University of Washington Professional Athletes

Denzel Boston Makes History in Cleveland Debut

The Browns lost big in Jacksonville, but their rookie wide receiver gave fans something to hold onto. Denzel Boston caught two passes for 59 yards and hauled in a touchdown in his NFL debut — a stat line that, according to Sports Illustrated, places him in rare company in Browns franchise history. The Washington product didn't get the win in a 34-10 blowout loss to the Jaguars, but his instant contribution as a pass-catcher was among the few bright spots on a rough opening Sunday for Cleveland.

Boston's performance signals he could carve out a meaningful role early, which is more than most rookie receivers can claim after Week 1.

Michael Penix Jr. Still Waiting for His Moment

Three ACL tears into his career, Michael Penix Jr. is still watching from the sideline. The former Huskies star was inactive for Atlanta's Week 1 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers — a 20-13 defeat — and was subsequently ruled out for Week 2 against the Carolina Panthers as well, forcing the Falcons to start Cooper Rush for the second straight game. Rush took first-team reps in Friday's practice and is locked in as the starter while Penix continues his recovery.

What's made the situation messier is the broader quarterback chaos in Atlanta. Tua Tagovailoa, signed to compete for the starting job, hurt his oblique in Week 1. That left Rush and undrafted signal-caller Jack Strand as the team's functional options heading into Week 2.

Penix himself addressed reporters during the week, offering an update on his knee but providing little clarity on a timeline. ESPN's Adam Schefter weighed in with pessimistic reporting on Penix's prospects for a near-term return. Heavy Sports noted that despite being cleared from his ACL tear recovery, the third-year quarterback still hasn't resumed game action — a situation frustrating fans and raising more questions than answers inside Atlanta.

The injury narrative around Penix is difficult to separate from the larger arc: three ACL tears since college have shadowed a career full of undeniable talent. Whether he can reclaim the starting job once healthy — from Rush, from Tagovailoa, or anyone else — remains the defining question of the Falcons' season.

Other Huskies Around the League

Rome Odunze quietly had a solid Week 1 for the Bears, catching two passes for 52 yards in Chicago's dominant 59-37 win over Carolina. He entered Week 2 without an injury designation after being left off the team's Wednesday report — a good sign for continued usage.

Fellow Husky Bralen Trice was on the losing end of the Falcons' opener, suiting up in the 20-13 defeat to Pittsburgh. On the Cincinnati side of that same day's action, Drew Sample logged three catches for 19 yards in the Bengals' 33-27 win over Tampa Bay, while Cade Otton matched him with three receptions for 26 yards for the Buccaneers.

Detroit re-signed defensive lineman Levi Onwuzurike to the active roster ahead of the Lions' Thursday Night Football matchup with Buffalo — a reminder that the UW pipeline into the NFL runs wide, even when a player's role is roster-depth rather than headline-grabbing.

Two of the most recognizable names from Washington's recent dynasty are making headlines for very different reasons as the 2026 NFL season kicks off — and neither situation is particularly settled.

Michael Penix Jr.: Still Waiting on the Call

Atlanta still hasn't named its Week 1 starter, and Michael Penix Jr. is caught in the middle of one of the more unusual quarterback competitions in recent memory. The Falcons are openly weighing Penix against newly acquired Tua Tagovailoa, and as of this week, head coach Kevin Stefanski's staff has declined to tip their hand — not even symbolically. When Atlanta announced its five team captains for 2026, neither quarterback made the list, a pointed signal that the competition remains genuinely unresolved.

The intrigue runs deeper than a simple depth chart call. A former Falcons receiver publicly warned that the Week 1 decision will send a significant message about the franchise's long-term direction. Meanwhile, one analyst issued a bleak prediction for whichever quarterback doesn't win the job — suggesting neither Penix nor Tagovailoa may be on the roster come 2027 if things go sideways. On the financial front, The Sporting News has argued the Falcons face an obvious answer to a $20M+ contract question tied to Penix — the implication being Atlanta has too much invested to keep him on the bench indefinitely.

What's clear: Penix, the former Husky who rewrote UW's passing records, arrived in the league with enormous expectations. He's spent his early NFL tenure waiting for his moment. That moment may finally be arriving — or it may be delayed again. The Falcons have indicated a resolution is coming before Week 1, but Dawg fans have heard that before.

