LOCALS IN THE NFL
Here Are The Pro Utes Who Face Each Other In The 2020 NFL Season
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Many NFL games in the 2020 season will feature former Utah football players facing former teammates or alumni.
In 2020 alone, the Utes saw seven players selected in the 2020 NFL Draft. Five more players signed undrafted free agent contracts.
All together, at the time of this story, 30 players who once played at Utah is now on an NFL roster.
Jaylon Johnson vs. 2019 College Teammates
Jaylon Johnson will make his debut with the Chicago Bears on the road against former Utah DT John Penisini and the Detroit Lions during the first weekend of the season. The second round pick will then square off with former secondary mate Julian Blackmon and the Indianapolis Colts at home in Week 4 on Sunday, October 4.
Next, Johnson and the Bears will play Terrell Burgess and the Los Angeles Rams on the road in Week 7 on Monday Night Football, October 26. The Bears will host the New Orleans Saints, who has former Utah offensive tackle Darrin Paulo during Week 8 on Sunday, November 1.
Let’s add a few more today. 🐻⬇️#BearsDraft pic.twitter.com/fHY5dOw12Q
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) April 25, 2020
Since the Bears and Lions are both in the NFC North, they will square off in Chicago on Sunday, December 6 against Penisini and the Lions in Week 13.
Throughout the season, Johnson will face six teams that have at least one former Utah player on their roster.
Julian Blackmon vs. 2019 College Teammates
Blackmon’s first matchup against a Utah teammate in the NFL will come during Week 3 when the Colts host the New York Jets on Sunday, September 27. As mentioned above, Blackmon and Jaylon Johnson will face each other as the Chicago Bears will host the Colts on Sunday, October 4 during Week 4 of the season.
The Colts will face John Penisini and the Detroit Lions in the Motor City on Sunday, November 1 during Week 8. The following week, Blackmon and the Colts will host former Utah quarterback Tyler Huntley and cornerback Josh Nurse and the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, November 8.
I could reeeally get used to the Blue look😱 pic.twitter.com/JySorDKCQY
— Jülian Blackmon (@JumpManJu32) April 29, 2020
Throughout the regular season, Blackmon will face five teams that have at least one former Ute on the roster.
Zack Moss vs. 2019 College Teammates
Moss will make his NFL debut against former Utah cornerback Javelin Guidry when the Buffalo Bills host the New York Jets on Sunday, September 13. Two weeks later, Moss and the Bills will host the Los Angeles Rams during Week 3 on Sunday, September 27.
The Bills will head to the Meadowlands for a rematch with the Jets on Sunday, October 25 in Week 7. Moss and the Bills will head west in Week 10 to face Leki Fotu and the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, November 15.
The all-time leading rusher in @Utah_Football is already getting started as a Buffalo Bill.
Watch @PresMoss2 Path to the Draft: https://t.co/YPGJI0ZHzz pic.twitter.com/Er53xB4BMk
— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) May 11, 2020
Through the entire regular season, Moss will face 9 teams that have at least one Utah football player on an NFL roster.
Terrell Burgess vs. 2019 College Teammates
Burgess will make his NFL debut with the Rams against former Utah defensive end Bradlee Anae and linebacker Francis Bernard when they host the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, September 13. Two weeks later during Week 3, the Rams will head to the east coast and face Zack Moss and the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, September 27.
The former Utah safety will take on his secondary mate Jaylon Johnson and the Chicago Bears on Monday Night Football during Week 7 on October, 26. The first of two meetings for the Rams against NFC West rival Arizona Cardinals who has Leki Fotu on the roster will take place on Sunday, December 6 in Week 13. The second meeting will be in the regular season finale in Los Angeles on Sunday, January 3.
It just looks right 🤷🏾♂️ https://t.co/2Xvr2U1Nrg
— Terrell Burgess (@TiTaniumT98) April 29, 2020
Before that second game against Arizona, Burgess and the Rams will host former Utah cornerback Javelin Guidry and the New York Jets in Week 15 on Sunday, December 20.
Throughout the season, Burgess will face 10 teams that have at least one former Ute on an NFL roster.
Leki Fotu vs. 2019 College Teammates
Fotu will play against his college defensive tackle teammate John Penisini and the Detroit Lions in Week 3 on Sunday, September 27. Fotu and the Cardinals will head to the east coast when they face Javelin Guidry and the New York Jets in Week 5 on Sunday, October 11.
The following week during Week 6, Fotu will face two of his Utah defensive teammates in pass rusher Bradlee Anae and linebacker Francis Bernard and the Dallas Cowboys in Arlington, Texas on Monday Night Football on October 19.
"I feel like I can help this defense a lot."@LekiFotu on his #NFLDraft process, his past in rugby, his time at the University of Utah, and what he brings to the defense.
— Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) May 10, 2020
Arizona will host Zack Moss and the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, November 15. Fotu and the Cardinals will play NFC West foes in Terrell Burgess and the Los Angeles Rams twice. The first meeting will take place in Week 13 at home on Sunday, December 6. The second meeting will be in Los Angeles in the regular season finale on Sunday, January 3.
