Clemson Professional Athletes

The Week 4 matchup between the Bengals and Jaguars doubled as the most compelling Clemson reunion of the NFL season — and it ended with the best individual performance clouded by the worst individual news.

Tee Higgins was magnificent against Jacksonville, hauling in 11 catches for 157 yards in Cincinnati's 22-17 loss. It was the kind of game that reminds you why the Bengals paid him — precise route running, contested catches, consistent separation. Then he didn't finish it. Higgins exited with an adductor injury and has since added a neck issue to his injury report, leaving him sidelined through Thursday's practice while teammates prepared for a Week 5 trip to Miami. The Bengals listed him as questionable heading into the weekend, though reports out of Cincinnati characterized the outlook as bleak. In a season where Cincinnati's receiving corps was supposed to be a strength, losing Higgins — even temporarily — is a significant blow.

On the other sideline, fellow Tiger Trevor Lawrence quietly did what needed doing. The Jaguars quarterback threw for 227 yards and a touchdown, managing the game cleanly enough to secure the win. It wasn't a Lawrence-torches-the-league performance, but Jacksonville got the result, and Lawrence's efficiency was a meaningful piece of it.

The Clemson defensive presence in that same game was notable too. Both Myles Murphy and Dexter Lawrence II recorded sacks for Cincinnati — two Tigers making life difficult for their own alumni quarterback — while Ruke Orhorhoro contributed for Jacksonville up front. The Tigers were everywhere in that building.

Elsewhere Around the League

Will Shipley got the call in Philadelphia with Saquon Barkley sidelined, and the former Tiger running back made the most of his opportunity — carrying the ball for 23 yards as the Eagles fell 24-20 to the Rams in a loss that stings given how close it was. Shipley had gone on record before the game about his mindset heading into a likely start, and while the outcome wasn't what the Eagles wanted, Shipley's number was called and he answered.

In Baltimore's 24-18 win over Tennessee, Trenton Simpson picked off a pass and Nate Wiggins was active in the secondary — a nice double dose of Clemson DB production from the Ravens' increasingly Tiger-heavy roster.

Antonio Williams had a quiet three-catch, 21-yard afternoon for Washington in a 30-13 loss to the Colts, a game that went about as poorly for the Commanders as the final score suggests.

The headline week, though, belongs to Higgins — both the brilliance and the aftermath. Eleven catches and 157 yards against a legitimate NFL defense is a reminder of what he's capable of at full health. Whether he takes the field in Week 5 will be the most-watched Clemson storyline heading into the weekend.

Lawrence and Watson Are Both Winning — and Both Making History

Two quarterbacks. One alma mater. And a collision course that could define Clemson's NFL legacy this season.

Trevor Lawrence and Deshaun Watson have spent years on divergent paths since leaving Tigertown, but through the first four weeks of 2026, both are making noise — Lawrence by rewriting the Jaguars' record books, Watson by dragging a skeptical football world through a complicated resurrection in Cleveland.

Trevor Lawrence: Jacksonville's All-Time QB Is Taking Shape

Lawrence cemented his place atop Jacksonville's quarterback history in Week 3, surpassing Blake Bortles to claim a franchise passing record during a dominant 35-6 dismantling of the New England Patriots. He finished that afternoon with 182 yards, three touchdown passes, and one interception — efficient, clinical, and in control. Now, with Week 4 bringing the Bengals to town, Lawrence has a chance to add another personal milestone to his résumé, according to The Sporting News.

The matchup is loaded. Cincinnati brings Dexter Lawrence II, the Clemson-bred defensive tackle who posted 2.0 sacks in the Bengals' Week 3 loss to Pittsburgh, and Tee Higgins, who torched that same Steelers defense for 6 catches, 90 yards, and a touchdown. Facing a Clemson wall on the other side of the line of scrimmage is a genuinely strange subplot — and the kind of thing that only happens when a program produces at Clemson's volume. Joe Burrow is the headliner and the favorite on Sunday, but Lawrence's franchise-record run has earned him a seat at the AFC contender table.

