Michigan Professional Athletes

The Moment McCarthy's Been Waiting For

J.J. McCarthy didn't just win his first start as a New York Giant on Sunday — he looked every bit like the franchise quarterback Ann Arbor produced. Facing the Houston Texans in Week 7, the former Wolverine threw for 252 yards with zero touchdowns and zero interceptions, steering New York to a 27-21 overtime upset that sent the Giants into their bye week at 4-2-1.

The stat line won't turn heads, but the composure did. McCarthy managed the game cleanly, avoided self-inflicted damage, and delivered in the extra period to hand Houston — a legitimate playoff contender — one of its more embarrassing home losses of the season. FanSided's game grade noted that what Giants fans saw "looked an awful lot like a starting quarterback." McCarthy's own read afterward: "I had a blast. This is just the beginning."

That framing carries weight. The trade that brought McCarthy to New York — a Day 3 pick sent to the 6-0 Vikings — looks increasingly lopsided in the Giants' favor. Eli Manning has been publicly candid about McCarthy's early Giants form, and scrutiny of Minnesota's decision to move him is only growing. For now, McCarthy has the job, the momentum, and a bye week to solidify his grip on it.

Wolverine teammate Dominic Zvada — the undrafted kicker who earned preseason raves — was also on the field for New York's win, though his individual contributions weren't the headline of the afternoon.

Loveland's Status Cloud Hangs Over MNF

While McCarthy was celebrating, fellow Michigan alum Colston Loveland was navigating a more anxious week on the other side of the country. The Bears' first-round tight end surfaced as a new name on Chicago's Friday injury report ahead of their Monday Night Football matchup against the Seattle Seahawks — an unexpected development given he hadn't been dealing with any publicized physical issues earlier in the week.

The Bears' final practice report listed Loveland as questionable. Chicago did release an "upbeat" injury update before the game, offering some optimism that the rookie could suit up, but his availability for MNF remained genuinely uncertain as of the final report. The Seahawks' defense, fresh off a 20-3 dismantling of Kansas City the prior week, would present a stiff test regardless of who lines up at tight end for Chicago.

Around the League

Blake Corum had the most productive individual performance among Michigan's scattered NFL alumni in Week 8, rushing for 93 yards and a touchdown as the Rams rolled past the Raiders 35-21. The former Wolverine RB is establishing himself as LA's primary ball-carrier and is worth monitoring as a fantasy asset down the stretch.

Aidan Hutchinson continued his pass-rush impact for Detroit, logging a sack in the Lions' tight 20-17 win over the Packers — a result that keeps Detroit near the top of the NFC North. And in Dallas, rookie linebacker Jaishawn Barham found himself on the wrong side of a personnel decision, with Cowboys defensive staff moving him to the bench as the team reconfigures its linebacker group.

Michigan's NFL footprint remains wide. It was McCarthy, though, who gave Wolverine fans the loudest reason to watch this week — and with a bye ahead, the real question is whether Sunday was a preview or a one-week spike.

J.J. McCarthy Takes the Reins in New York

The moment Michigan fans have been waiting for arrived Sunday: J.J. McCarthy made his first official start for the New York Giants, stepping in after Jaxson Dart suffered a season-ending injury and veteran Jameis Winston struggled against the Saints in Week 6.

McCarthy didn't walk into an easy situation. The Giants traveled to NRG Stadium to face the Houston Texans, and offensive coordinator Matt Nagy signaled the team was ready to open things up — bringing back zone reads, designed runs, and RPOs specifically tailored to McCarthy's skill set. Head coach John Harbaugh called it a "heck of a skill set" when explaining the decision to hand the former first-round pick the keys.

The debut had its moments. McCarthy finished with 243 passing yards, a touchdown, an interception, and added 26 rushing yards — a showing that was encouraging in stretches but left room for growth. Former NFL MVP Rich Gannon wasn't ready to anoint him, publicly cautioning the Giants that the transition takes time. The outside noise, though, hasn't seemed to faze McCarthy. He reportedly impressed the Giants' staff from the moment he arrived via trade from Minnesota, and he personally reached out to Dart after securing the starting role.

