TCU Professional Athletes

It was a busy week for Horned Frogs across the NFL, with four TCU alumni generating headlines from the injury report to the trade wire.

Quentin Johnston at the Center of Charger Deadline Drama

The biggest storyline involves Quentin Johnston, whose name has become inextricably linked with the Chargers' 0-6 start and the approaching trade deadline. Multiple reports indicate teams have made inquiries about Johnston, with the Steelers and 49ers named as potential suitors. The Chargers, however, are reportedly reluctant to sell off veterans despite their record. A separate report floats the desperate Patriots as a willing dance partner who could help Los Angeles offload the second-year wideout. Johnston hasn't developed into the consistent weapon the Chargers envisioned when they drafted him, and a deadline move — in either direction — would mark a significant turning point for both player and franchise.

Jack Bech Set to Return for Raiders in Week 8

On a more encouraging note, Jack Bech is working his way back for Las Vegas after missing four consecutive games. The Raiders designated the wide receiver to return from injured reserve this week, and practice reports indicate he could suit up Sunday against the Jets. Head coach Klint Kubiak has been effusive about what Bech brings to the offense, and the timing couldn't be better for a Raiders team that has struggled to generate consistent production at the position. His status remained officially questionable through the final injury report, but the trajectory was positive heading into the weekend.

Demercado Waived in Dallas

The Cowboys cut ties with running back Emari Demercado this week, releasing the former TCU back and creating another footnote in what has become a tumultuous season in Dallas. Demercado carved out a serviceable role as a pass-catching back during his time with the Cowboys, but the roster move signals a changing of the depth chart in the Dallas backfield.

Turpin Ruled Out with Rib Injury

KaVontae Turpin won't be adding to his dynamic return game résumé this week — the Cowboys ruled him out against the Eagles due to a rib injury. Turpin did not practice Wednesday and was officially ruled out on the final injury report, leaving Dallas short-handed at a skill position in a divisional showdown. Fellow TCU alum Dee Winters was also ruled out for the same game with an injury of his own, making it a rough week for Horned Frogs on the Cowboys' roster.

Around the League

Savion Williams continues to find his footing in Green Bay, posting 47 receiving yards on three catches in a Week 7 loss to Detroit, then adding 5 receiving yards and 18 rushing yards in a Week 8 win over Carolina. With Matthew Golden sidelined, Williams is getting extended opportunities and coach Matt LaFleur has publicly expressed confidence in his development. Meanwhile, TCU tight end Jared Wiley was active for the Chiefs against Seattle — his first appearance of the 2026 season — a quiet but notable milestone for the young pass-catcher in Kansas City.

Four TCU alumni headlined NFL Week 6, delivering a mix of breakout moments and sobering injury news across the league.

Dee Winters: High and Low in Dallas

Dee Winters authored what should have been a defining moment — and then the other shoe dropped. The Cowboys linebacker intercepted a pass in Dallas' Week 6 loss to Green Bay, marking the first interception by the Cowboys' defense all season. But Winters didn't finish the game, exiting with an Achilles strain that is expected to cost him significant time. He had started all six games this season before the injury, and his absence deepens an already thin Dallas linebacker corps. DeMarvion Overshown is expected to step back into the lineup for Week 7, but the loss of Winters is a real blow to a Dallas defense that was finally generating some takeaways.

KaVontae Turpin, another Frog on the Cowboys' roster, also exited the same game early after suffering a rib injury on the opening kickoff return — a painful day all around for TCU's contingent in Dallas.

Kendre Miller's Heavy Lift in New Orleans

With the Saints' backfield under the microscope all season, Kendre Miller is making the most of his opportunities. Miller carried the ball 20 times in New Orleans' 34-27 win over the Giants, finishing with 70 rushing yards and adding two receptions. The workload signals genuine trust from the coaching staff, and the Week 7 fantasy debate between Miller and Alvin Kamara is a real one. For a Saints offense that needed a win, Miller delivered.

Savion Williams Finally Gets His Shot in Green Bay

One of the more quietly significant storylines of the week: Savion Williams suited up for the first time in 2026. The second-year receiver played 40 snaps in Green Bay's 23-13 win over Dallas — the same game that ended Dee Winters' day — and posted 32 receiving yards on four catches to go with nine rushing yards. That snap count is notable context: Williams totaled only 91 snaps in all of 2025. Both offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich and head coach Matt LaFleur indicated after the game that Williams has earned a larger role going forward. For a TCU receiver who was a physical marvel coming out of college, a real NFL opportunity finally appears to be materializing.

Cooper McDonald Returns in Kansas City

On the roster-move front, the Chiefs activated linebacker Cooper McDonald off injured reserve ahead of their Week 6 matchup against the Chargers, a 22-6 Kansas City win. McDonald, a second-year player, had been sidelined on IR and the activation signals the Chiefs see a role for him as the season progresses. The timing is notable — Kansas City is running at full strength with playoff implications already in focus.

---

Week 6 was a reminder of how thin the margins are in the NFL. TCU put players in the spotlight on both sides of a marquee Cowboys-Packers result, while Miller and McDonald quietly built momentum on winning rosters. The Winters injury is the most pressing concern — Dallas doesn't have a lot of margin for error at linebacker, and one of its most reliable contributors is now in jeopardy of missing meaningful games.

Three TCU alumni found themselves at the center of compelling NFL storylines this week — one seizing a backfield, one returning to a marquee rivalry game, and one thrust into a starting role no one saw coming quite so soon.

