Syracuse Professional Athletes

Franklin Steps Into the Spotlight

When the Green Bay Packers traded for Zaire Franklin this offseason, they were betting on a proven linebacker to anchor their defense. A few months later, that bet is looking very smart — and Franklin is already being talked about as the centerpiece of one of the NFL's most storied rivalries.

Heading into Green Bay's Week 5 matchup with the Chicago Bears, Franklin addressed the rivalry head-on, leaning into the "bad blood" that defines Packers-Bears history despite being new to it himself. The All-Pro has been with the organization only a matter of months, but his comments made clear he's done the cultural homework — and the Bears game isn't just another Sunday.

That pregame moment carried extra weight given what's unfolded around him. Linebacker Edgerrin Cooper, one of Green Bay's most disruptive defenders, suffered a season-ending Achilles injury against Tampa Bay, thrusting Franklin into an even larger role than originally anticipated. Head coach Matt LaFleur acknowledged Cooper's significance to the defense while making plain that the weight of that absence now rests squarely on Franklin's shoulders.

Defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon went further. In an October 6 assessment, Gannon described Franklin's performance and approach in the wake of Cooper's injury as "unbelievable" — a pointed endorsement from a coordinator who now depends on the Syracuse product more than ever. The Packers acquired Franklin this offseason, and through the first five weeks, that investment is drawing nothing but positive reviews from the coaching staff.

On the field in Week 5, Franklin was in the lineup as Green Bay edged Tampa Bay 17-14 — a tight win that further underscored just how much the Packers need their linebacker corps functioning at a high level.

Other Orange Alumni Around the League

Franklin wasn't the only former Orange making noise this week. In Tampa Bay's Thursday night rematch with Dallas — a 24-16 Buccaneers win — running back Sean Tucker contributed 18 rushing yards. Tucker had also factored into the Week 5 loss to Green Bay, rushing for 10 yards and a touchdown.

On the Chargers, tight end Oronde Gadsden had a quietly productive Week 5, hauling in five receptions for 36 yards and adding two rushing yards in Los Angeles's 23-30 loss to Seattle. Fellow Charger Marlowe Wax was also on the field for that contest.

In Dallas, linebacker Justin Barron appeared in both the Cowboys' Week 5 win over Houston (34-30) and their Thursday night loss to Tampa Bay, while safety Alijah Clark was active in the Houston game as well.

Over in Arizona, cornerback Garrett Williams suited up for the Cardinals in a 24-36 loss to the Giants. And in New York, safety Andre Cisco played for the Jets in a 12-23 loss to Chicago.

The week's most compelling storyline, though, belongs squarely to Franklin — a Syracuse linebacker now carrying the defensive identity of a franchise built on linebacker excellence, with a Bears rivalry game and a coaching staff's full confidence behind him.

The Kick Heard in the Steel City

Andre Szmyt didn't flinch. With 10 seconds left, a raucous Thursday Night Football crowd, and a career on the line, the Syracuse product drilled a 56-yard field goal to give the Cleveland Browns a 27-24 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers — a career-long boot that will be difficult to top.

The drama was vintage AFC North. Cleveland had built a 14-point lead heading into the fourth quarter, only to watch Pittsburgh claw all the way back and tie the game. Then Deshaun Watson — who finished with 268 passing yards — took over, driving the Browns 36 yards in seven plays to set Szmyt up for the moment. The kick split the uprights with ease. Cleveland moved to 3-1, and Szmyt walked off the field as the undisputed hero of the night.

Watson reportedly sought out Szmyt after the drive, a detail the kicker shared publicly in the aftermath. It was the kind of moment that signals a kicker has arrived as a trusted weapon, not just a footnote on the depth chart.

Around the Orange in the NFL

While Szmyt delivered the headline, it was a busy week across the board for Orange alumni.

Former Detroit Lions safety Ifeatu Melifonwu resurfaced in Tampa Bay, earning a promotion to the Buccaneers' 53-man roster — a significant milestone for a player who spent time working his way back into the league. The move was reported ahead of Tampa Bay's Week 4 game against Minnesota, where the Buccaneers fell 23-16.

