Tulane Professional Athletes

For Tulane alumni across the NFL, the week of Sept. 20–26 carried a familiar mix of contributions and concerns — but no story dominated quite like the one unfolding in Chicago, where Green Wave kicker Cairo Santos found himself at the center of an injury scare with real playoff-race implications.

Santos on the Mend — But Bears Are Watching Closely

Santos landed on the Bears' injury report with a hip issue after missing two consecutive practices, casting doubt on his availability as Chicago's starting kicker heading into Week 3. The Bears' decision not to sign a replacement kicker or bring one in for a tryout on Thursday offered a quiet signal that the organization expects Santos to be available — but the situation remained fluid enough that outside voices floated a contingency plan, with former kicker Jake Moody surfacing as a potential short-term solution if Santos couldn't go.

The timing is notable. Santos appeared in Chicago's Week 2 loss to Minnesota (3–9), a game the Bears' offense struggled to generate much of anything. His health is a low-margin concern — kicker depth rarely gets headline treatment until it suddenly matters — and the Bears appear to be threading the needle between caution and confidence in their veteran specialist.

Spears Contributes in Titans' Narrow Loss

In Nashville, Tulane running back Tyjae Spears showed his dual-threat value in the Titans' 20–24 loss to Philadelphia. Spears rushed for 41 yards and added two receptions for 29 yards out of the backfield — a quietly efficient performance for a back who has carved out a complementary role in Tennessee's offense. His Week 3 status drew some attention as well: Spears was listed as questionable heading into the following week, adding another layer of concern for Tulane fans tracking the Titans' backfield.

Mooney Delivers for New York

Over in East Rutherford, Darnell Mooney gave the Giants something to work with on Monday night. The former Tulane wideout hauled in 2 receptions for 48 yards against the Rams — not a stat line that dominates a box score, but a reminder that Mooney remains a legitimate NFL weapon capable of moving the chains when targeted. New York fell to Los Angeles 6–28, so the individual bright spots were few, but Mooney's per-catch efficiency stood out.

Around the League

Ryan Wright, the Green Wave's punter on the Saints' roster, suited up in New Orleans' 24–17 win over Baltimore on Sept. 20 — a result that will have Saints fans feeling considerably better about their Week 3 outlook. Defensive end Adin Huntington was part of a Cleveland Browns squad that edged Tampa Bay 23–19, a gritty win for a team still searching for its identity early in the season. Cornerback Micah Robinson also saw action for Tennessee in the loss to the Eagles.

The broader takeaway from Week 3 for Tulane's NFL contingent: the Santos situation is the one worth monitoring. A healthy Santos means business as usual in Chicago. A prolonged absence would force the Bears into uncomfortable roster decisions at one of the game's most specialized positions — and put the spotlight squarely on a Green Wave alum at exactly the wrong moment.

The Headline Move: Edwards' Roster Rollercoaster

Tulane cornerback Johnathan Edwards experienced one of the week's more turbulent roster rides in Indianapolis. The Colts waived Edwards on Monday following a suspension-related roster move, with the team's decision tied in part to the impending return of Cam Taylor-Britt, which rendered Edwards expendable on the active roster. The cut stung on paper — Edwards had carved out five starts for the Colts, no small feat for a depth corner — but the story didn't end there. Indianapolis quickly brought him back, signing Edwards to the practice squad and keeping him in the organization's orbit.

The two-step move is a familiar NFL mechanism: waiving a player through a suspension designation clears a roster spot without permanently severing ties. For Edwards, landing on the practice squad preserves his development path and keeps a door open to future active-roster elevation. For a Tulane product who had already proven he could start in the league, it's a setback worth watching rather than a career inflection point.

Mooney Contributes in Giants' Week 1 Win

While the Edwards saga dominated Tulane's NFL news cycle, Darnell Mooney had a quiet but productive debut with the New York Giants. The wide receiver hauled in 2 catches for 27 yards as New York defeated the Dallas Cowboys 28–20 in Week 1. It was Mooney's first game in a Giants uniform after his departure from Atlanta — a move Heavy Sports noted the Falcons may come to regret, given their offensive struggles in Pittsburgh without additional playmakers around Drake London and Kyle Pitts.

Spears Faces Heat in Tennessee

In Nashville, Tyjae Spears' Week 1 performance raised eyebrows. The Titans' running back managed just 12 rushing yards and added 12 receiving yards on two catches in a 10–23 loss to the New York Jets — a muted showing that, per Sports Illustrated, could open the door for a rookie to cut into his role. It's early, and Spears has earned the benefit of the doubt from a strong 2024 campaign, but the Titans' backfield situation is worth monitoring if the struggles continue.

Around the League

Dorian Williams suited up for the Bills in both of their games this week — a Week 1 win over Houston (36–31) and a Thursday night victory over Detroit (41–31) — as Buffalo's linebacker corps logged significant snaps. Ryan Wright punted for the Saints in a heartbreaking 30–31 loss to the Lions. Adin Huntington was active for Cleveland in a 10–34 blowout loss to Jacksonville, where fellow alum Caleb Ransaw was on the other sideline for the Jaguars.

The breadth of Tulane alumni across NFL rosters remains striking — more than 30 Green Wave products are currently attached to active rosters and practice squads league-wide. Edwards' situation this week is a reminder that staying in the league is its own ongoing competition, one that doesn't pause between Sundays.

The 2026 NFL season is barely breathing and three Tulane alumni are already generating headlines — one chasing a starting job, one earning a roster spot the hard way, and one navigating an early exit.

Tyjae Spears Is Eyeing More Than a Backup Role in Tennessee

Don't let the "backup" label fool anyone. Tyjae Spears enters Robert Saleh's first season in Tennessee as one of three Titans reserves who could realistically push for a starting role before the calendar flips. Sports Illustrated flagged Spears as the headliner of that group, and the case isn't hard to make — the Tulane product has shown enough burst and receiving ability out of the backfield to force the coaching staff's hand if the starter stumbles. Saleh's system tends to reward versatile, pass-catching backs, which fits Spears' profile almost perfectly. If the Titans' backfield situation softens at all, Spears is positioned to be the first name called.

Patrick Johnson Earned Every Inch of His Raiders Roster Spot

The feel-good label gets thrown around loosely in NFL preseason coverage, but Patrick Johnson's story actually earns it. The defensive end was a late-July addition to the Las Vegas Raiders — the kind of signing that usually amounts to camp depth and nothing more. Johnson had other ideas. He produced high-impact plays on both defense and special teams throughout the preseason, turning a low-expectation opportunity into a legitimate roster conversation. Yahoo Sports was explicit: Johnson didn't just make the team on sentiment — he earned it. For a player who came in with little margin for error, that distinction matters. Green Wave fans have a name to watch on the Raiders' defensive front all season.

Dontae Fleming's Vikings Chapter Ends Before It Begins

Not every alumni story has a clean ending. Dontae Fleming, a 6-foot wide receiver with the deep-threat speed that teams covet in camp, was waived by the Minnesota Vikings with an injury settlement this week. Fleming never got a clean shot — the injury settlement designation signals he was dealing with a physical issue that cut his opportunity short rather than a pure performance-based cut. At 6 feet with the athleticism to stretch a defense vertically, Fleming has the tools to resurface elsewhere once he's healthy. This is a pause, not necessarily a period.

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Three Tulane alumni, three entirely different stories in the span of one week — a rising challenger, a long-shot turned contributor, and a promising talent sidelined before the real work started. The Green Wave's NFL footprint is as wide as ever heading into 2026, and Spears and Johnson in particular give alumni something legitimate to track deep into the season.