Former Tennessee players made plenty of noise across the NFL in Week 1, with Josh Palmer delivering the headline grab and several other Vols stepping into new roles, making debuts, or logging heavy snaps around the league.
Palmer came through in the biggest moment. He caught a 34-yard touchdown pass with 1:36 left, and that score lifted Buffalo to a 36-31 win over Houston. It was one of the defining plays of the opening week.
A few former Tennessee linemen also had major workloads. Trey Smith started at guard for Kansas City and played all 69 offensive snaps in the Chiefs’ 31-10 win over Denver. Darnell Wright was just as busy for Chicago, starting and taking 75 offensive snaps in the Bears’ 59-37 victory over Carolina.
Week 1 also brought a wave of NFL debuts for Tennessee products. Giants cornerback Colton Hood got his first action and played 18 total snaps in New York’s 28-20 win over Dallas. Commanders outside linebacker Joshua Josephs made his debut as well, seeing 13 defensive snaps against Philadelphia.
Alontae Taylor opened his Tennessee Titans career by starting against the Jets and finishing with six tackles. Jaylen McCollough also filled up the stat sheet, recording six tackles for the Rams in San Francisco in the NFL’s first-ever game played in Australia.
Elsewhere, several other former Vols contributed in different ways:
Dominic Bailey, a defensive tackle with the Texans, was on the practice squad.
Derek Barnett played 17 defensive snaps for Cleveland at Jacksonville.
Chris Brazzell II is on injured reserve with Carolina.
Morgan Cox handled nine snaps at long snapper for Tennessee in the Titans’ opener against the Jets.
Joshua Dobbs did not see any action for Detroit.
Bryson Eason also did not see any action for Kansas City.
Princeton Fant remains on injured reserve with Dallas.
Kamal Hadden made one tackle for Green Bay at Minnesota.
Hendon Hooker is on the Titans’ practice squad.
Jalin Hyatt is on the Giants’ practice squad.
Theo Jackson had two tackles in Minnesota’s 39-22 win over Green Bay.
Jauan Jennings played 31 offensive snaps for Minnesota against the Packers.
Velus Jones Jr. is on the Seahawks’ practice squad.
Alvin Kamara did not see any action for New Orleans.
Cade Mays is on injured reserve with Detroit.
Jermod McCoy did not see any action for Las Vegas.
Jalen McMurray is on the Titans’ practice squad.
Joe Milton III is on the Cowboys’ practice squad.
Omarr Norman-Lott is on injured reserve with Kansas City.
James Pearce Jr. is on the Falcons’ NFL exempt list.
Dylan Sampson returned two kickoffs for 64 yards against Jacksonville.
Elijah Simmons did not see any action for Tampa Bay.
Jabari Small is on the Lions’ practice squad.
Dont'e Thornton Jr. is on injured reserve with the Raiders.
Cedric Tillman is on the Saints’ practice squad.
Shy Tuttle played 16 defensive snaps and made one tackle for Washington against Philadelphia.
Tyre West is on the Lions’ practice squad.
Jaylen Wright returned two kicks for 106 yards against Las Vegas.
Byron Young is listed with the Rams.
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Tennessee handled Georgia Tech 45-24, and the final score fit the way the Volunteers controlled much of the night. The running backs brought the kind of downhill punch that kept the offense on schedule, Faizon Brandon looked composed at quarterback, and the defense did enough to tilt the game in Tennessees favor with sacks and interceptions that repeatedly stalled Yellow Jackets drives.
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Kinney has already gotten into games for Kennesaw State and handled himself well on field goals and extra points, which gives this trip a touch more local interest than your typical early-season tuneup. For Tennessee fans, it adds one more storyline to a game that otherwise should be about the Vols doing what ranked teams are supposed to do, even if one nearby face gives the crowd something extra to track. [Read more 🡒]
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Bakers progress carries extra weight after he worked back from an injury last year, and he has leaned into the kind of development that usually matters most at quarterback: leadership, poise and versatility. He has also been mentored by Cam Newton through the C1N 7v7 program, an experience that has helped shape his mentality and his approach to the position, which is exactly the sort of foundation Tennessee will want to see continue building. [Read more 🡒]