Zay Jones Claws Back Into the NFL
There were no favors handed out in Tempe. Zay Jones — East Carolina's most prominent active NFL alumnus — had to earn his way back into professional football the hard way, lining up for a competitive tryout alongside three other wide receivers before the Arizona Cardinals made their decision. He won the audition.
Jones officially returned to the Cardinals on October 27, re-signing with the franchise he'd previously suited up for in 2025. General manager Monti Ossenfort made clear the prior relationship wasn't a golden ticket — Jones competed, and Jones won. He landed on the practice squad rather than the 53-man roster, as Arizona simultaneously elevated Kingsley Eguakun to the active unit, but the bottom line is that a 30-something receiver who wasn't on an NFL roster found his way back into one. That's not nothing.
For Pirates fans keeping tabs on the NFL diaspora, Jones remains the headliner — a former second-round pick and a player who has logged real production at the league level. Getting back onto a practice squad with starting quarterback Gardner Minshew II — himself an ECU alum — running the offense only sweetens the storyline. Two Pirates on the same NFL depth chart doesn't happen every week.
The Rest of the Pirate Patch
Beyond the Jones news, a handful of other ECU products were in action across the league during the week.
In Dallas, cornerback Shavon Revel Jr. was in uniform as the Cowboys absorbed a 38-21 loss to Philadelphia on Monday night. The Cowboys' secondary had a rough evening against a sharp Eagles offense, and Revel — still building his NFL resume — was part of a unit that couldn't slow things down.
Out in Denver, cornerback Ja'Quan McMillian suited up for the Broncos in a 30-16 win over Arizona — the same Cardinals squad Jones is now trying to crack. McMillian and the Denver defense helped hold Arizona's offense in check, a result that might actually complicate Jones's path to game action if the Cardinals continue to struggle moving the ball.
Meanwhile in Miami, safety Julius Wood and the Dolphins edged the Jets 28-25 in a tight AFC East clash. Wood is part of a Dolphins secondary that continues to develop its identity as the second half of the season approaches.
None of those performances generated major individual headlines, but the sheer number of ECU alumni logging NFL snaps in a single week — across the Cowboys, Broncos, Dolphins, and Cardinals — speaks to the program's ability to produce professional-caliber talent year after year.
The Jones story, though, is the one worth watching. A player with his pedigree landing on a practice squad is a launching pad, not a landing spot. If the Cardinals' receiver room sees any turbulence, Jones has positioned himself to be first in line.
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