Fotu will play nine NFL teams that have at least one Utah player on their roster.
Bradlee Anae, Francis Bernard vs. 2019 College Teammates
Anae and Bernard will make their NFL debuts on the road against Terrell Burgess and the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday, September 13. The Dallas duo will host Leki Fotu and the Arizona Cardinals on Monday Night Football on October 19.
Welcome to the NFL & the #DallasCowboys, @bradleeanae 🙌
📺 Watch the #NFLDraft on NFL Network pic.twitter.com/LiFuNjUxe5
— Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) April 25, 2020
Dallas will travel to Baltimore to face Tyler Huntley, Josh Nurse and the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday Night Football on December 3 in Week 13.
Anae and Bernard will face six teams that have at least one former Ute on their roster.
John Penisini vs. 2019 College Teammates
Penisini will make his NFL debut against former Utah cornerback Jaylon Johnson and NFC North rival Chicago Bears on Sunday, September 13 in Detroit. Penisini will play fellow defensive tackle Leki Fotu when the Lions travel to Arizona to face the Cardinals in Week 3 on Sunday, September 27.
The following week, the Lions will host the New Orleans Saints on Sunday, October 4. The Saints have former Utah offensive lineman Darrin Paulo on their roster. On Sunday, November 1, the Lions will host Julian Blackmon and the Indianapolis Colts in Week 8.
With the 197th pick, the #Lions select DT John Penisini.
Welcome, @Dub_jayy_boy! #NFLDraft | #OnePride pic.twitter.com/npUXCRndIX
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) April 25, 2020
The second matchup with Jaylon Johnson and the Bears will in Chicago on Sunday, December 6 in Week 13.
Penisini will face six NFL teams that have at least one former Ute on the roster.
Tyler Huntley, Josh Nurse vs. 2019 College Teammates
Huntley and Nurse’s first game against Utah teammates from the 2019 season won’t be until Week 8 when the Ravens will travel to Indianapolis to play the Colts on Sunday, November 8. They will clash with Bradlee Anae, Francis Bernard and the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday Night Football on December 3 in Week 13.
Huntley and Nurse will face four NFL teams that have former Utah football players on the roster.
Javelin Guidry vs. 2019 College Teammates
Guidry will make his NFL debut on the road when the Jets face Zack Moss and the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, September 13. Two weeks later in Week 3, Guidry and the Jets will travel to Indianapolis to play Julian Blackmon and the Colts on Sunday, September 27.
Two weeks after that game during Week 5 on Sunday, October 11, the Jets will host Leki Fotu and the Arizona Cardinals. Two weeks after that during Week 7 on October 25 will be the rematch with Moss and the Bills in New York.
On Sunday, December 20 in Week 15, Guidry will face former secondary teammate Terrell Burgess and the Los Angeles Rams in LA.
Guidry will play 11 NFL teams this season that have at least one former Ute on their roster.
Darrin Paulo vs. 2019 College Teammates
Paulo and the New Orleans Saints will face John Penisini and the Detroit Lions in Week 4 in Detroit on Sunday, October 4. In Week 8 on Sunday, November 1, Paulo and the Saints will travel to Chicago to play Jaylon Johnson and the Bears.
Throughout the season, Paulo will face 8 teams that have at least one Utah player on their roster.
Pro Utes Master List
Here is the full list of Utah football players that are currently on NFL rosters:
- Kylie Fitts, DE, Arizona Cardinals
- Leki Fotu, DT, Arizona Cardinals
- Tyler Huntley, QB, Baltimore Ravens
- Josh Nurse, CB, Baltimore Ravens
- Star Lotulelei, DT, Buffalo Bills
- Zack Moss, RB, Buffalo Bills
- Jaylon Johnson, CB, Chicago Bears
- Bradlee Anae, DE, Dallas Cowboys
- Francis Bernard, LB, Dallas Cowboys
- Garett Bolles, OL, Denver Broncos
- Tim Patrick, WR, Denver Broncos
- John Penisini, DT, Detroit Lions
- Julian Blackmon, S, Indianapolis Colts
- Jackson Barton, OL, Kansas City Chiefs
- Devontae Booker, RB, Las Vegas Raiders
- Sam Tevi, OL, Los Angeles Chargers
- Terrell Burgess, S, Los Angeles Rams
- Eric Rowe, CB, Miami Dolphins
- Chase Hansen, LB, New Orleans Saints
- Darrin Paulo, OL, New Orleans Saints
- Marcus Williams, S, New Orleans Saints
- Javelin Guidry, CB, New York Jets
- Mitch Wishnowsky, P, San Francisco 49ers
- Brian Allen, CB, Seattle Seahawks
- Cody Barton, LB, Seattle Seahawks
- Marquise Blair, S, Seattle Seahawks
- Matt Gay, K, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Jared Norris, LB, Washington Redskins
- Nate Orchard, DE, Washington Redskins
- Alex Smith, QB, Washington Redskins
Trevor Allen is a Utah Utes Insider for KSLSports.com and host of the Crimson Corner podcast. Follow him on Twitter: @TrevorASports. You can download and listen to the podcast, here.
