Temple Professional Athletes

Temple's NFL footprint made itself felt this week in a pair of stories that cut to the heart of roster decisions and league discipline — and the Owls' alumni were right in the middle of both.

Franklin Beats the League, Brady Beats the Drum

Bills safety Sam Franklin won his appeal of a one-game NFL suspension stemming from an alleged spitting incident against the Raiders' DJ Glaze, and will be available for Buffalo's matchup against the Ravens. Glaze acknowledged the incident did occur — "he did spit at me, but it is what it is" — but Franklin's camp successfully argued the league relied on hearsay without substantiated proof.

That last point wasn't lost on Bills head coach Joe Brady, who used Franklin's appeal victory to take a broader shot at the NFL's disciplinary process, publicly questioning how the league can hand down suspensions without concrete evidence. Brady's critique was unusually direct for a coach commenting on league governance, and it drew attention well beyond the Franklin case itself.

For Franklin, the practical outcome is straightforward: the Temple product stays on the field and keeps his role on a Bills special teams unit that leans on him. The suspension would have cost him a game against a Ravens offense that demands every available defensive back. Instead, he'll be suiting up.

The Kicking Carousel Spins Through Temple Country

Out in Los Angeles, the Rams' kicking situation has become one of the stranger subplots of the NFL season — and it runs directly through the Temple alumni network.

Brandon McManus, the veteran Temple-connected kicker, held the job after a week that saw the Rams beat the Raiders 35-21. But McManus's hold on the roster spot is anything but secure. Josh Karty, who also has ties to the Temple pipeline, has returned to the Rams organization and is pushing hard for the job.

Karty's return comes with a notable revelation: he's been managing a hip injury that had previously impacted his performance, but he's brought back a refined kickoff technique as a differentiator. In an era where the NFL's new kickoff rules have reshuffled how teams value kickers, a specialist with a distinct technical edge on kickoffs carries real leverage.

The result is a genuine positional competition that puts two Temple-connected players directly at odds for one roster spot. McManus has NFL experience and a proven track record; Karty has youth and a specific skill set built for the modern game. The Rams, who have already cycled through this kicking decision more than once this season, have given no indication which way they're leaning.

Elsewhere in the Alumni Pool

Rock Ya-Sin saw action in the Lions' secondary rotation during Detroit's 20-17 win over the Packers in Week 7, mixing in alongside other cornerbacks as the Lions continue to sort through an unresolved depth chart at the position. Lions head coach Dan Campbell has been candid that no corner has truly locked down a starting role, leaving Ya-Sin — primarily a special teams contributor at this stage — with continued opportunities to make an impression.

Jacob Martin and the Titans fell to the Browns 27-24 in a close one, with Tennessee's pass rush unable to generate enough pressure to change the outcome. Martin's stat line didn't headline the week, but the Titans' defensive front remains a work in progress as the season hits its midpoint.

Sam Franklin Jr.'s Wild Week Ends With a Win

Temple's Sam Franklin Jr. had a turbulent stretch between Week 6 and Week 8, but the Bills safety will suit up after all.

Franklin was handed a one-game suspension by the NFL following an alleged spitting incident during Buffalo's 33-30 Week 6 win over the Las Vegas Raiders — making him the second Bills player suspended for spitting in the same game. Franklin publicly denied the allegation, pushing back on the league's characterization of the play. He appealed the punishment, and a hearing officer sided with him: the suspension was overturned and reduced to a fine, clearing Franklin to play in Buffalo's Week 8 matchup against the Ravens.

The reversal drew pointed criticism of the NFL's initial decision-making. The league had moved swiftly to suspend two Bills defenders for the same type of infraction in the same game, only to have the discipline walked back on appeal — raising questions about the consistency of the league's discipline process. Franklin's camp framed the outcome as a vindication, and it's hard to argue otherwise given the hearing officer's ruling.

For a Temple program that doesn't always generate sustained NFL headlines, Franklin has been front and center in one of the more unusual stories of the early 2026 season.

McManus Catches On With the Rams

While Franklin's drama dominated the week, fellow Temple alum Brandon McManus quietly landed a new gig. The veteran kicker signed with the Los Angeles Rams after working out for the team on Tuesday, becoming their third kicker of the season following Blake Grupe's season-ending injury suffered in just his first game with the club.

McManus, 35, had most recently been with the Green Bay Packers before his release. The Rams, desperate for special teams stability, turned to the experienced leg to steady the position. It's a low-drama signing compared to Franklin's week, but steady work for a Temple kicker who has now bounced to multiple stops in a long NFL career.

Franklin Isn't the Only One Producing

Elsewhere in the Temple NFL alumni network, Titans defensive end Jacob Martin registered a sack in Tennessee's 26-20 win over the Colts on Sunday — a quiet but meaningful contribution from a player who has worked to carve out a consistent role along the defensive front.