Deshaun Watson: 3-1 Browns, Unavoidable Questions

Nothing about Deshaun Watson's comeback story is simple, and the coverage reflects it. What is simple: the Browns are 3-1, and Watson is a central reason. Cleveland beat Carolina 21-18 in Week 3 — Watson going for 144 yards, two touchdowns, and 45 rushing yards — then topped Pittsburgh 27-24 on Thursday Night Football in Week 4, with Watson posting 268 yards, a touchdown, and a game-winning drive to punctuate the night.

In that Steelers win, Watson hit a six-year personal milestone, a detail Heavy Sports flagged during coverage. The Browns' turnaround under coordinator Todd Monken has been sharp enough that CBS Sports drew comparisons to Monken's work elevating Lamar Jackson. T.J. Watt's post-game criticism of his own defense — saying they made it "too easy" on Watson all night — tells you everything about how Cleveland's offense is being perceived right now.

The off-field noise hasn't quieted. Pro Football Talk noted the Thursday broadcast's careful navigation of Watson's history, and Sports Illustrated raised pointed questions about the Browns' long-term calculus — whether Watson's success actually makes the front office's situation more complicated heading toward a trade deadline and a future featuring Shedeur Sanders waiting in the wings. There's no clean resolution, but there is a 3-1 record.

Elsewhere in the Clemson NFL Universe

Travis Etienne Jr.'s season in New Orleans took a difficult turn. The running back carried for 57 yards and caught two passes against the Raiders in Week 3 before suffering an injury that will sideline him for several weeks, per Bleacher Report — a significant blow to the Saints' backfield.

Meanwhile, Ruke Orhorhoro chipped in a sack for the Jaguars in their blowout of New England, adding a defensive complement to Lawrence's record-setting afternoon. In Cincinnati, Myles Murphy and Barrett Carter suited up in the Bengals' Week 3 loss to Pittsburgh, giving the Lawrence-Bengals matchup an even deeper shade of Clemson orange on both sidelines come Week 4.

If you want to find Clemson alumni in the NFL right now, just look at the Cincinnati Bengals' roster. Four Tigers suited up for Cincinnati's 20-6 dismantling of the Houston Texans on Sunday — and every one of them made news this week for reasons that go well beyond the box score.

Tee Higgins: The Performance and the Price

Higgins was the most productive Tiger on the field, hauling in 5 catches for 95 yards as the Bengals rolled Houston. But the headlines that followed had little to do with yardage. Higgins was hit with multiple NFL fines stemming from in-game celebrations — part of a broader crackdown that also ensnared teammate Ja'Marr Chase. The two were flagged for gestures the league deemed obscene, reportedly inspired by WWE's The Rock, and the fines piled up fast: six levied against Chase and Higgins combined from the same game, with both players hit four times apiece across recent weeks. Chase has vowed to appeal and called on the NFLPA to take a harder stand on players' behalf. Higgins has yet to make a public statement, but the fines speak to just how aggressively the league came down on the Bengals' receiving room.

Dexter Lawrence II: $94 Million and a New Home in Cincinnati

The bigger off-field story in Cincinnati this week was the arrival of Dexter Lawrence II, who came to the Bengals via a blockbuster trade that included a reported $94 million contract. The Pro Bowl defensive tackle — a fellow Clemson product — drew strong reactions across the league, with analysts calling him a transformational addition to Cincinnati's defensive interior. Lawrence was on the field Sunday against Houston, and the Bengals' dominant defensive performance (holding the Texans to just 6 points) offered an early preview of what that investment might look like in practice.

Carter and Murphy: The Supporting Cast

Barrett Carter (LB) and Myles Murphy (DE) rounded out the Clemson contingent in Cincinnati's win. Neither posted standout individual stats, but their presence underscores just how deeply Clemson has embedded itself in this Bengals roster. Four Tigers on one NFL team is a reunion most alumni fan bases can only dream about.

