San Diego State Professional Athletes

Tyrell Shavers Is Coming Back — And the Bills Are Ready

San Diego State's most closely watched NFL alumni story this week has nothing to do with a box score. Wide receiver Tyrell Shavers, who suffered a torn ACL that wiped out his 2025 campaign, appears to be on the cusp of rejoining the Buffalo Bills' active roster.

The Bills activated Shavers' practice window — the formal procedural step that starts the 21-day clock before a team must either elevate a player to the 53-man roster or revert him to injured reserve. It's a quiet move that carries significant weight: Buffalo wouldn't open that window unless the medical staff felt confident in his recovery. According to reports, Shavers returned to practice during the Bills' recent bye week, a stretch of rest that proved productive for several players on the roster.

His agent amplified the anticipation further, dropping a cryptic social media post strongly hinting that a formal return is imminent. Whether that translates to a Week 9 activation or a few more tune-up practices remains to be seen, but the direction is unmistakably forward.

Shavers, a 6-foot-5 boundary receiver who flashed genuine upside before the injury derailed his momentum, would give Buffalo's passing game a physical dimension it has lacked. His return also speaks to the broader success SDSU has had developing NFL-caliber talent at the receiver position — a program not historically known as a wide receiver factory.

Around the League

Shavers dominated the SDSU alumni headlines this week, but a few Aztecs made quiet contributions elsewhere.

Tight end Daniel Bellinger (Tennessee Titans) caught one pass for four yards in Tennessee's 24–27 loss to the Cleveland Browns on Sunday. The Titans fell to 3-4 on the season, and Bellinger's role remains largely a supporting one in an offense still searching for consistency.

On the defensive side, cornerback Chris Johnson (Miami Dolphins) was active in Miami's 28–25 win over the New York Jets — a divisional victory that keeps the Dolphins' playoff hopes flickering. Safety Darren Hall (Washington Commanders), linebacker Segun Olubi (Las Vegas Raiders), and defensive end Cameron Thomas (Atlanta Falcons) all saw game action for their respective clubs, though none produced standout statistical lines in the brief.

Punter Matt Araiza continued to handle duties for the Kansas City Chiefs in their 20–3 win over the Seattle Seahawks — a reminder that the former SDSU standout remains employed on one of the league's premier rosters.

The Bigger Picture

With more than two dozen Aztecs currently on NFL rosters, San Diego State has quietly built one of the deeper alumni pipelines in the Mountain West. The Shavers comeback story is the week's marquee moment — a player fighting back from one of football's most grueling injuries, with an entire fanbase watching the Bills' injury report like a stock ticker.

If the Bills activate him before their next game, Shavers will be the lead story again. For now, the practice field return is enough to get SDSU fans cautiously optimistic.

The NFL's waiver wire claimed another San Diego State alumnus this week, as the Washington Commanders released defensive back Darren Hall from their practice squad on Tuesday — a quiet but meaningful roster move for the Aztecs' extended NFL family.

Hall, a safety who played his college ball at SDSU, had been working to stick on Washington's practice squad after failing to crack the 53-man roster. Getting cut at the practice squad level is a particularly tough blow: it signals that a team no longer views a player as even a developmental option worth protecting, and it leaves Hall searching for his next opportunity in a league where practice squad spots are hard-won and easily lost.

There's no shortage of Aztec alumni keeping an eye on the waiver wire alongside him. San Diego State boasts a remarkably wide NFL footprint in 2026, with more than two dozen former players currently on rosters across the league — from Matt Araiza punting for the Kansas City Chiefs to Rashaad Penny carrying the ball in Philadelphia.

Other Aztecs in Action

The week wasn't without its highlights for SDSU's active contingent. Araiza was on the field Sunday as the Chiefs handled the Chargers 22-6 — a comfortable win for Kansas City that Araiza's consistent punting helped sustain. It's a notable full-circle moment for the former SDSU standout, who has worked hard to re-establish himself at the NFL level.

In Tennessee, tight end Daniel Bellinger and offensive tackle Zach Thomas were part of a Titans squad that edged the Colts 26-20. Bellinger has been carving out a role in Tennessee's offense since arriving from New York, and a tight win like this one puts the Titans in the thick of an AFC South race that figures to stay competitive.

Down in Atlanta, defensive end Cameron Thomas had a tough Sunday: the Falcons dropped a 23-31 decision to the Bears. Thomas, one of the more intriguing young defensive linemen to come out of San Diego State in recent years, is still developing within Atlanta's system — but results like this one underscore how much the Falcons have left to figure out in 2026.

The Bigger Picture

Hall's release is a reminder of how precarious NFL roster life can be, even for players with legitimate talent. San Diego State has become a legitimate pipeline program — the sheer number of alumni on active rosters in 2026 speaks to the program's ability to develop players who can compete at the next level. But surviving on practice squads and depth charts requires more than ability; it demands timing, scheme fit, and a little luck.

For Hall, the door isn't necessarily closed. Players cut from practice squads are free to sign elsewhere, and with 32 teams perpetually cycling through their rosters, another opportunity could emerge quickly. Whether it does will say a lot about where he stands in the eyes of NFL personnel departments.

San Diego State Alumni Report | NFL Week 4 (Oct. 4–10, 2026)

Two Aztecs made noise in opposite corners of the NFL this week — one with his leg in the desert, one with his motor in Atlanta.

Araiza Earns AFC Special Teams Player of the Week

Matt Araiza had himself a week. The Kansas City Chiefs punter was named the AFC Special Teams Player of the Week after a standout performance in the Chiefs' 30–27 road win over the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday, Oct. 4. Araiza didn't just make an impact with his punting — he also contributed on the ground, logging 12 rushing yards in what became a complete special teams performance that the NFL singled out for recognition.

For Araiza, the honor is a statement moment. The San Diego State product has carved out a legitimate role as one of the better punters in the AFC, and a Player of the Week nod in a divisional road win only cements that standing. The Chiefs' special teams unit was dialed in all afternoon in Las Vegas, and Araiza was the centerpiece.

Thomas Becomes a Quiet Force in Atlanta's Pass Rush

While Araiza was collecting hardware, Cameron Thomas was turning heads in a different way. The defensive end, signed by the Atlanta Falcons as a depth option, has evolved into a genuine contributor in their pass-rush rotation early in the 2026 season. According to Sports Illustrated, Thomas was brought in as a backup, but he's trending well beyond that label.

The Falcons blew out the New Orleans Saints 45–24 on Monday, Oct. 5, and Thomas was part of a defensive front that dominated. At San Diego State, Thomas showed the athleticism and motor that made him a prospect worth watching — Atlanta is now finding out what that looks like at full NFL speed. If he keeps this up, the "surprise" label won't last long.

Around the League

Elsewhere among active Aztecs, Daniel Bellinger caught one pass for two yards as the Tennessee Titans fell to Baltimore 24–18 on Sunday. The tight end is still looking for a larger role in Tennessee's offense. Daniel Brunskill remains on the Los Angeles Chargers' practice squad after being signed as a veteran offensive line depth piece — he hasn't yet cracked the active roster. Segun Olubi was in uniform for the Raiders in their home loss to Kansas City, though he did not record notable stats in the defeat.

San Diego State's NFL footprint is wide — 30-plus alumni scattered across the league — but this week belonged to Araiza and Thomas. A punter winning conference honors and a free-agent defensive end emerging as a pass-rush weapon make for an unlikely but genuinely compelling Aztec double act. Watch both of them closely as the season deepens.