Florida Professional Athletes

Anthony Richardson's Preseason Audition — For Someone

The most complicated story in Indianapolis this preseason has a Florida Gator at its center. Anthony Richardson Sr. — who requested a trade this offseason — was handed the start in the Colts' preseason finale against the Detroit Lions, a last audition that doubled as a showcase for potential suitors. Richardson made the most of it: he opened the game with two first-quarter scoring drives, connected with veteran Keenan Allen on his first pass, and played just under a half before giving way to the rest of the depth chart.

The performance landed well, but the situation surrounding it remains murky. Trade rumors have followed Richardson all summer, and his name continues to surface in quarterback chatter league-wide. When asked about his future, the former Gator kept it short: "I'm just looking forward to helping the team." Assistant GM Ed Dodds has hinted that Richardson's path in Indy likely runs through the backup role behind starter Daniel Jones — meaning Richardson is now in a competition with Riley Leonard for the QB2 job he never envisioned needing. He made his case. Whether Indianapolis — or someone else — is listening is another matter.

Pitts and Tua Share the Spotlight in Atlanta

Kyle Pitts is doing what Pitts does: showing up in the right situation and making the most of it. The former Florida standout suited up for the Falcons in their preseason finale against the Dolphins, sharing a game with Tua Tagovailoa, who himself is competing for the starting quarterback job in Atlanta. The pairing of a star-caliber tight end with a QB trying to reclaim his footing made for one of the more watchable preseason storylines of the week. Tua saw mixed results in his final audition for the Falcons' QB1 role, but Pitts' presence as a safety valve remains one of the more reliable features of Atlanta's offense regardless of who's under center.

Elsewhere in Gator Nation

Evan McPherson continued a strong summer in Cincinnati. The Bengals kicker has been one of the standout specialists in training camp and the preseason, putting together what reporters are calling a "statement" performance that reinforces his standing as one of the better young kickers in the league.

Eddy Pineiro, meanwhile, capped the 49ers' preseason with a perfect outing against the Raiders — finishing the exhibition slate without a miss and earning winner status in the postgame breakdown. San Francisco's kicking situation looks settled heading into the regular season.

Dante Fowler garnered praise in Seattle, where a Yahoo Sports breakdown of the Seahawks' under-the-radar contributors flagged the veteran edge rusher as one of the team's hidden-gem contributors for 2026. Fowler, who began his NFL career as a first-round pick out of Florida in 2015, is entering a new chapter with a Seahawks squad built around defensive aggression under Mike Macdonald.

Gervon Dexter's name surfaced in trade talk as well — the Bears have reportedly been fielding calls on the defensive tackle, adding another Florida alum to the list of Gators whose immediate futures are unsettled heading into roster cut-down weekend.

Florida's NFL footprint is as wide as ever. The question now is which Gators land where when the real games begin.

Anthony Richardson's Colts Saga Gets Messier

The most turbulent storyline for any Florida Gator in the NFL right now is playing out in Indianapolis, and it isn't pretty.

Anthony Richardson requested a trade this offseason, and for a while it looked like both sides were ready to move on. Then the Colts couldn't find a willing trade partner — and assistant GM Ed Dodds signaled the team's intention to keep the former first-round pick rather than cut him loose. Richardson is now stuck in a backup quarterback competition with Riley Leonard behind starter Daniel Jones, and Indianapolis hasn't resolved it heading into the final stretch of the preseason.

A Week 3 preseason outing against the Falcons didn't help Richardson's case. The Colts lost 34-6, and Richardson did nothing in the box score to stake a firm claim on the No. 2 job. One of his most-discussed moments was a mundane rep on the "Choice + Snag" concept — a basic preseason staple that became something of a Rorschach test for observers trying to evaluate where he stands. The front office isn't tipping its hand, but the competition is real and ongoing.

The situation is genuinely uncomfortable for everyone involved. Richardson wants out. The Colts couldn't trade him. Now they're asking him to compete for a backup role on a roster he'd rather leave — while critics argue Indianapolis holding onto him without a clear path forward risks stunting whatever career arc he has left. The regular season answers that question soon enough.

Greenard's Pec Injury Clouds Eagles' Pass Rush

On the other side of the ball, Florida pass rusher Jonathan Greenard is dealing with a pec injury that has kept him off the practice field for the entirety of training camp. Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio didn't sugarcoat the situation: he's concerned Greenard won't be available for Week 1.

That's a significant blow for Philadelphia's defense. Greenard, listed as a linebacker in the Eagles' scheme, is a core piece of their pass-rush rotation. Missing the start of the regular season — even by a week or two — disrupts his rhythm heading into what should be a high-stakes year for the Eagles. Fangio's public comments signal the team isn't counting on him for the opener, which means depth options will need to step up early.

No timetable has been offered. For Gator fans tracking Greenard's development in Philly, the next week is about watching for any sign he's cleared to return to practice.

One More Gator to Watch

Buried under the bigger headlines, Cowboys running back Malik Davis is fighting for the RB2 role in Dallas. Davis has consistently found ways to stick on NFL rosters through contributions in the backfield and on special teams, and this week is framed as a pivotal stretch in that competition. He's done it before — the question is whether he can do it again with the Cowboys' depth chart up for grabs.

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Between Richardson's unresolved future in Indianapolis, Greenard's injury cloud in Philadelphia, and Davis grinding for a roster spot in Dallas, Florida fans have legitimate stakes across three NFL storylines as the 2026 regular season approaches.

The week of August 9 was a brutal one for Florida quarterbacks in the NFL — and a complicated one for every Gator fan watching the league's preseason unfold.

