati alumni are spread across some of the most compelling storylines in the NFL. Kelce's record-setting night is the marquee moment, but Pierce's emerging role in Indy, Moore's fresh start in Baltimore, and Tucker's opportunity in Las Vegas all give Bearcats fans plenty of reasons to keep checking scores on Sunday afternoons.