Week 8 brought another busy slate for Tennessee’s NFL alums, with a few Vols making real noise as November arrives.
Shy Tuttle had the biggest stat line of the bunch. Starting for the Commanders in their 27-10 win over the Eagles, the defensive lineman finished with one sack, six tackles, two tackles for loss and a QB hit.
Dylan Sampson also turned in a productive day for Cleveland in Pittsburgh. The Browns back caught six passes for 62 yards, added one rush for seven yards and handled two kickoff returns for 49 yards.
Alontae Taylor was active for the Titans in Cincinnati, where he logged five tackles, one tackle for loss and two QB hits.
Elsewhere, Joshua Josephs chipped in one tackle in Washington’s 27-10 victory over Philadelphia, while Elijah Simmons made one tackle in Tampa Bay’s 16-0 win over Atlanta.
Several former Vols saw limited action across the league. Derek Barnett played 18 defensive snaps for the Browns at Pittsburgh.
Morgan Cox snapped seven times for the Titans at Cincinnati. Bryson Eason was on the field for 20 defensive snaps for Kansas City at Denver.
Josh Palmer played seven offensive snaps for Buffalo against Baltimore.
Trey Smith was on the field for every offensive snap for the Chiefs, playing all 69 in Denver. Darnell Wright did the same for Chicago, going the distance on offense in the Bears’ Monday night trip to Seattle, where he played all 70 offensive snaps.
Cade Mays started at center for Detroit and played 22 offensive snaps in the Lions’ 19-15 win over Minnesota. Theo Jackson added four tackles and a tackle for loss for Minnesota on the road against Detroit.
Kamal Hadden finished with two tackles in Green Bay’s 27-19 win over Carolina. Jaylen McCollough made one tackle for the Rams against the Chargers, and Jermod McCoy added one tackle in a win over the Jets.
Jaylen Wright made his mark in the return game for Miami, bringing back five kickoffs for 142 yards, while also rushing twice for five yards in the Dolphins’ game against New England.
Jauan Jennings caught two passes for 11 yards against the Lions, and Velus Jones Jr., Joshua Dobbs and Joe Milton III did not see any action. Byron Young is listed at the end of the week’s update.
A full rundown of Tennessee’s representatives across the league follows:
- QB - Jaguars
Practice squad.
Chris Brazzell II - WR - Panthers
Injured reserve.
Princeton Fant - TE - Cowboys
Injured reserve.
Colton Hood - CB - Giants
Bye week.
Hendon Hooker - QB - Titans
Practice squad.
Jalin Hyatt - WR - Giants
Practice squad.
Alvin Kamara - RB - Saints
Bye week.
Miles Kitselman - TE - Lions
Practice squad.
Jabari Small - RB - Lions
Practice squad.
Omarr Norman-Lott - DT - Chiefs
Injured reserve.
James Pearce Jr. - DE - Falcons
NFL exempt list.
Derek Barnett - DE - Browns
Played 18 defensive snaps at Pittsburgh.
Shy Tuttle - DT - Commanders
Started and recorded a sack, six tackles, two TFLs and one QB hit in a 27-10 win over the Eagles.
Dylan Sampson - RB - Browns
Caught six passes for 62 yards, while adding seven yards on the ground and returning two kickoffs for 49 yards at Pittsburgh.
Alontae Taylor - CB - Titans
Posted five tackles with one TFL and two QB hits at Cincinnati.
Morgan Cox - LS - Titans
Snapped seven times for the Titans at Cincinnati.
Joshua Dobbs - QB - Lions
Did not see any action.
Bryson Eason - DT - Chiefs
Saw action on 20 defensive snaps at Denver.
Kamal Hadden - CB - Packers
Recorded two tackles in a 27-19 win over Carolina.
Theo Jackson - DB - Vikings
Posted four tackles and a TFL on the road against Detroit.
Jauan Jennings - WR - Vikings
Caught two passes for 11 against the Lions.
Velus Jones Jr. - WR - Seahawks
Did not see any action.
Joshua Josephs - OLB - Commanders
Notched one tackle in a 27-10 win over Philadelphia.
Cade Mays - C - Lions
Started and played 22 offensive snaps at center for the Lions in a 19-15 win over Minnesota.
Jaylen McCollough - S - Rams
Made one tackle vs. the Chargers.
Jermod McCoy - CB - Raiders
Recorded one tackle in a win over the Jets.
Joe Milton III - QB - Eagles
Did not see any action.
Josh Palmer - WR - Bills
Played seven offensive snaps against Baltimore.
Elijah Simmons - DT - Buccaneers
Made one tackle in a 16-0 win over the Falcons.
Trey Smith - OG - Chiefs
Played all 69 snaps on offense for the Chiefs on Sunday at Denver.
Dont’e Thornton Jr. - WR - Raiders
Did not see any action.
Cedric Tillman - WR - Saints
Practice squad.
Darnell Wright - OT - Bears
Played all 70 offensive snaps at Seattle on Monday night.
Jaylen Wright - RB - Dolphins
Returned five kickoffs for 142 yards, while adding five yards rushing on two carries against New England.
Byron Young - OLB - Rams
In Other News...
Tennessee Just Got More CFP Motivation Than Vols Fans Can Ignore
The first College Football Playoff rankings gave Tennessee a spot at No. 13, while Alabama landed at No. 5, a placement that caught plenty of attention after the Vols beat the Crimson Tide on the field. CFP Committee Chair Hunter Yurachek pointed to Alabamas stronger collection of quality wins as the reason behind the early gap, which only adds another layer to a race Tennessee still has time to influence.
For a Vols team still chasing its best path forward, the message is pretty clear: the opening rankings are only a snapshot, not a verdict. Tennessees upcoming games now carry even more weight, because a strong finish could reshape how the committee views the resume and give the Vols a chance to climb when the next set of rankings arrives. [Read more 🡒]
Joe Milton Just Landed The NFL Opportunity Tennessee Fans Waited For
Joe Miltons next chance arrives in a spot Tennessee fans know well: under the bright lights, with a real opportunity to show what made him such a compelling arm talent in Knoxville. The Philadelphia Eagles have named the former Volunteers quarterback their starter for Week 9 against the New York Giants, a move that bumps Tanner McKee aside and gives Milton his first NFL start after being taken in the sixth round of the 2024 draft.
It is the kind of opening that can change a young quarterbacks trajectory, especially with Philadelphia dealing with injuries to key players and Jalen Hurts already out for the season. For Tennessee supporters, it is a familiar kind of wait, finally turning into a chance to see Milton get meaningful NFL reps and a chance to prove he belongs on that stage. [Read more 🡒]
Even A Former Alabama QB Thinks Tennessee Got Jobbed
The latest College Football Playoff rankings have only deepened the frustration around Tennessees spot at No. 13, especially with Alabama sitting at No. 5 despite the Volunteers head-to-head win over the Crimson Tide. The debate has spilled beyond Knoxville, too, with former Alabama quarterback and ESPN broadcaster Greg McElroy among those openly questioning how the committee is weighing Tennessees resume against Alabamas.
What has made the reaction louder is the committees shifting emphasis from week to week, with head-to-head results carrying real weight in some cases and seeming to fade in others. Tennessees supporters have every reason to feel the inconsistency, and the broader issue now is whether the rankings are rewarding the right things or simply creating more confusion as the playoff picture tightens. [Read more 🡒]