Andre Cisco logged a tackle for the Jets in their 31-24 loss to Detroit on Sunday, while Jackson Meeks contributed a reception for eight yards on the winning side for the Lions in that same matchup.

In Jacksonville, LeQuint Allen Jr. caught two passes for nine yards in a dominant Jaguars blowout of New England, 35-6. Alijah Clark suited up for Dallas in a narrow 34-31 loss to Baltimore, and Garrett Williams saw action for Arizona in a 36-30 defeat to San Francisco.

The broader week underscored what makes Syracuse's NFL footprint worth tracking: the Orange punch above their recruiting weight class with contributors scattered across nearly every division. But this week belonged entirely to Szmyt, who provided one of the most dramatic single plays by an Orange alum in recent memory.

A 56-yard walk-off field goal in an AFC North rivalry game, on national television, doesn't get more Syracuse-in-the-NFL than that.

The Orange diaspora had a busy week across the NFL, with a kicker earning hardware, a cornerback cleared for action, an offensive lineman locking in his future, and a tight end finding the end zone. Syracuse's NFL footprint is hard to miss right now.

Szmyt Kicks His Way to AFC Honors

Andre Szmyt is making a strong case that the Browns made the right call trusting their kicking game to a second-year man. The former Syracuse standout was named the AFC Special Teams Player of the Week after Cleveland's 23–19 road win over Tampa Bay in Week 2 — a game in which his reliability proved decisive. Browns special teams coordinator praised Szmyt's hot start to 2026, and the award is a signal that his consistency isn't going unnoticed league-wide. For a franchise that has cycled through kickers with frustrating regularity, Szmyt is starting to look like a long-term answer.

Garrett Williams Back to Full Health

After injury concerns shadowed the early portion of the Cardinals' 2026 campaign, cornerback Garrett Williams emerged from Arizona's final Week 3 injury report with a clean bill of health — a full participant, no designation, good to go. Head coach Mike LaFleur publicly flagged Williams as a key piece heading into a tough road showdown with the San Francisco 49ers. The former Syracuse defensive back's return adds a needed layer to an Arizona secondary that was leaning on depth. Whether Williams can help the Cardinals pull off an upset against a favored 49ers squad is the immediate test.

Bergeron Locks In with Atlanta

Offensive lineman Matthew Bergeron secured a multi-million dollar contract extension with the Falcons, according to reporting on Syracuse's NFL alumni. The deal cements his place on Atlanta's offensive line and rewards a player who has developed steadily since being drafted. For Syracuse fans who watched Bergeron anchor the Orange's front, it's the kind of NFL trajectory — starter's role, long-term money — that validates the program's ability to produce professional-caliber linemen.

Gadsden Finds the End Zone for the Chargers

Oronde Gadsden's sophomore NFL season continued to show promise in Week 2 when the tight end hauled in a touchdown catch for the Los Angeles Chargers in a 26–14 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders. Gadsden finished the game with 2 receptions for 18 yards and the score — a bright spot in an otherwise difficult afternoon for LA. His role is growing in importance: after injuries thinned out the Chargers' tight end room, Gadsden and newly signed Hayden Rucci are the only two tight ends on the active roster. More targets should follow.

Around the Rest of the Orange

Elsewhere in the league, Zaire Franklin suited up for Green Bay in a Week 2 win over the Jets (20–17) and again in Thursday's home opener against Atlanta. Alijah Clark was active for Dallas in their Week 2 win over Washington, with the Cowboys potentially leaning on the Syracuse safety as injuries mount on their roster. LeQuint Allen Jr. was active for Jacksonville in a Week 2 loss to Denver. Andre Cisco played for the Jets in that same Green Bay game. And Ifeatu Melifonwu was elevated from Tampa Bay's practice squad to the active roster on Saturday — keeping another Orange alum in the weekly conversation.

It's a deep, active alumni network — and right now, several of them are playing meaningful roles.