Kendre Miller Takes the Keys in New Orleans

The Saints' running back situation has been a weekly mystery all season, but Week 5 offered the clearest signal yet: Kendre Miller is the lead back. With Alvin Kamara nursing an injury and limited throughout the week, New Orleans leaned on the TCU product early and often against the Vikings. Miller delivered — 30 rushing yards and a touchdown in a 23–13 loss that wasn't for lack of effort from their young back.

According to reporting from Heavy Sports, the Saints' depth chart appears to have quietly flipped, with Miller taking the featured role as Kamara's usage declines amid injury concerns. The original plan for stability at the position — free-agent addition Travis Etienne — collapsed when he landed on injured reserve with a hamstring injury early in the year. Miller has stepped into the void. For Horned Frogs fans, it's a reminder that the TCU pipeline to the NFL backfield runs deeper than most realize.

Quentin Johnston Back for Chargers-Chiefs Showdown

Johnston missed time with an injury in Week 5 — the Chargers fell 17–23 to the Broncos with his status in doubt throughout — but he came out the other side healthy for the biggest game on the Week 6 slate. The TCU wideout was a full participant by the end of the week and was removed from the injury report entirely ahead of Sunday's Chargers-Chiefs matchup.

The game carries added weight: Los Angeles enters winless and chasing Kansas City, who remain unbeaten. Whether Johnston can provide a spark against a Chiefs secondary that has given receivers fits all season is the question, but at minimum, the Chargers will have their full complement of weapons. His return, alongside Ladd McConkey, gives Herbert a genuine shot at moving the chains in a game the Chargers can't afford to treat as a throwaway.

Tanner McKee Gets His Moment in Philadelphia

The strangest TCU subplot of the week unfolded in Philadelphia. Jalen Hurts was ruled out for the Eagles' Week 6 game against Carolina after a calf issue was revealed to be a superficial blood clot — serious enough to sideline the franchise quarterback on short notice.

That left Tanner McKee as the starter. The wrinkle: the Eagles had cut Andy Dalton — himself a TCU legend — just days earlier, leaving the team without an experienced backup when they needed one most. Reports indicated Dalton was weighing multiple offers elsewhere, making a quick reunion complicated. McKee, thrust into emergency-starter territory, received a public vote of confidence from offensive lineman Jordan Mailata, but the situation underscores how thin the Eagles' quarterback room became with one procedural roster move that aged very poorly, very fast.

It's a bittersweet footnote for Dalton, whose exit from Philadelphia had terrible timing by any measure.

---

Elsewhere in the TCU diaspora: Savion Williams (Packers) is nearing activation from injured reserve, with Green Bay head coach Matt LaFleur outlining a versatile role for the former third-round pick once he's cleared to play.

The Red Rifle's Run in Philly Is Over

Andy Dalton's time as a Philadelphia Eagle lasted less than a month, and it ended without much ceremony. The Eagles released the TCU product on October 9 — the day before the team departed for London to face Jacksonville — cutting their QB room down to Jalen Hurts, Tanner McKee, and a third option. Eagles GM Howie Roseman acknowledged the move was essentially an admission that signing Dalton in the first place hadn't worked out.

The circumstances were messy. Dalton had entered camp as the presumptive No. 2 behind Hurts, surviving a training camp competition with McKee. But the Eagles' broader roster reshuffling — including the trade of center Cam Jurgens and the retirement of offensive tackle Lane Johnson — created space pressures that ultimately cost Dalton his spot. He reportedly attempted just one pass for Philadelphia all season, leaving him on the doorstep of an unusual NFL footnote: finishing a career with a sub-50% completion rate by the slimmest of margins, per Bleacher Report.

The release caps a years-long tour for the three-time Pro Bowler, who has suited up for the Bengals, Cowboys, Bears, Saints, Giants, Panthers, and now Eagles. CBS Sports reported that the Vikings and Titans emerged as early potential landing spots. For Fort Worth faithful, Dalton remains one of TCU's most accomplished NFL products — but at 38, the next chapter is far from guaranteed.

Another Horned Frog Loses His Roster Spot

Dalton wasn't the only TCU alum dealt a tough hand this week. Running back Emari Demercado was waived by the Dallas Cowboys after appearing in just two games, with the team activating starting guard Tyler Smith off injured reserve ahead of their Week 4 matchup against Tampa Bay. Demercado, 27, entered the week with minimal usage and exits having never found sustained footing in Big D.

Cowboys Win, but Frogs Contribute Quietly

The Cowboys beat Houston 34-30 on Sunday — and again topped Tampa Bay 24-16 on Thursday — with a pair of TCU alumni on the active roster the whole time. KaVontae Turpin recorded two receptions for 22 yards against the Buccaneers on Thursday, flashing the quickness that made him a gadget weapon of note. Linebacker Dee Winters was active for both contests, though his stat line didn't jump off the page.

Scattered Frogs, Scattered Results

Elsewhere around the league, Quentin Johnston had the most notable receiving performance among TCU alumni in Week 4, hauling in one catch for 44 yards as the Chargers fell to Seattle 23-30. Ladd McConkey's foot injury opened up opportunity for Johnston going forward, according to Sports Illustrated's fantasy analysis. Derius Davis also played in that game but managed just six yards on one reception.

Savion Williams provided some optimism in Green Bay, returning to Packers practice after missing the first four games with an ankle injury. The second-year wideout hadn't appeared in a game yet this season, but his return was a welcome sign for a TCU receiver who showed flashes in prior seasons.

The Giants' Ar'Darius Washington was listed as inactive for New York's Week 4 win over Arizona — a quiet week for a safety who has been working to carve out a consistent role.

All told, it was a week that mirrored Dalton's own arc: flashes of promise, roster volatility, and the unforgiving math of NFL depth charts doing what they always do.