Around the League

Elsewhere in the Clemson diaspora, Deshaun Watson had a competent outing for Cleveland, throwing for 238 yards and 2 touchdowns in a 23-19 win over Tampa Bay. Travis Etienne Jr. contributed 25 rushing yards and a pair of catches in New Orleans' 24-17 upset of Baltimore — a Saints win that also featured fellow Tiger Trenton Simpson and Nate Wiggins on the losing side. Trevor Lawrence had a tougher afternoon in Jacksonville, completing passes for just 189 yards with an interception in a 13-20 loss to Denver, though Patriots coaches were warning this week that he looks "comfortable" in the Jaguars' offense heading into Week 3. Will Shipley chipped in 24 rushing yards and two catches for Philadelphia in a 24-20 win over Tennessee, helping fill the backfield void after Saquon Barkley left with a stinger. Antonio Williams caught 3 passes for 24 yards in Washington's loss to Dallas and was ranked the top rookie on the Commanders' depth chart through two weeks.

The Bengals' Clemson colony, though, is the story of the week — equal parts dominant and defiant.

Lawrence and Williams Lead Clemson's NFL Week 1

The Tigers sent a message in NFL Week 1: Clemson alumni aren't just participating — they're headlining.

Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars QB

Four touchdown passes, 245 yards, and a 34-10 demolition of the Cleveland Browns. That's the kind of opening statement that gets MVP conversations started in September, and Lawrence delivered exactly that. Sports Illustrated called it a performance where he "plays like an MVP," and Fox Sports placed him among the early MVP candidates on their awards ballot.

Whether the hype is sustainable through 17 weeks is the fair question — Jacksonville's own coverage noted the MVP talk is an "overreaction" worth examining — but the floor Lawrence showed Sunday was undeniably high. He commanded the offense, spread the ball efficiently, and made the kind of plays that justify the franchise quarterback label he's carried since arriving in 2021.

Antonio Williams, Washington Commanders WR

If Lawrence was the veteran statement, Williams was the rookie arrival. The third-round wideout out of Clemson wasted no time making his mark: four catches, 64 yards, and a touchdown in Washington's Week 1 tilt against the Philadelphia Eagles. The performance was good enough to earn Pepsi Zero Sugar NFL Rookie of the Week honors, a formal recognition to go with what was already a memorable pro debut.

Williams' 22-24 loss to Philly stings from a team perspective, but his individual audition — scoring in a game against a contender's secondary — was exactly the kind of debut that builds a career.

The Flip Side: Deshaun Watson, Cleveland Browns QB

One Clemson QB flourished on Sunday; the other struggled. Watson, facing Lawrence and the Jaguars, finished with 205 passing yards, one touchdown, one interception, and 38 rushing yards in Cleveland's blowout loss. It was his first start since 2024, and the rust showed. The aftermath has been loud — calls to bench him, pointed commentary from media figures, and a head coach navigating a quarterback controversy heading into Week 2.

Other Tigers Around the League

Travis Etienne Jr., now with the Saints, had a workmanlike debut: 46 rushing yards and seven catches for 32 yards in a tight 30-31 loss to the Lions. With Alvin Kamara back in New Orleans, Etienne's role will bear watching. Tee Higgins caught three balls for 59 yards in Cincinnati's 33-27 win over Tampa Bay. Will Shipley (Eagles), Jake Briningstool (Chiefs), and TJ Parker (Bills) also saw action, with Parker's Bills going 2-0 after Thursday's win over Detroit.

The Lawrence-Watson matchup in Jacksonville was, in microcosm, a snapshot of where Clemson's NFL legacy stands right now: one signal-caller ascending toward the award conversation, another fighting to hold his starting job. Williams' rookie arrival adds a new chapter to a Tiger alumni network that remains one of the most active in the NFL.