UCLA Professional Athletes

Kendricks Heads to Inglewood

The biggest UCLA story of the week had nothing to do with a game. Eric Kendricks — First Team All-Pro, Pro Bowl linebacker, owner of more than 1,100 career tackles — agreed to a deal with the Los Angeles Rams, bringing the Bruin back to his home market. Kendricks, who spent last season with the 49ers, sent a characteristically brief message after the deal was announced, letting his résumé do the talking. For a Rams linebacker corps that already includes fellow UCLA alum Alex Johnson, the signing adds a proven instincts-and-leadership package that Los Angeles clearly felt it needed.

The move also reunites Kendricks with Quentin Lake, another Bruin on the Rams' roster. Lake was on the field in Week 4 when Los Angeles knocked off Philadelphia 24-20 — a result that has the Rams looking like genuine NFC contenders heading into the mid-season stretch.

Seattle's Backfield Patchwork, and Where Charbonnet Fits

If Kendricks was the headline, Zach Charbonnet was the subplot that wouldn't stop developing. The former UCLA standout has been on the physically unable to perform list since tearing his ACL in the playoffs, and the Seahawks' season has been a rolling exercise in backfield triage ever since. Rookie Jadarian Price landed on injured reserve, leaving Emanuel Wilson to carry the load — which he did admirably in Seattle's 30-23 Week 4 win over the Chargers — but the team wasn't willing to wait.

Seattle signed veteran Joe Mixon, poached Robert Henry Jr. from Washington's practice squad, and had trade candidates floated externally as the front office scrambled for insurance. The urgency reflects just how central Charbonnet is to Seattle's offensive identity.

The good news: Sam Darnold offered an encouraging injury update on Charbonnet, and multiple reports peg the second-year back as nearing a return. Sports Illustrated's fantasy analysts flagged his approaching activation as imminent enough to affect the long-term outlook of other backs on the roster. For a Seahawks team that is 3-1 but still searching for its rushing identity, getting Charbonnet back healthy would be the most significant roster development of their season.

Fellow Bruin Jake Bobo remains on Seattle's wide receiver depth chart and Joseph Vaughn at linebacker, giving UCLA plenty of representation on a team that looks increasingly like a playoff contender — if it can stay healthy.

Around the League

Laiatu Latu continued to make noise for Indianapolis, contributing to a commanding 30-13 Colts win over Washington in Week 4 — a game that also featured four UCLA alums on the Commanders' side (Fabian Moreau, Colson Yankoff, Kain Medrano, and Kazmeir Allen). Kenny Clark and Otito Ogbonnia were both on the field as Dallas edged Houston 34-30 on Sunday before suiting up again Thursday night against Tampa Bay, a quick-turnaround test for the Cowboys' defensive interior. Ka'imi Fairbairn handled kicking duties for Houston in that same loss, keeping his streak of consistent appearances intact.

In Green Bay, guard Sean Rhyan is facing a reconfigured defensive environment after the Packers lost linebacker Edgerrin Cooper to injury — a development that may reshape how opposing offenses, and Rhyan's blocking assignments, approach Green Bay's front seven.

It was a busy week for the Bruin NFL diaspora, and with Kendricks in a Rams uniform and Charbonnet's return potentially imminent, the next few weeks figure to be even busier.

Two UCLA alumni commanded attention across the NFL this week — one on the field in a stunning upset, the other taking the most important steps of his comeback.

Medrano Delivers the Play of Washington's Week

Kain Medrano didn't just show up in Washington's 33-31 upset of the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday — he delivered the signature moment of the game. The UCLA linebacker returned an interception 50 yards for a touchdown, a pick-six that proved pivotal in snapping Seattle's 12-game win streak and handing the Seahawks their first loss since November.

Medrano's emergence is drawing real attention inside Washington's linebacker room. With Leo Chenal lost for the season and Frankie Luvu recently returning from a two-game absence, Medrano has seized the moment — earning recognition alongside Sonny Styles as a key figure in Washington's takeaway explosion. The Commanders forced three turnovers on the day. Medrano's was the most electric.

Fellow Bruin and Commanders tight end Colson Yankoff added a reception for 2 yards in the win, a quiet footnote to what was otherwise a dominant defensive afternoon for the Westwood contingent in Washington's colors.

Charbonnet's Return Clock Is Ticking

Meanwhile, Zach Charbonnet is racing back to relevance. Seattle designated the UCLA running back to return from the PUP list this week, opening a 21-day practice window — the clearest signal yet that the Seahawks expect their most proven back to suit up again this season.

