Week 1 gave former Utah players a little bit of everything: a monster receiving day, a linebacker flying around in a new uniform, a touchdown catch, and a handful of rookies getting their first taste of the league.
Dalton Kincaid had the loudest offensive showing of the bunch. In Buffalo’s 36-31 road win over Houston, the former Utah tight end caught five passes for 130 yards, averaging 26 yards per reception.
That total led the Bills and stood as the most receiving yards by a Buffalo tight end since 1967. He also helped set up Buffalo’s eventual game-winning drive late in the fourth quarter, giving Josh Allen another dangerous target down the middle.
Josh Allen with the throw and Dalton Kincaid with the catch 🔥
BUFvsHOU on CBS/Paramount+ pic.twitter.com/fj7tVqbYlg
- NFL (@NFL) September 13, 2026
Kincaid wasn’t the only former Ute making plays for Buffalo. Cole Bishop started at safety and finished with seven tackles in the win.
Devin Lloyd wasted no time making his presence felt in Carolina. In his first regular-season game with the Panthers, the former Utah linebacker started in the middle of the defense and posted a game-high 13 tackles against Chicago. Lloyd joined Carolina in the offseason after his first four NFL seasons with Jacksonville, and his Week 1 workload suggested he’s going to be a major part of what the Panthers do defensively.
Former Utah cornerback Jaylon Johnson also chipped in for Chicago with three tackles and a forced fumble. Clark Phillips III spent most of the day on special teams for the Bears.
Devaughn Vele kept his momentum going in New Orleans. The receiver caught seven passes for 69 yards and a touchdown in the Saints’ 31-30 overtime loss to Detroit. His scoring grab came on a 1-yard catch late in the third quarter and helped spark New Orleans’ comeback push.
Devaughn Vele makes a diving catch and we've got a one-score game in Detroit 👀
NOvsDET on FOX/FOX One
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- NFL (@NFL) September 13, 2026
Julian Blackmon started for the Saints and added six tackles. On the other sideline, Sione Vaki had a small offensive package for Detroit but made use of it, rushing twice for seven yards, catching one pass for 11 yards and contributing on special teams in the Lions’ overtime win.
Among Utah’s rookies, Spencer Fano got the quickest introduction. Cleveland started the former Utah All-American at left tackle in its opener against Jacksonville, a 34-10 loss, but the first-round pick immediately stepping into the lineup marked an important first milestone.
Caleb Lomu also made his debut, though it came in a limited role. The New England rookie offensive tackle played two special-teams snaps in the Patriots’ 13-10 loss to Seattle. Dallen Bentley was inactive for Denver’s Monday night game against Kansas City, and Tanoa Togiai was inactive for Washington’s opener against Philadelphia.
There were more former Utes contributing in other spots around the league. Matt Gay was perfect for the Raiders in a 27-13 win over Miami, hitting field goals from 47 and 30 yards and making all three extra points while also handling kickoff duties. Britain Covey returned four punts for 37 yards in Philadelphia’s 24-22 victory over Washington.
Garett Bolles started at left tackle for Denver in its 31-10 loss to Kansas City. Jonah Elliss started at linebacker, finishing with a tackle and a quarterback hit, and Karene Reid added a special-teams tackle.
Connor O’Toole logged one tackle over 19 special-teams snaps in Seattle’s 13-10 win over New England. Cody Barton started for Tennessee, made three tackles and played 65 defensive snaps in a 23-10 loss to the New York Jets, while Terrell Burgess handled 25 special-teams snaps for the Titans.
Tyler Huntley was active but did not play in Baltimore’s 41-23 win over Indianapolis. Zemaiah Vaughn was inactive for Minnesota’s season-opening win over Green Bay, and Tim Patrick opened the year on injured reserve with the New York Jets.
Utah entered Week 1 with 30 former players on NFL rosters, including 22 on active rosters. Four rookies - Spencer Fano, Caleb Lomu, Dallen Bentley and Tanoa Togiai - also began their first NFL seasons on 53-man rosters.
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