The Giants' 3-2-1 record entering the week meant there was urgency. Whether McCarthy can stabilize a quarterback room that has already cycled through three starters this season will define New York's second half.

Loveland Cementing His Role as Chicago's Anchor

While McCarthy's debut drew the headlines, Colston Loveland has been quietly putting together one of the more impressive stretches by any Michigan alumni in the league right now.

The Bears tight end has posted touchdown receptions in back-to-back weeks. In Week 6 against Atlanta, Loveland hauled in 6 catches for 65 yards and a score as Chicago won 31-23. He followed that up Thursday night against New England — catching 7 passes for 69 yards and another touchdown in a 30-24 Bears win. Fourteen receptions, 134 yards, and two touchdowns over a seven-day stretch. That's not a role player emerging — that's a No. 1 option asserting himself.

The timing couldn't be better. With starter Cole Kmet placed on season-ending IR, Loveland has become the unquestioned centerpiece of Chicago's passing game at the position. The Bears' front office is reportedly comfortable that they don't need to make a trade to address the void — largely because Loveland has already filled it.

After Chicago's Thursday win, Loveland joined quarterback Caleb Williams and cornerback Kyler Gordon in trolling Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy on social media. The Bears are having fun. So is their Michigan tight end.

Around the League

Blake Corum contributed a receiving touchdown for the Rams in their 16-18 loss to Arizona, adding 42 rushing yards and 18 receiving yards as Los Angeles's backfield option. Kwity Paye recorded a sack for the Raiders in Buffalo's 33-30 win. Nico Collins had 74 receiving yards on 3 catches as the Texans edged Jacksonville 34-31. And Jake Moody, released earlier this season by San Francisco, landed on the Ravens' practice squad — keeping the Michigan kicker in the league as he looks for a path back to an active roster.

Cesar Ruiz was listed as questionable for the Saints ahead of their matchup, adding to a lengthy New Orleans injury report that also included Alvin Kamara and others.

It was a week of debuts, setbacks, and roster intrigue for Michigan's NFL alumni — the kind of week that reminds you how quickly football careers can pivot.

J.J. McCarthy's Giant Moment — Sort Of

The most-watched Michigan alumnus this week was J.J. McCarthy, who made his New York Giants debut Sunday against the Washington Commanders in a strange 27-27 overtime tie. The former Wolverines starter played just five snaps, and his statistical footprint was minimal — two passes, both short (a jet sweep and a bubble screen), plus 2 rushing yards. Nothing down the field.

But the point, for now, isn't production — it's possibility. Giants head coach Brian Daboll shared positive sentiments about what McCarthy adds as an option, and quarterback Jameis Winston, who remains the starter, publicly welcomed his new teammate's presence. According to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, the Giants didn't acquire McCarthy to replace Winston; long-term, Jaxson Dart is still viewed as the franchise's future. McCarthy's role right now is something in between — a wrinkle, not a revolution.

Still, Michigan fans should temper expectations. This is a quarterback who was traded to New York weeks ago and is learning a new system on the fly. Five snaps against the Commanders doesn't tell us much — but it does tell us the Giants are at least willing to experiment.

Roman Wilson's Season Takes a Brutal Turn

While McCarthy was getting his feet wet in New York, fellow Michigan alum Roman Wilson was getting devastating news in Pittsburgh. The Steelers placed the second-year wide receiver on injured reserve after he suffered a finger injury during Pittsburgh's 34-22 win over the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday. The move means Wilson will miss a minimum of four weeks, and given the severity reported, an extended absence is possible.

It's a gut punch for a receiver still trying to establish himself at the NFL level. Wilson is the third wide receiver from Pittsburgh's original 53-man roster to suffer a significant injury this season, leaving the Steelers' depth chart increasingly thin.

Mason Graham's Injury Scare

In Cleveland, rookie defensive tackle Mason Graham — a first-round pick out of Michigan — is dealing with a lower-body injury that had him listed as questionable for the Browns' Week 6 matchup against the Baltimore Ravens. Graham suffered the injury during Cleveland's Thursday Night Football game, and the Browns made additional roster moves to fill the void heading into Sunday's divisional clash. The Browns' defense can ill afford to lose their prized interior lineman for any stretch of time.