Charbonnet has been sidelined since tearing his ACL in the 2026 Divisional Round. He returned to practice Thursday on a limited basis, a significant milestone for a player whose absence has left Seattle's ground game searching for answers. Head coach Mike Macdonald has hinted a final activation decision is coming soon, with the team required to either activate Charbonnet to the 53-man roster or shut him down for the year before the window closes.

The timing couldn't feel more urgent. With the Seahawks now off their lengthy win streak and their backfield depth under scrutiny — backup Jadarian Price also missed Thursday's session with a chest injury — a healthy Charbonnet would immediately reclaim the featured role in Seattle's offense.

Around the League

Greg Dulcich gave Dolphins fans a reason to watch even in a lopsided 24-10 loss to Kansas City, catching five passes for 55 yards — a quietly productive afternoon for the UCLA tight end in an otherwise forgettable result for Miami.

Laiatu Latu and Ka'imi Fairbairn were on opposite sidelines in a closely contested Texans-Colts game that Indianapolis won 19-17, with the UCLA defensive end and kicker both involved in a tight finish. Meanwhile, Osa Odighizuwa was active as the 49ers edged the Cardinals 36-30, and Kenny Clark and Otito Ogbonnia suited up on opposite sides of a Cowboys-Ravens clash that Baltimore won 34-31.

The bigger storyline for Bruin Nation, though, belongs to Medrano and Charbonnet. One is already writing headlines. The other is about to.

Charbonnet's Return Is Getting Real

The most encouraging news out of the UCLA alumni network this week doesn't come from a box score — it comes from a sideline. Zach Charbonnet, the Seahawks' fourth-year running back, is nearing a return to the practice field after tearing his ACL last season. Head coach Mike Macdonald said Friday that a date for Charbonnet to resume practicing is "coming soon," and called the running back's rehab progress "dang good." Charbonnet himself punctuated the update with a three-word Instagram message, signaling he's ready to get back to work.

It's meaningful momentum for a Seattle backfield that has been without one of its primary weapons since the injury. Charbonnet hasn't been activated yet, and no timetable for game action has been confirmed — but Macdonald's tone has shifted from cautious to optimistic, and that matters. Fellow Bruin and Seahawks wideout Jake Bobo is also on the roster, giving Seattle a quiet UCLA pipeline worth watching as the season unfolds.

Sean Rhyan Doesn't Mince Words

Up in Green Bay, UCLA guard Sean Rhyan had a message for his offensive line following a rough Week 1 performance — and he didn't exactly sugarcoat it. Rhyan delivered a blunt postgame assessment and spelled out the Week 2 assignment against the Jets in plain terms: protect Jordan Love and move the ball. The Packers' line struggled in their opener, and Rhyan's willingness to call it out publicly suggests a unit that knows it needs to be better. Whether the message translates to results on Sunday remains to be seen.

Dulcich Sees Early Action in Miami

Greg Dulcich, the former UCLA tight end now with the Dolphins, got on the field in Week 1 against the Raiders, hauling in 2 receptions for 18 yards in Miami's 13-27 loss. It's a modest stat line, but Dulcich's snap count presence in the opener suggests he's carved out a role in Miami's offense. The Dolphins will need more production across the board after dropping their season debut.

Around the Rest of the Alumni

Ale Kaho, the UCLA linebacker on the Commanders' practice squad, was elevated to the active roster for Washington's Week 2 matchup against the Cowboys — a notable opportunity for a player working to stick in the league. The Commanders fell to Philadelphia 22-24 in Week 1, with fellow Bruins Colson Yankoff and Kain Medrano also suiting up for Washington.

Elsewhere, Carson Schwesinger played for Cleveland in a 10-34 blowout loss to Jacksonville, where Matt Dickerson lined up on the other side of the ball for the Jaguars. Laiatu Latu suited up for Indianapolis in a 23-41 loss to Baltimore. Ka'imi Fairbairn handled kicking duties for Houston in a 31-36 defeat to Buffalo, while Anthony Barr — still active with Minnesota — made his presence felt off the field, taking a pointed jab at Packers head coach Matt LaFleur on social media after the Vikings' Week 1 comeback win.

It's early, but the UCLA footprint across the NFL remains wide — and Charbonnet's return, whenever it comes, figures to be the headlining development for Bruin fans tracking the league.