The rest of the Temple contingent — including Bills tackle Dion Dawkins, Commanders linebacker Chapelle Russell, and Eagles pass rusher Arnold Ebiketie — didn't generate individual headlines during the period, though several remain active contributors on their respective rosters.

Temple Alumni Report: NFL Week of Oct. 11–17, 2026

The biggest news out of the Temple alumni network this week centers on Washington — where linebacker Jordan Magee is on the verge of returning to the field after a hamstring strain sidelined him long enough to land on injured reserve.

Magee's Road Back in Washington

The Commanders designated Magee for return this week, opening his 21-day practice window and signaling the team's intent to activate him to the 53-man roster. Magee, a Temple product who has carved out a role in Washington's linebacker corps, suffered the hamstring injury earlier this season. His return gives the Commanders a depth boost at a position where they already carry several Owl alumni — including Chapelle Russell, Sean Chandler, and Jake Martin on the active roster.

Washington's linebacker room is quietly one of the more Temple-heavy units in the NFL, and Magee's return only deepens that connection. The Commanders' coaching staff will have 21 days to decide when — and whether — to formally activate him.

Dawkins Leads Through the Noise in Buffalo

In Buffalo, Pro Bowl offensive lineman Dion Dawkins showed why he's one of the most respected voices in the Bills' locker room. After running back James Cook fumbled multiple times against the Rams — including in overtime — Dawkins made a point to deliver a message of support to his teammate in the immediate aftermath. The Bills won the game, and Dawkins' leadership moment underscored his standing as more than just a blocker on the offensive line. The Temple alum has long been a character pillar for Buffalo's offense, and this week was a reminder of that role off the stat sheet.

Martin Flashes in Tennessee

Down in Nashville, defensive end Jacob Martin made his presence felt for the Titans in their Week 6 blowout loss to the Houston Texans. Despite Tennessee falling 3-26, Martin recorded a sack — one of the few bright spots in a rough afternoon for the Titans' defense. The Temple product has been a reliable pass-rush contributor off the edge, and his ability to generate pressure in a lopsided game speaks to his motor even when the scoreboard isn't cooperating.

---

Three Temple alumni, three different stories — a linebacker clawing back from injury, a veteran lineman holding a locker room together, and a pass-rusher refusing to quit on a lost Sunday. The Owls' presence across the NFL is as wide as ever heading into the back half of the 2026 season.

Temple Alumni NFL Roundup | Oct. 4–10, 2026

Two Temple alumni are drawing attention in the NFL this week — one for what he's doing on the field, the other for what his return could mean for a battered secondary.

Jacob Martin Is Tennessee's Best-Kept Secret

The Titans are 0-4, but don't tell Jacob Martin that his season is going poorly. The Temple product and edge rusher has quietly been one of Tennessee's most effective free-agent additions, producing consistently through the first four weeks despite the team's overall struggles. Sports Illustrated flagged Martin as the Titans' most underrated offseason signing, and it's hard to argue — in a Tennessee defense that hasn't had much to celebrate, Martin has been a reliable bright spot off the edge.

That kind of production amid a losing environment is the sort of thing that gets overlooked in weekly box scores but registers with front offices. Martin played Sunday as the Titans fell to the Baltimore Ravens 18-24, and while Tennessee couldn't close the deal, Martin's continued presence in the backfield conversation keeps his stock climbing. For Temple fans who remember his disruptive pass-rush ability in North Philadelphia, this is exactly the kind of trajectory they expected.

Brian Branch Return Brings Relief — But Lions' Secondary Still Hurting

In Detroit, the news is cautiously optimistic: safety Brian Branch is on track to return to practice after missing time with an injury, per Yahoo Sports. The Lions will take any reinforcement they can get — their secondary has been one of the more battered units in the league to open 2026.

Branch's imminent return couldn't come at a better time. The Lions absorbed yet another blow to their defensive backfield Sunday night against the Carolina Panthers, when cornerback Rock Ya-Sin — another Temple alum — was downgraded and lost during the game, per Heavy Sports. Ya-Sin's injury only deepens a depth crisis that has plagued Detroit's pass defense through the early weeks of the season.

The silver lining: Branch getting healthy restores a legitimate playmaker to a secondary that has been operating shorthanded. He's the kind of safety whose football IQ and range can mask some of the coverage problems created by cornerback attrition. Whether he's available for Detroit's next game remains to be seen, but his return to practice is a meaningful step.

The Bigger Picture

It's a tale of two situations for Temple's most prominent NFL contributors this week. Martin is thriving in obscurity on a rebuilding Titans squad, the kind of under-the-radar story that rewards attentive fans. Meanwhile, the Lions' Temple contingent is navigating injury chaos — Branch inching back while Ya-Sin heads the other direction.

For a program like Temple, which doesn't always see its alumni headline NFL coverage, having multiple players relevant to legitimate team storylines in the same week is worth noting. Owls fans have reason to follow both Tennessee and Detroit closely as the 2026 season moves deeper into October.