LSU Professional Athletes

The OBJ Era — Again — Is Over

The reunion nobody asked for has officially ended. The New York Giants released Odell Beckham Jr. this week after three games in which the three-time Pro Bowl wideout logged exactly zero catches, closing the book on his second stint with the franchise that made him famous. Head coach John Harbaugh — candid to a fault — addressed the decision plainly at his press conference: "I'm not hiding anything," he said, per Bleacher Report, suggesting the move was about roster fit amid a wave of Giants injuries rather than any deeper drama.

Beckham signed with his original team this offseason in what looked like a storybook return. Instead, the Giants quickly moved on, reassigning his No. 13 jersey and signing ex-Dolphin Braxton Berrios as a replacement. Per Heavy Sports, Beckham shared his true feelings publicly after the release — something the three-time Pro Bowler has rarely shied away from.

The landing spot speculation machine turned on immediately. Bleacher Report identified several wide receiver-needy teams as candidates, while Sports Illustrated floated the Carolina Panthers as a surprise possibility. Wherever OBJ lands next, his former LSU teammate Malik Nabers — still grinding through a difficult Giants season — reportedly benefited from Beckham's presence in the locker room before his departure, per Bleacher Report. Nabers caught 5 passes for 26 yards in New York's 12-7 win over Tennessee on Sept. 27, the game that turned out to be Beckham's last in a Giants uniform. A J.J. McCarthy trade to New York also adds an interesting wrinkle to Nabers' offensive future.

Burrow and Chase Stay Electric, Even in Defeat

Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase continued their run as the NFL's most dangerous LSU-connected tandem, even if the result didn't go their way. In Cincinnati's 30-27 loss to Pittsburgh on Sept. 27, Burrow threw for 282 yards and three touchdowns, adding 13 rushing yards. Chase hauled in 9 receptions for 98 yards and a score — a performance that would have won most games. The Steelers' defense forced a game-winning fumble in the final minute to steal it, per Yahoo Sports.

Injury Trouble for Daniels, Jefferson

Two of the most prominent LSU names in the league are dealing with health scares. Jayden Daniels, who sustained a dislocated elbow in a prior week, was a game-time question for Washington's Week 4 trip to London against the Colts, per Heavy Sports — a significant concern for a Commanders team that lives and dies by his playmaking. Meanwhile, Justin Jefferson was ruled out for Minnesota's Week 4 matchup against the Dolphins after logging just 2 catches for 32 yards in a Week 3 win over Tampa Bay. Both absences have real downstream consequences for their respective offenses.

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A handful of other LSU alumni made quiet contributions in Week 4. Foster Moreau caught 2 passes for 7 yards and a touchdown in Houston's narrow 19-17 loss to Indianapolis. Grant Delpit recorded an interception for Cleveland in a Thursday night win over Pittsburgh. Omar Speights contributed a sack for the Rams in a loss to Denver. And Zavion Thomas caught 1 pass for 1 yard in Chicago's dominant 27-7 win over Philadelphia.

It's a wide, deep LSU footprint across the NFL — even if the loudest story this week was a receiver who never got a chance to catch a single ball.

The week that was for LSU's NFL alumni came with a stark split screen: one pair of Tigers etching their names into the record books in Cincinnati, and another watching his season's promise evaporate in Washington.

Burrow & Chase Make History in Cincinnati

Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase didn't just beat the Houston Texans on Sunday — they joined a rarefied tier of quarterback-receiver combinations in NFL history. In Cincinnati's 20-6 win, Burrow finished with 207 passing yards and two touchdown passes, while Chase hauled in 7 receptions for 75 yards and two scores. The performance pushed the duo into an exclusive club that only the greatest QB-WR pairings have ever reached, according to Yahoo Sports.

The reaction from around the league was immediate. Former NFL MVP Adrian Peterson publicly praised Chase's performance after the game, a moment that drew significant attention given Peterson's stature in the sport, per Heavy Sports.

The Bengals-Texans matchup also doubled as an LSU reunion of sorts. Texans wideout Kayshon Boutte caught 3 passes for 37 yards in the losing effort, while defensive end Danielle Hunter and tight end Foster Moreau also suited up for Houston — Hunter recording a sack and Moreau hauling in 2 catches for 34 yards despite the lopsided result.

Daniels' Season Hits a Frightening Detour

The story on the other side of the ledger is far grimmer. Jayden Daniels was carted off the field in Washington's 37-20 loss to the Dallas Cowboys after dislocating his left elbow on the final play of the first half — the same elbow he hurt in a November 2025 game against the Seahawks, per Pro Football Talk. He managed 96 passing yards, a touchdown, and 69 rushing yards before the injury ended his day.

