Bama Central

Former Alabama Players in the NFL Have Highlight-Filled Week 2

From Derrick Henry and Julio Jones notching milestones, to epic firsts by Mac Jones, Najee Harris and Patrick Surtain Jr., it was another busy weekend for Crimson Tide players in the NFL.

Christopher Walsh

Did you see the 61-yard touchdown bomb by Henry Ruggs III, to help the Raiders beat the Steelers on Sunday afternoon?

Did you notice who the nearest defender was on the play, who read it and just couldn't catch up to the wide receiver? 

It was Minkah Fitzpatrick. 

It was that kind of weekend in the NFL for former Alabama players. Just about every time someone was celebrating, a former Crimson teammate was on the other side. 

This is what happens when you have 58 former players active in the league, up from 54 the previous week. 

Ruggs finished with five receptions for 113 yards for the winning side, while Steelers running back Najee Harris scored his first career touchdown on a reception and also had another highlight reel moment with a jaw-dropping stiff-arm. 

For a full rundown of everyone's stats check out the 2021 Alabama Crimson Tide in the NFL Tracker: Week 2, which also has the latest roster moves as numerous players made their season debut. 

•  Tennessee running back Derrick Henry totaled 237 scrimmage yards (182 rushing, 55 receiving) and three rushing touchdowns as the Titans stole a win in Seattle. 

He's the fourth player in NFL history with 10 career games with at least 150 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns, joining Pro Football Hall of Famers  Jim Brown (13 games), LaDainian Tomlinson (12) and Barry Sanders (10).

• Wide receiver Julio Jones added 128 receiving yards in the Titans' overtime victory. 
It was his 59th career game with at least 100 receiving yards, tied with Hall of Famer Marvin Harrison for third most in history, behind only Jerry Rice (76 games) and Randy Moss (64).

With 13,053 receiving yards in 137 career games, Jones became the fastest player in NFL history to reach 13,000 receiving yards, surpassing Rice (154 games). 

• Mac Jones got his first career win with the Patriots, while Zach Wilson, the second-overall pick in the draft, had four interceptions against no touchdowns for the Jets. 

"I think Zach's a really good player," Jones said. "As rookie quarterbacks, it's what I told him after the game, we have to continue to get better. It's just part of the game. Our defense is really good, it's a tough defense to go against. I go against them in practice and probably throw a lot of picks, too."

Check out the block he threw as well:

• Jones was also one of the players helping running back Damien Harris get into the end zone on this epic run:

“I appreciate it but I hope he never does it again," said Harris. "We need him.”

• One of the reasons why Tyreek Hill, of West Alabama fame, only had three catches for 14 yards against the Ravens was the play of Ravens cornerback Anthony Averett. 

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• Trevon Diggs, Kareem Jackson, Patrick Surtain II and Levi Wallace all had interceptions. 

• Also, Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa left the Bills game on a cart, but apparently only suffered bruised ribs. He'll have an MRI on Monday to make sure there's no additional damage.

The Bama in the NFL Database

Alabama Crimson Tide Players in the NFL

Tracking Active Alabama Crimson Players in the NFL

Active Alabama Crimson Tide Players in the NFL by Position

Alabama Crimson Tide Players in the NFL: Breakdown by Team

All-Time Alabama Crimson Tide Players in the NFL

All-Time Alabama Crimson Tide Players in the NFL By Team

Former Alabama Crimson Tide Players Selected in the NFL Draft

All-Time Alabama Crimson Tide Players Drafted by Round

NFL Draft: All-Time Alabama Crimson Tide Selections by NFL Teams

Alabama Crimson Tide Players Selected in the NFL Draft by Position

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Christopher Walsh
CHRISTOPHER WALSH

Christopher Walsh is the founder and publisher of BamaCentral, which first published in 2018. He's covered the Crimson Tide since 2004, and is the author of 26 books including Decade of Dominance, 100 Things Crimson Tide Fans Should Know and Do Before They Die, Nick Saban vs. College Football, and Bama Dynasty: The Crimson Tide's Road to College Football Immortality. He's an eight-time honoree of Football Writers Association of America awards and three-time winner of the Herby Kirby Memorial Award, the Alabama Sports Writers Association’s highest writing honor for story of the year. In 2022, he was named one of the 50 Legends of the ASWA. Previous beats include the Green Bay Packers, Arizona Cardinals and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, along with Major League Baseball’s Arizona Diamondbacks. Originally from Minnesota and a graduate of the University of New Hampshire, he currently resides in Tuscaloosa.