South Carolina Professional Athletes

The week of Oct. 25–31 gave South Carolina alumni in the NFL a split headline: a signature moment on the sport's quirkiest unofficial holiday, and a sobering injury that ended a promising young receiver's year before it had a chance to fully bloom.

Nick Muse Makes National Tight Ends Day Count

The Atlanta Falcons entered Week 7 as underdogs against the previously undefeated San Francisco 49ers — and left with a 29–20 upset victory that shook the NFC. National Tight Ends Day fell on the same Sunday, and South Carolina's Nick Muse made sure he was part of the celebration. The Falcons TE caught 2 passes for 2 yards, but the only number that mattered was the touchdown — a score that contributed to one of Atlanta's bigger wins of the season.

Muse wasn't alone in the tight end room. Kyle Pitts had a strong second half including a touchdown of his own, and the entire Atlanta TE corps made plays for the offense. For Muse, who has carved out a roster role in a competitive position group, catching a score against a previously unbeaten 49ers defense was the kind of moment that cements standing in an NFL locker room.

Jalen Brooks' Season Ends Before It Could Take Off

Out in Arizona, the news was far grimmer. Cardinals wide receiver Jalen Brooks announced he will undergo season-ending wrist surgery, a blow that cuts short what had been a quietly encouraging campaign. The Cardinals subsequently placed Brooks on injured reserve, making the end official.

Brooks had flashed potential in limited opportunities — his final game appearance, a 1-catch, 35-yard performance in Arizona's 16–30 loss to Denver on Oct. 25, was a glimpse of what the Gamecocks alum could offer. Now he'll spend the rest of the season rehabbing, with the hope of returning to compete for a role next summer.

Around the League

Beyond the two headline stories, other Gamecocks had notable moments across Week 7. In Cincinnati, linebacker Demetrius Knight Jr. picked off a pass in the Bengals' dominant 35–13 win over Baltimore — a sign that his improved play this season extends to the turnover column. In Pittsburgh, running back Rico Dowdle contributed in all phases of the backfield against New Orleans, totaling 41 rushing yards and 45 receiving yards on 6 catches in a 16–10 Steelers win.

In Seattle, safety Nick Emmanwori returned from a hip injury to play in the Seahawks' 20–3 win over the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday night — a double injury boost for a defense that needed him. And in Washington, defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw remained sidelined with a knee injury, with the Commanders reporting his recovery is moving slower than hoped.

Brandon Cisse Is Already Must-Watch in Green Bay

South Carolina's newest NFL story is unfolding in Green Bay, and Brandon Cisse is making it impossible to look away.

The Packers rookie cornerback gutted through a hip injury just to get on the field for Week 6, was cleared active against the Dallas Cowboys, and then delivered — hauling in an interception as Green Bay held one of the NFL's better offenses to just 13 points in a 23–13 win. Then, with just over eight minutes left in the fourth quarter, Cisse's afternoon ended abruptly when he exited with a shoulder stinger, was assisted off the field and checked out in the medical blue tent, missing the final 24 snaps of the game.

That could have been the lead. But Cisse didn't let it be the lasting image of his week.

Ahead of Green Bay's road showdown against the Detroit Lions, the second-round pick issued a five-word injury update that signaled he intends to suit up — and, by multiple reports, came with some trademark rookie bravado directed at the Lions' offense. The message was brief; the intent was clear. Cisse is not going quietly into a backup role or an injury report footnote.

His Gamecock teammate on the roster, veteran CB Keisean Nixon, added his own voice to the postgame noise after the Cowboys win — making it plain that the Packers secondary handled business and wasn't shy about saying so. Two South Carolina corners in the same secondary, talking their talk.

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Around the League: Other Gamecocks in Action

Cisse wasn't the only Gamecock producing on Sunday.

Rico Dowdle (Steelers) had a quietly useful afternoon in Pittsburgh's 26–19 win over Tampa Bay, rushing for 40 yards and adding three catches for nine more. Dowdle had been listed as questionable heading into the week, so even seeing him on the field was notable. He delivered.

Jalen Brooks (Cardinals) caught two passes for 30 yards in Arizona's 18–16 win over the Rams — a small but meaningful contribution in a tight game that Arizona needed badly.

Spencer Rattler (Saints) landed on the injury report during the week as New Orleans prepared for their Paris game against the Steelers, a storyline worth monitoring as the Saints' season heads into murky territory.

Jalon Kilgore (Bills) is part of an evolving safety room conversation in Buffalo after a teammate's suspension, with Sports Illustrated examining whether the South Carolina rookie's high ceiling warrants a larger role against the Ravens in the coming weeks.

And in Seattle, Nick Emmanwori turned up on the injury report — listed as questionable with an injury he suffered in Friday's practice ahead of the Chiefs game — a reminder that the former Gamecock safety's path to playing time comes with the usual rookie obstacles.

South Carolina alumni had a turbulent week across the NFL, with suspensions, injured reserve placements, and injury scares dominating the headlines — though T.J. Sanders gave Gamecock fans something to feel good about in Buffalo.

Dre Greenlaw: Headbutt Heard 'Round the NFC West

The ugliest story of the week belonged to 49ers linebacker Dre Greenlaw. During San Francisco's 32-29 win at Seattle on Oct. 11, Greenlaw was ejected after headbutting Seahawks linebacker Ernest Jones IV — a fellow South Carolina alum — while Jones was helmetless. The NFL swiftly handed down a one-game suspension without pay, and when Greenlaw appealed, the league upheld it. He sat out San Francisco's Week 6 clash against the Washington Commanders, with rookie Jaden Dugger stepping in to fill the void.

