The first week of the NFL season already brought a mixed bag for Colorado Buffaloes alums, and the toughest storyline belonged to Nate Landman.
Landman was part of the Los Angeles Rams’ trip to Melbourne, where the team entered the game carrying Super Bowl buzz and a new-look roster that included edge rusher Myles Garrett. But the overseas opener turned into a rough afternoon for Los Angeles. Landman left in the fourth quarter with a right-hand injury, and after grimacing on the play, he was eventually ruled out with a shoulder ailment.
Before he exited, Landman had been active all over the field. He finished with seven tackles, leading the linebacker group, and also delivered a big hit on San Francisco star running back Christian McCaffrey. Even that wasn’t enough to slow the division rival 49ers, who erased a 7-3 Rams lead and rolled to a 27-7 win.
The Rams drew some attention for how they handled the trip, too. San Francisco arrived in Australia a full week before the Sept. 10 game, while Los Angeles made the 14-hour flight nearly two days before kickoff.
The timing seemed to show, as the Rams looked drained in the 10:35 a.m. Melbourne start.
Garrett, too, appeared worn down and was pulled in the fourth quarter with the game already out of reach.
Now Landman and the Rams have 11 days to reset before their home opener against the New York Giants, a game that also includes former Colorado defensive tackle Josh Tupou. Landman’s injury, though, leaves his status for that Week 2 matchup in question.
While one Buffaloes product was dealing with injury trouble, another looks set to carve out a bigger role right away. Former Colorado receiver Jimmy Horn Jr. is working as a kickoff and punt returner in Carolina, and Panthers reporters Darin Gantt and Kassidy Hill said Horn is likely to handle special teams in the Sept. 13 opener against the Chicago Bears.
That would be a notable shift for Horn, who did not return punts or kickoffs during his rookie season with the Panthers. With running back Travis Etienne on injured reserve, the door has opened for Horn to contribute in a different way. Deion Sanders had already leaned on him in Boulder, especially during Horn’s final 2024 season at Colorado, when he averaged 21 yards per kickoff return and 10.3 yards per punt return.
Horn’s college production went beyond special teams, of course. He caught 95 passes while sharing the field with quarterback Shedeur Sanders and receiver Travis Hunter, including during Hunter’s Heisman Trophy run. In his CU career, the 5-8 wideout totaled 1,008 receiving yards and seven touchdowns.
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