Inside The Panthers

Dane Jackson Snags Interception, Damar Hamlin Returns

A former Pitt Panthers defensive back made the first big play of the year for the Buffalo Bills.

Stephen Thompson

Dane Jackson Snags Interception, Damar Hamlin Returns
Dane Jackson Snags Interception, Damar Hamlin Returns /
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PITTSBURGH -- The Buffalo Bills love their former Pitt Panthers defensive backs and 

Jackson, who the Bills picked out of Pitt in the seventh round of the 2020 draft, made the first big defensive play of Buffalo's season, intercepting the 2023 fourth overall pick, Anthony Richardson on the first drive of the game to set up a touchdown run from James Cook. 

Jackson finished his day with a tackle and the pick. The Bills' 23-19 win over the Colts also featured a remarkable moment involving a former Panther in Damar Hamlin, who returned to play an NFL football game for the first time since going into cardiac arrest in January. He recorded three solo tackles in his return with Buffalo. 

The Jaguars' 28-23 victory over the Cowboys also featured a pair of former Pitt standouts. Running back Qadree Ollison's lone rush went for 21 yards and a touchdown, while defensive back Errick Hallett made a tackle in his NFL debut. 

Running back Israel Abanikanda continued to impress for the Jets, who beat the Panthers 27-0. After a 12-rush, 56-yard day, he is now first on the team in rushing yards during the preseason with 83 and third in average yards per rush. He turned in a highlight reel-worth run this weekend when he spun around a Panthers defender to take the ball to the one-yard line. Defensive lineman Deslin Alexandre turned in two tackles and a sack in the victory. 

Former Pitt defensive lineman Rashad Weaver rounded out the day of preseason action by recording a sack and two tackles in the Tennessee Titans' 23-17 loss to the Bears. 

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Stephen Thompson
STEPHEN THOMPSON

Stephen Thompson graduated with a bachelor's degree in communications and political science from Pitt in April 2022 after spending four years as a sports writer and editor at The Pitt News, the University of Pittsburgh's independent, student-run newspaper.  He primarily worked the Pitt men's basketball beat, and filled in on coverage of football, volleyball, softball, gymnastics and lacrosse, in addition to other sports as needed. His work at The Pitt News has won awards from the Pennsylvania News Media Association and Associated College Press.  During the spring and summer of 2021, Stephen interned for Pittsburgh Sports Now, covering baseball in western Pennsylvania. Hailing from Washington D.C., family ties have cultivated a love of Boston's professional teams and Pitt athletics, and a fascination with sports in general.  You can reach Stephen by email at stephenethompson00@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter. Read his latest work:

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