Anthony Richardson: Fighting for His Football Life

Anthony Richardson is entering his fourth NFL season, and the Colts have made no secret of where things stand. Head coach Shane Steichen handed Richardson the starting assignment for Indianapolis' preseason opener against the New England Patriots — the full first half, with Riley Leonard taking the second — but the depth chart context makes the decision feel less like a vote of confidence and more like a final audition.

Richardson is fighting to avoid slipping to third string behind both Daniel Jones and Leonard. He publicly addressed a trade request in a video that circulated during training camp, acknowledging uncertainty about his future with the franchise. FanSided went further, publishing a blunt argument that the Colts are running out of time to recoup value on their former first-round pick.

On the field, Richardson's preseason debut was messy before it was encouraging. He committed two turnovers and started slowly, but finished the half completing 11 of 14 passes. He also provided a glimpse of the dual-threat upside that made him a top pick in the first place: six carries for 53 yards and a touchdown in a game that ended in a 13-13 draw. Afterward, Richardson didn't sugarcoat his own assessment. "I don't think I played well," he told reporters — a self-aware sound bite that landed somewhere between accountability and alarm.

Trade speculation involving Richardson and Tampa Bay's Baker Mayfield contract situation continued to circulate, giving the drama yet another spin. Whether that leads anywhere before the regular season remains the central question hanging over Indianapolis' quarterback room.

Graham Mertz: Season Over Before It Started

In Houston, the news was simply devastating. Texans backup quarterback Graham Mertz left Thursday's preseason game with a knee injury and was subsequently confirmed to have a torn ACL — a season-ending blow for the second-year player. Houston wasted little time signing Brett Rypien to fill the vacancy, and trade speculation around Pittsburgh's Mason Rudolph began almost immediately as the Texans assess their backup options behind C.J. Stroud.

Mertz's ACL tear is the kind of injury that reshapes careers, and it arrives at the worst possible moment: a development year where he needed preseason reps to cement his standing on the roster.

Other Gators in the Mix

It was a notable week for Florida alumni beyond the quarterback storylines. In Philadelphia, defensive end Jonathan Greenard — signed to a $100 million deal — received a discouraging injury update from coordinator Vic Fangio, who said the pass rusher would miss "another couple of weeks, at least," putting his availability for the regular season opener in doubt. Fellow Gator Fred Johnson, an offensive tackle with the Eagles, made headlines for different reasons: he was involved in a training camp brawl that escalated enough to bring head coach Nick Sirianni, GM Howie Roseman, and chief security officer Dom DiSandro onto the field to intervene.

In Carolina, the Panthers signed quarterback Kyle Trask after rookie Haynes King suffered a hamstring injury in their preseason opener, adding a familiar Gator name to their depth chart. And in Cincinnati, kicker Evan McPherson drilled three field goals to help the Bengals beat the Lions 16-14 in the preseason — a quiet, reliable performance that's become his calling card.

A chaotic week for the Gator Nation. Richardson's story, though, is the one worth watching all the way to final cuts.

Florida Alumni NFL Roundup | Aug. 2–8, 2026

The week couldn't have felt more different depending on which side of the ledger you were on. For one Gator, it was a career-defining payday. For another, a season ended before it had the chance to begin.

Torrence Cashes In on Buffalo's Commitment

O'Cyrus Torrence is getting paid like the anchor he's been. The Bills locked up their starting guard with a reported $78.4 million contract extension, cementing his place at the heart of one of the NFL's most dominant offensive lines. The deal makes Torrence one of the highest-paid interior linemen in the league — a reflection of just how central he's become to Buffalo's offensive identity since being drafted out of Florida in 2023. For Gator fans, it's a clean, emphatic affirmation: the man they watched maul defenders in the SEC is doing the same thing on football's biggest stage, and the Bills are making sure he stays put.

Pearsall's Season Over Before It Started

The news out of San Francisco was devastating. Ricky Pearsall, who showed genuine flashes of promise in his rookie year with the 49ers, suffered a knee injury that will end his 2026 season. The timing is brutal — training camp is supposed to be where a young receiver builds momentum heading into a breakout year, not where it gets taken away.

The injury compounds what is already a miserable offseason health picture for San Francisco's offense. Pearsall joins George Kittle (Achilles), along with Christian Kirk, De'Zhaun Stribling, and Kyle Juszczyk on the sideline. The Gator wideout was met with support from teammates Deebo Samuel and Dre Greenlaw following the news — which speaks to the culture around him, even if it doesn't soften the blow.

The ripple effects reached Washington, too. Reports surfaced that the Commanders' interest in 49ers wideout Brandon Aiyuk cooled following Pearsall's injury, suggesting San Francisco may not feel pressed to move pieces off a suddenly thin receiver room.

Pitts, Richardson, and Dexter Worth Watching

Three other Florida alumni generated notable headlines this week, each at a different crossroads.

Kyle Pitts remains central to conversation around the Atlanta Falcons — though not entirely flattering conversation. A Yahoo Sports column this week called out the Falcons for continuing to pay for "unproven potential over results," with Pitts' contract cited as a symbol of a franchise that keeps betting on what could be rather than what has been. Years into his career, the former top-five pick is still waiting to fully deliver on his once-generational billing.

Anthony Richardson showed up in Colts training camp coverage this week, with Indianapolis monitoring his development as backup QB Daniel Jones pushes the competition. The Colts' camp takeaways highlighted the quarterback room as a genuine storyline — and for Richardson, another summer is another chance to sharpen the skills that have always been there in flashes.

Gervon Dexter surfaced in a Bears future-value breakdown this week, as analysts weigh whether Chicago should invest long-term in the defensive tackle when his rookie deal expires. The piece framed it as a genuine decision point — Dexter has ability, but hasn't yet forced the Bears' hand.

Florida's NFL footprint remains wide. This week, it ran the full range — from Torrence's well-earned windfall to Pearsall's painful detour — and everything in between.