The incident puts a sharp edge on the South Carolina alumni picture: two Gamecocks on opposite sides of one of the week's most controversial moments, with Jones absorbing a blow from a former teammate.

Raheim Sanders Lands on IR

The Browns' backfield situation just got worse. Cleveland placed running back Raheim Sanders on injured reserve this week, sidelining him for a minimum of four games. Sanders had managed just 12 rushing yards and one reception in Cleveland's 17-12 Week 5 loss to the Jets before the injury caught up with him. The Browns responded by signing Audric Estime off the Vikings' practice squad. With the backfield already depleted, Sanders' absence adds real strain to a Cleveland offense struggling to find traction.

Keisean Nixon's Injury Scare — and Relief

Packers cornerback Keisean Nixon gave Green Bay fans a scare when he missed Wednesday's practice ahead of a high-stakes Sunday Night Football matchup against the Cowboys with a groin injury. The concern was short-lived: coach Matt LaFleur confirmed Nixon returned to practice Thursday, easing fears about his availability for what shapes up as a pivotal NFC matchup. Nixon had been on the field in Green Bay's 31-7 demolition of the Bears in Week 5.

T.J. Sanders Shines on Bills Debut

The lone bright spot: defensive tackle T.J. Sanders made his 2026 NFL debut for the Bills in Monday's 37-34 win over the Rams and, by all accounts, looked every bit the early second-round pick Buffalo invested in him. A film review from Yahoo Sports singled out the South Carolina product for his performance, a promising sign for a Bills defense that needed his presence up front.

Around the Rest of the Alumni

DJ Wonnum logged two tackles/sacks for the Lions in a blowout 45-21 win over the Cardinals, though he was subsequently fined by the NFL for his play in that game. Jaguars defensive end Bryan Thomas Jr. was also fined after being ejected in a Week 5 fight against the Eagles' Jeremiah Trotter Jr. on a kickoff just 13 seconds into the game in London — a chaotic moment that resulted in discipline for both players.

Deebo Samuel exited the 49ers' Seattle win with a hamstring injury and is expected to miss at least a couple of weeks, another blow to San Francisco's offensive weapons. Nick Muse saw action for the Falcons in their 30-23 loss to Baltimore, though the tight end continues to navigate a crowded depth chart in Atlanta.

It was a week that captured the full range of NFL life for Gamecock alumni — breakout moments, bad decisions, and the ever-present injury ledger.

South Carolina Alumni NFL Roundup | Oct. 4–10, 2026

Three South Carolina alumni headlined a busy week in the NFL, with two Gamecocks making noise in Seattle's secondary and a third fighting to get back on the field in Pittsburgh.

Emmanwori Is a Problem — and the NFL Knows It

Nick Emmanwori didn't just return to full health this week — he returned with a statement. The Seahawks safety, back at 100% after battling through an early-season ailment, was a force in Seattle's Week 4 win over the Chargers, recording a sack and firmly establishing himself as one of the most dynamic defensive players in the league. Sports Illustrated called his return a potential inflection point for a Seahawks defense with legitimate elite-level upside.

The intensity comes with a cost, though. The NFL announced fines for Emmanwori on Oct. 10 stemming from two separate incidents in the Chargers game — and one of those fines carries suspension-level implications. According to Yahoo Sports, Emmanwori is now one step closer to an automatic suspension. The fine is a reminder that his physicality, while electric, operates right on the edge of the rulebook.

It's a complex profile: Emmanwori is becoming exactly the kind of safety that changes a defense's identity, but the NFL is watching him closely. Seattle will need him to channel that aggression more cleanly — and soon, given the weight of a potential suspension.

Ernest Jones IV: Playing Well, Preaching Accountability

Emmanwori's Seahawks teammate Ernest Jones IV had a dominant outing of his own in the Chargers win, logging a sack and an interception in the same game. For a linebacker who was brought to Seattle to anchor the middle of the defense, it was the kind of two-way performance that validates the investment.

Off the field, Jones demonstrated leadership beyond box scores. After a penalty-heavy game drew scrutiny, Jones organized a defensive players-only meeting to address the discipline issues — and told reporters it's the kind of session a team needs "just once" per season to get right. Two South Carolina products, side by side, trying to build something real in the Pacific Northwest.

Dowdle's Long Road Back in Pittsburgh

The news out of Pittsburgh is harder to watch. Running back Rico Dowdle, signed by the Steelers to compete for a featured role, revealed the extent of a toe injury that has kept him sidelined — describing it in terms that make clear this wasn't a minor setback. Dowdle shared further details on the gruesome nature of the injury and where he stands in recovery.

The encouraging update: Dowdle returned to Steelers practice this week ahead of the Week 5 matchup against the Colts, putting him closer to a potential return. Jaylen Warren has filled the void admirably in his absence, but the Steelers signed Dowdle for a reason. When he gets back, Pittsburgh's backfield picture gets considerably more interesting.

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Elsewhere around the league, Brandon Cisse (Packers) exited Green Bay's Week 4 win over Tampa Bay with a neck injury but avoided the concussion protocol — coach Matt LaFleur called it non-long-term. T.J. Sanders (Bills) returned to practice after an appendectomy but is still managing a lingering knee issue. And Deebo Samuel Sr. (49ers) had a vintage Samuel day against Denver: 44 rushing yards, five catches for 26 yards, and a receiving touchdown in a 24–14 San Francisco win.