Eastern Washington Professional Athletes

The NFL's most compelling Eastern Washington alumni storyline this week isn't a highlight reel — it's an injury report. Cooper Kupp, who joined the Seahawks after his tenure with the Rams, is listed as limited at Wednesday's practice with a back injury, casting real doubt on his availability when Seattle hosts the Arizona Cardinals — where fellow Eagle Kendrick Bourne is coming off a standout Week 1.

That's the twist: two EWU alumni squaring off in a divisional game, and the one everyone's watching might not even suit up.

Kupp's Status: Murky, and the Stakes Are High

Kupp's back issue landed on the injury report days before the Cardinals matchup, and the timing is lousy for a Seahawks offense already playing through chaos. Starting quarterback Sam Darnold injured his oblique in Week 1 against the Patriots, and backup Drew Lock will be under center against Arizona. Kupp himself has publicly backed Lock — a vote of confidence that carries weight, but also underscores how much Seattle needs its veteran receiver healthy and on the field.

If Kupp is limited or inactive, it removes the Seahawks' most dangerous receiving option at exactly the moment Lock needs weapons around him. Sports Illustrated noted Kupp's injury adds to a cascading fantasy and real-life impact around Seattle's entire skill group, with Jaxon Smith-Njigba and others seeing their roles shift in Darnold's absence.

Bourne Announces Himself in Arizona

While Kupp's week has been defined by an injury report, Bourne's was defined by performance. The former EWU wide receiver caught 8 passes for 75 yards in Arizona's Week 1 win over the Chargers, 26-14 — a line good enough that Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett couldn't resist calling out the fantasy managers who slept on him.

Brissett's comments were pointed: he knew Bourne's game would catch people off guard, and it did. For EWU fans, it was a reminder that Bourne — often overshadowed throughout his career — can still be a legitimate No. 1 option when called upon. In a Cardinals offense that added Brissett under center, Bourne appears to be a trusted target.

Now he gets the Seahawks — and possibly Kupp on the other sideline, health permitting.

The Rest of the Eagles

Elsewhere in the league, Samson Ebukam suited up for Atlanta in Week 1 against Pittsburgh, though the Falcons fell 13-20. No standout stat line for the defensive end, but he remains on the roster and active. Nsimba Webster (Bears), Efton Chism III (Patriots), and Michael Wortham (Jaguars) are all on rosters but didn't surface in the week's notable headlines.

Taiwan Jones remains with the Giants organization.

Bottom Line

The EWU matchup to watch is Cardinals-Seahawks, and it has legitimate dramatic stakes beyond alumni-tracking novelty. Bourne is producing. Kupp is hurt. Lock is starting. Eastern Washington put two legitimate NFL contributors in the same divisional game — whether both are on the field Sunday is the only question left to answer.

Cooper Kupp's Big Week in the Pacific Northwest

Eastern Washington's most prominent NFL alumnus wasted no time making noise in 2026. Cooper Kupp — now a Seattle Seahawk — opened the new season with a sneaker deal and a win, giving EWU fans plenty to celebrate before the calendar even hit Week 2.

A New Shoe, A New Chapter

Days before the season kicked off, Sports Illustrated reported that Brooks Running had signed Kupp to a sneaker endorsement deal — a notable pairing given that Brooks is headquartered in Seattle, the city where Kupp is now playing his football. The deal landed ahead of Seattle's season opener against the New England Patriots, giving Kupp a clean sweep of off-field momentum heading into his Seahawks debut.

Seahawks 13, Patriots 10

On Wednesday night at Lumen Field, Kupp and the Seahawks got the job done, edging New England 13–10. Kupp's stat line was modest — 2 receptions for 35 yards — but per Heavy Sports, he posted a heartfelt message after the game, saying the Seahawks expected to "find a way" to win. One catch in particular drew a reaction from quarterback Russell Wilson and sparked reunion chatter among fans online.

Before the game, Kupp had also opened up publicly about the role his wife Anna and their sons play in keeping him grounded through his football journey — a candid moment that reinforced his reputation as one of the league's more thoughtful presences at the podium.

Chism Watches From the Sideline

The other EWU name in this game didn't get the same opportunity. Efton Chism III, the second-year wide receiver on New England's roster, was listed as a healthy scratch among the Patriots' seven inactive players for the opener. Chism had survived final roster cuts — no small thing — but head coach Jerod Mayo's staff ultimately kept him out of the rotation for Week 1. The crafty route runner will be one to watch as the Patriots work through a transitional season.

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Two Eastern Washington alumni on the same NFL field on opening night, one making plays and one waiting for his moment — it's a snapshot of where EWU's NFL pipeline stands heading into 2026. Kupp, at the center of a franchise's new identity in Seattle, is the headliner. But Chism's continued presence on a 53-man roster is its own quiet achievement for the Eagles program.