The outlook, while not catastrophic, is far from clear. The Commanders will not place Daniels on injured reserve, and surgery is reportedly not on the table, per CBS Sports and Pro Football Talk. GM Adam Peters described him as week-to-week, with Marcus Mariota set to start Washington's Week 3 game against the Seahawks. Multiple NFL executives have publicly questioned the decision to avoid surgery, per The Sporting News, adding an unusual layer of external pressure to what is already an anxious situation for a 0-2 Commanders team.

Linebacker K'Lavon Chaisson, another LSU product in Washington, recorded a sack in the loss.

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Elsewhere, Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers had a difficult Monday night, catching just 1 pass for 1 yard in New York's 28-6 blowout loss to the Rams before suffering a shoulder injury that required X-rays, per Bleacher Report. His status heading into Week 3 bears watching.

Justin Jefferson continued to be a steady presence in Minnesota, posting 3 catches for 55 yards in the Vikings' 9-3 defensive grind over the Bears, where LSU's Zavion Thomas suited up for Chicago.

LSU's NFL Week 2 story ultimately belongs to two extreme poles: Burrow and Chase ascending to legend status, and Daniels navigating an uncertain road back to health. Both will be worth watching as the 2026 season takes shape.

Jefferson Reminds Everyone He's Still the Standard

LSU's most prominent NFL alumni had plenty to say in Week 1, and Justin Jefferson said it loudest. The Vikings receiver turned in one of the most dominant individual performances of the opening weekend, hauling in 8 receptions for 92 yards and 2 touchdowns as Minnesota came back to beat Green Bay 39-22. Jefferson was central to the comeback, and the performance immediately cemented his status as the alpha in an offense now navigating uncertainty at quarterback — Kyler Murray exited the game with a concussion and was ruled out for Week 2.

With Carson Wentz stepping in under center, Jefferson is expected to absorb an even larger target share going forward, a dynamic that analysts have flagged as one of the more significant fantasy and real-life ripple effects of Murray's injury. For LSU fans, that's a reminder of what Jefferson can do even when conditions around him aren't ideal.

Delane's Instant Impact — and Immediate Concern

If Jefferson was the week's headliner, Mansoor Delane provided the most dramatic subplot. The Chiefs' first-round rookie cornerback intercepted Bo Nix on his very first NFL series — a stunning debut moment that validated Kansas City's steep draft investment — before being ruled out with a shoulder injury. The pick came against Denver in a 31-10 Kansas City blowout.

The injury update was subsequently characterized as a "best-case scenario," offering some relief, but Delane was listed as questionable heading into Week 2 against the Colts alongside Chris Jones. For a player who made such an immediate statement, the next few days will be critical in determining whether his debut was a preview or a prologue interrupted.

Four Tigers Under One Texans Roof

One of the more quietly remarkable story lines of this early NFL season: the Houston Texans are carrying four LSU alumni on their active roster simultaneously — wide receiver Kayshon Boutte, defensive end Danielle Hunter, tight end Foster Moreau, and guard Ed Ingram. That's a miniature Tiger reunion on one NFL sideline.

Week 1 results were mixed. The Texans fell 36-31 to the Bills in a competitive opener, with Boutte logging 1 reception for 21 yards and Moreau adding 2 catches for 15 yards. Hunter suited up but did not register a statistical mark in the box score. The group will get another chance to perform collectively when Cincinnati — with two more LSU alums in Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase — comes to town in Week 2.

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Elsewhere in Week 1, Jayden Daniels continued to look like the real deal for Washington, throwing for 164 yards and 2 touchdowns while adding 31 rushing yards in a narrow 22-24 loss to Philadelphia. Malik Nabers caught 6 passes for 69 yards as the Giants beat Dallas 28-20, with Isaiah Likely's 8-catch, 78-yard, 2-TD debut providing a complementary threat that could open things up for the LSU receiver going forward.

Joe Burrow battled through a questionable designation to complete a 33-27 Bengals win over Tampa Bay, finishing with 254 passing yards, a touchdown, an interception, and 20 rushing yards. Ja'Marr Chase, meanwhile, was quiet with just 2 catches for 12 yards — a footnote week for a player who rarely has them.

Brian Thomas Jr. chipped in 3 catches for 40 yards in Jacksonville's dominant 34-10 win over Cleveland, while Davon Godchaux suited up for New Orleans in a gut-punch 31-30 loss to Detroit — a defeat the Saints defense will want to quickly move past before facing Derrick Henry and the Ravens in Week 2.