Also noteworthy in Atlanta: linebacker Bralen Trice, another UW alum, was signed back to the Falcons' practice squad, keeping him in the organization.

Rome Odunze: Race Against the Clock in Chicago

If Penix's situation is defined by uncertainty, Odunze's is defined by urgency. The second-year Bears wideout left Chicago's final preseason practice early after suffering an injury, putting his Week 1 availability in question ahead of a season-opening matchup against the Panthers on September 13.

Early reports offered some cautious optimism — D'Andre Swift, who also exited practice early, was reportedly dealing with a cramp rather than a structural issue, and some outlets suggested Odunze's situation may not be severe. But "may not be severe" is cold comfort for a Bears offense that has leaned on Odunze as a centerpiece of its receiving corps. Fantasy managers, understandably, were rattled.

The Bears will monitor Odunze closely through the week. If he's limited or sidelined for Week 1, Chicago faces a meaningful hole in its passing attack right out of the gate.

Also drawing some attention in the Chicago building: cornerback Kyler Gordon, a fellow Husky, is reportedly generating concern among Bears fans about his trajectory — though his roster spot doesn't appear immediately threatened.

Around the Rest of the League

Elsewhere in the UW alumni network, safety Taylor Rapp returned to the Denver Broncos for a tryout on September 4, just days after being released — suggesting the team hasn't fully closed the door on the veteran. And former Husky QB Jake Browning was released by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, with the team opting to elevate undrafted rookie Jalon Daniels as the No. 2 quarterback behind Baker Mayfield.

The Husky pipeline into the NFL remains one of the deepest in college football. This week, it's Penix and Odunze carrying the spotlight — for better or worse.

Michael Penix Jr. Is Finally in the Building — and Making Noise

The wait is over. Michael Penix Jr. has been fully cleared for all football activities following his ACL tear, and the Atlanta Falcons' quarterback competition is no longer theoretical. Head coach Kevin Stefanski confirmed that Penix and Tua Tagovailoa will split first-team reps in practice — a notable concession that this fight is genuinely open.

What's turned heads isn't just the clearance. It's what sources are telling reporters behind the scenes. CBS Sports reports Penix's "live arm" is already drawing attention from those inside the Falcons organization. Bleacher Report's sourcing goes further: per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, Tua has lost his "big-time lead" in the competition. Meanwhile, teammate Bijan Robinson revealed Penix has been making bold claims about his own game — including gaining speed during his rehab.

The medical clearance came too late for the preseason finale, where Tua started and Stefanski said he "did a nice job." The Falcons still haven't named a Week 1 starter for their Sept. 13 opener at Pittsburgh. But the fact that Stefanski is splitting first-team reps rather than handing Tua the keys tells a story on its own. Penix — who famously went eighth overall in the 2024 draft only to sit behind Kirk Cousins for a year — appears to be exactly where UW fans envisioned him: in the middle of a legitimate NFL starting battle with real momentum on his side.

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Taylor Rapp: Signed, Released, and Likely Coming Back

Taylor Rapp's week with the Denver Broncos was a strange one. The veteran safety signed with Denver on Aug. 20, with head coach Sean Payton describing the move as "more availability than necessity" — Broncos brass liked Rapp's experience and spoke highly of him publicly. Days later, he was cut.

The release raised immediate eyebrows. Yahoo Sports and Pro Football Talk both reported that the move was tied to personal issues Rapp is navigating, not any football-related concern. Critically, sources say there is a "better-than-good chance" he re-signs with Denver once those matters are resolved. Payton and defensive coordinator Vance Joseph had praised Rapp to the media just before the release, which only underscored that this was not a performance-based decision.

Rapp, a Super Bowl champion with the 2021 Rams, remains a proven presence at safety. The expectation around Denver is that this is a pause, not a parting.

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The Bigger Picture for Husky Fans

Two UW alumni with very different trajectories this week — but both stories are unresolved in ways that favor optimism. Penix looks like a legitimate QB1 contender in Atlanta, and the volume of positive sourcing around him suggests the Falcons' brass is genuinely impressed. Rapp's situation is more delicate, but the signal from Denver is that his roster spot isn't gone, just on hold.

The UW pipeline into the NFL remains deep — the Falcons alone roster Penix, Kevin King, Kaleb McGary, and Bralen Trice — but Penix is the one with the spotlight right now. And by all accounts, he's earning it.