Week 1 brought a little of everything for the Hawks in the NFL: touchdowns, tackles, comeback wins, and, in Denver’s case, whatever that Monday night was supposed to be.
A few former Hawkeyes made real noise on the scoreboard. Noah Fant caught an overtime touchdown in Detroit, T.J.
Hockenson found the end zone in Minnesota, and George Kittle was back on the field after his Achilles injury. Elsewhere, Tory Taylor barely had to work while Chicago ran roughshod over Carolina.
Detroit’s 31-30 win over New Orleans came with plenty of Hawkeye flavor. The Lions raced out to a 21-0 lead before the Saints clawed all the way back, scoring twice late in the third quarter and then adding a field goal early in the fourth to make it 21-17.
Detroit answered with a field goal, but New Orleans kept pushing, forcing overtime with a late touchdown. Fant, now on his fourth team in the league, hauled in a touchdown in the extra period to pull the Saints within one, but the two-point try failed and Detroit escaped with the win.
Sam LaPorta finished with 5 catches for 48 yards, Jack Campbell had 7 tackles and 1 for loss, and Fant posted 4 catches for 33 yards along with that overtime score.
Kittle’s return was one of the bigger Week 1 notes. After suffering an Achilles injury in Philadelphia on January 11, the 49ers tight end was limited to 30 snaps in San Francisco’s 27-7 win over the Rams.
He caught 2 passes for 12 yards. And yes, the note on the game still stands: for some reason, we have to play football games in Australia now.
Minnesota also got a big tight end moment. T.J.
Hockenson caught 4 passes for 36 yards and a 16-yard touchdown from Carson Wentz - yes, Carson Wentz - in the Vikings’ 39-22 comeback over Green Bay. That score helped spark Minnesota’s rally late in the third quarter.
On the Packers’ side, Lukas Van Ness turned in 4 tackles and a sack, while Kristian Welch added a tackle.
There was more Hawkeye presence scattered across the league. Erick All, back with the Bengals after his injury hell, played 20 snaps in Cincinnati’s 33-27 win over Tampa Bay. Anthony Nelson had 2 tackles for the Buccaneers.
Former Hawk Tyronne Tracy had a quiet day for New York in its 28-20 win over Dallas, finishing with 2 carries for 14 yards and a lost fumble. Chauncey Golston added 4 tackles in that one.
In Philadelphia’s 24-22 win over Washington, Cooper DeJean kept busy with 8 tackles, while new teammate A.J. Epenesa had 2. On the other sideline, Commanders kicker Drew Stevens had a rough afternoon overall, going 1/2 on field goals and 1/2 on extra points, though the one field goal he did make was from 55 yards.
Tory Taylor didn’t need many chances in Chicago’s 59-point outburst against Carolina, punting just twice and averaging 51 yards. The Bears moved to 1-0 with the easy win.
Riley Moss put together 6 tackles and 1 pass defended for Denver, but he also missed on some key tackle chances as the Broncos faded badly in the second half of their 31-10 loss in Kansas City. It was a rough Monday night for Denver. Kenneth Walker made sure of that, forcing another missed tackle - 14 missed tackles on Monday, to be exact.
In Other News...
Iowa May Have Found A New Weapon In An Unlikely Place
Boston Everitt arrived in Iowa as something of a novelty, an Australian punter learning American football and college life at the same time, but the early returns suggest the Hawkeyes may have uncovered a useful piece. He earned the starting job and has settled in quickly, averaging 43.9 yards per punt in the opening games of the 2026 season while helping flip field position when Iowa needs it most.
What has stood out just as much as the leg is the adjustment behind it. Everitt has been getting steady support from teammates and coach Kirk Ferentz, who has praised his attitude and work ethic as he continues to adapt to life in Iowa. For a program that has long valued hidden edges, the possibility of finding one in an unlikely place is exactly the kind of development worth watching. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa Making Another Early Push At A Recruit Fans Will Notice
Iowas recruiting momentum from the Cy-Hawk win carried right into the next day at Kinnick Stadium, where the Hawkeyes extended a scholarship offer to 2028 tight end Israel Johnigan during his game day visit. The Kansas City, Missouri, prospect is already drawing attention as one of the more highly regarded names in his class, and Iowa made sure he left campus with a clear sense of interest.
Johnigans junior season has helped fuel that early buzz, and the offer fits the way Iowa likes to get involved with tight ends before the market gets crowded. With multiple schools already in the mix, the Hawkeyes have put themselves in position early with a recruit fans will want to track, even if the real battle for him is only beginning. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa's Passing Game Has A New Problem After Tony Diaz's Breakout
Tony Diaz has given Iowas passing game a needed spark early in the 2026 season, but the bigger picture is still about how the Hawkeyes can keep defenses honest around him. The tight end group has long been one of the teams defining matchup pieces, and DJ Vonnahme has already started to show why, catching six passes for 67 yards in two games while offering another option in the middle of the field.
Vonnahme is likely to miss the upcoming game against Northern Iowa, which adds a new wrinkle to a passing attack that is still trying to find its most reliable secondary threat. For Iowa, the intrigue is less about replacing one player and more about which tight end steps forward next, because the offense could use that play-action balance to make Diaz even harder to contain. [Read more 🡒]