Mike Danna's 24-Hour Whiplash

Perhaps the strangest subplot of the week belonged to edge rusher Mike Danna. The six-year veteran — formerly of the Kansas City Chiefs, where he won two Super Bowls — was released by the Buffalo Bills ahead of their Monday Night Football game in Week 5, only to be re-signed just 24 hours after their road win. The move appears to have been a straightforward roster management maneuver to create a temporary active-roster spot, with the Bills always intending to bring Danna back. He remains part of Buffalo's defensive rotation.

Around the Rest of the Alumni Network

Blake Corum had a productive Monday night for the Rams against the Bills (19 rushing yards, a touchdown, and 53 receiving yards) in a 37-34 loss. Nico Collins continued to look like one of the league's best receivers, hauling in 5 catches for 56 yards in Houston's dominant 26-3 win over Tennessee. And Colston Loveland managed 2 catches for 19 yards in Chicago's blowout loss to Green Bay.

It was a week Michigan fans won't soon forget — for better and for worse.

It was one of the busiest weeks in recent memory for Michigan alumni across the NFL — a breakout performance, a perfect kicker, a high-profile quarterback debut, a long-awaited return, and a brutal injury all arrived within the same seven-day stretch.

Nico Collins Reminds Everyone What He Is

The most eye-popping stat of the week out of Wolverine country came from Houston, where Nico Collins shook off his injury absence and torched Dallas in Week 4. The Texans receiver caught 7 passes for 118 yards and 2 touchdowns — a performance that would've headlined any team's highlight reel. It wasn't enough to save Houston from a 34-30 defeat, but Collins served notice that he's fully back and a genuine threat at the top of the Texans' offense.

Dominic Zvada Is Quietly Perfect

The more quietly remarkable story belongs to New York Giants rookie kicker Dominic Zvada. The undrafted Michigan product is 9-for-9 on field goals this season, a streak that now includes a clutch 52-yarder against the Arizona Cardinals in the Giants' 36-24 Week 4 win. Sports Illustrated's coverage noted that Zvada credits Jim Harbaugh's trust as a factor in his early confidence — a full-circle moment for a player whose college career was shaped by the same coach. No moment, it seems, is too big.

J.J. McCarthy Lands in New York

McCarthy's whirlwind fall continued in Week 4. Acquired from the Minnesota Vikings on September 28 for a 2027 fifth-round pick, the former Michigan star was active for the Giants' win over Arizona — though he served as the third-string quarterback rather than the starter in his debut. Giants offensive coordinator Matt Nagy was effusive in his praise afterward, calling McCarthy a quick learner who is rapidly absorbing New York's offensive playbook. With the Giants monitoring their quarterback depth heading into Week 5, McCarthy's role figures to grow. The team has already begun adjusting its offensive scheme with a potential McCarthy promotion in mind.

Kenneth Grant Returns for Miami

In Miami, the Dolphins got a boost they've been waiting on since training camp: defensive tackle Kenneth Grant was activated from injured reserve ahead of the team's Week 5 matchup against the Bengals. The first-round pick suffered an injury before the season even began and had been sidelined since. The Dolphins waived quarterback Brady Cook to clear roster space for Grant's return — a clear signal of how much Miami values his presence up front.

Braiden McGregor's Season Is Over

The week's darkest news fell on the Jets, where edge defender Braiden McGregor tore a pectoral muscle during New York's Week 4 loss to the Chicago Bears. The injury is season-ending. McGregor's fellow Michigan alum Colston Loveland — now with the Bears — caught 6 passes for 57 yards in that same game, a coincidence that underscores just how deeply Michigan's fingerprints are stamped across the league.

Elsewhere, Rashan Gary recorded a sack for Dallas in the Texans game, Devin Bush added one for Chicago against the Jets, and Kris Jenkins Jr. notched a sack for Cincinnati. Mason Graham (Browns) remained sidelined heading into Week 5, though early reports from Cleveland's facility were cautiously optimistic about his timeline. It was, in short, a week that reminded NFL observers why Michigan keeps sending players to Sundays.