Former BYU Players Find End Zone In NFL Regular Season Finale
Dec 31, 2018, 3:12 PM
(Photo by David Eulitt/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – BYU had three alums find the end zone in Week 17 of the NFL season. Kyle Van Noy and Daniel Sorensen on defense and Taysom Hill on offense.
The University of Utah, BYU and Utah State will each have four alumni playing in the postseason and all four high school standouts that played collegiately out of state will be in the NFL postseason as well.
Six locals ended their season and will be free agents in the upcoming offseason.
Here’s how the locals did in the final week of the NFL season:
Former Utes
Zane Beadles – Atlanta Falcons (7-9)
Beadles started at right guard for the Falcons and played in 77 offensive and 6 special team snaps in the Falcons’ 34-32 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Beadles will be a free agent in the offseason. He played five games with the Falcons and participated in 279 offensive snaps.
Atlanta finished with a 7-9 record and did not qualify for the playoffs.
Garett Bolles – Denver Broncos (6-10)
Bolles is participated in all 79 offensive snaps in the Broncos’ 23-9 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. The former Ute is under contract with the Broncos on his rookie deal until 2022. He started and played in all 16 games this season and played 1,062 offensive snaps for the Broncos.
Denver finished the season with a 6-10 record and did not qualify for the postseason. They fired their head coach Vance Joseph.
Devontae Booker – Denver Broncos (6-10)
Booker had five carries for 14 yards on the ground and five receptions for 20 yards in the Broncos’ 23-9 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. Booker is under contract with the Broncos until 2020 on his rookie deal. He had 183 rushing yards and one touchdown, also 38 catches for 275 yards while appearing in all 16 games for the Broncos.
Denver finished the season with a 6-10 record and did not qualify for the postseason.
Kylie Fitts – Chicago Bears (12-4)
Fitts played 13 defensive and 12 special team snaps in the Bears’ 24-10 win over the Minnesota Vikings.
NEXT UP: NFC Wildcard vs. Philadelphia Eagles (9-7), Sunday at 2:40 p.m. on KSL.
Star Lotulelei – Buffalo Bills (6-10)
The former Ute started on the defensive line for the Bills while getting a pass deflection in the Bills’ 42-17 win over the Miami Dolphins. Lotulelei is under contract until 2023 with the Bills. He had 17 tackles and one pass deflection this season.
Buffalo finished the season with a 6-10 record and did not qualify for the playoffs.
Tim Patrick – Denver Broncos (6-10)
Patrick had four catches for 48 yards while also fumbling the ball in the Broncos’ 23-9 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. The former Ute will be a free agent this offseason. After signing with the team after a stellar preseason, Patrick finished the 2018 season with 23 catches for 315 yards and one touchdown.
Denver finished the season with a 6-10 record and did not qualify for the postseason.
Pasoni Tasini – Arizona Cardinals (3-13)
Tasini was activated from the practice squad and picked up a tackle in the Cardinals’ 27-24 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. That was his only NFL game he played in this season. He will become a free agent this offseason.
Arizona finished the season with a 3-13 record and did not qualify for the playoffs. They fired their head coach Steve Wilks.
Sam Tevi – Los Angeles Chargers (12-4)
Tevi started at right tackle while playing every offensive snap in the Chargers’ 23-9 win over the Denver Broncos 23-9.
NEXT UP: AFC Wildcard at Baltimore Ravens (10-6), Sunday at 11:05 a.m. on CBS.
Eric Weddle – Baltimore Ravens (10-6)
Weddle had one tackle in the Ravens’ 26-24 win over the Cleveland Browns. The former Ute will receive a $1 million bonus after making the Pro Bowl roster and appearing in the playoffs. The Ravens clinched the AFC North division with the win.
NEXT UP: AFC Wildcard vs. Los Angeles Chargers (12-4), Sunday at 11:05 a.m. on CBS.
AFC North CHAMPS!!!!!! Now the season starts…. pic.twitter.com/p704aeAoZf
— Eric Weddle (@weddlesbeard) December 31, 2018
Marcus Williams – New Orleans Saints (13-3)
Williams had four solo tackles in the Saints’ 33-14 loss to the Carolina Panthers. New Orleans rested most of their starters after clinching the No. 1-seed in the NFC last week.
NEXT UP: The Saints have a first round bye and will play in two weeks in the divisional round.
Former Aggies
Maurice Alexander – Seattle Seahawks (10-6)
The former Aggie had two tackles in the Seahawks’ 27-24 win over the Arizona Cardinals.
NEXT UP: NFC Wildcard at Dallas Cowboys (10-6), Saturday at 6:15 p.m. on FOX.
Kyler Fackrell – Green Bay Packers (6-9-1)
Fackrell picked up two solo tackles, one sack, one tackle-for-loss and one quarterback hit in the
Packers’ 31-0 loss to the Detroit Lions. The former Aggie finished his third season with 42 tackles and 10 and a half sacks. Fackrell will have one more year left on his rookie contract which expires after next season.
Green Bay finished the season with a 6-9-1 record and did not qualify for the playoffs. They will be looking for a new head coach after firing Mike McCarthy.
Kyler Fackrell with the sack, giving him 10.5 on the year! #DETvsGB #GoPackGo pic.twitter.com/NI1nX0KFEf
— Green Bay Packers (@packers) December 30, 2018
Tyler Larsen – Carolina Panthers (7-9)
Larsen started and played all 72 offensive snaps in the Panthers’ 33-14 win over the New Orleans Saints. He finished the 2018 season with 324 offensive snaps and three starts. Larsen has two seasons left on his current contract.
Carolina finished the year with a 7-9 record and did not qualify for the postseason.
Nevin Lawson – Detroit Lions (6-10)
Lawson didn’t play in the last game of the season in the Lions’ 31-0 win over the Green Bay Packers. He finished the season with 53 tackles, one sack, three tackles-for-loss and five pass deflections. Lawson has one more year left on his rookie contract.
Detroit finished the season with a 6-10 record and did not qualify for the playoffs.
JoJo Natson – Los Angeles Rams (13-3)
Natson had two punt returns for 11 yards in the Rams’ 48-32 win over the San Francisco 49ers.
NEXT UP: The Rams have a first round bye after earning the No. 2-seed in the NFC.
Patrick Scales – Chicago Bears (12-4)
Scales executed seven special teams snaps in the Bears’ 24-10 win over the Minnesota Vikings.
NEXT UP: NFC Wildcard vs. Philadelphia Eagles (9-7), Sunday at 2:40 p.m. on KSL.
Nick Vigil – Cincinnati Bengals (6-10)
Vigil recorded a game-high 17 tackles, including 12 solo take-downs. He also had a tackle-for-loss and a hit on the quarterback in the Bengals’ 16-13 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Vigil had 84 tackles, one fumble recovery and three pass deflections in 11 games played for Cincinnati in his third season. He has one more season left on his rookie contract.
The Bengals ended the year with a 6-10 record and didn’t qualify for the postseason. They fired their head coach Marvin Lewis after 16 seasons at the helm.
Zach Vigil – Washington Redskins (7-9)
Vigil participated in two defensive and 19 special team snaps in the Redskins’ 24-0 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. He finished the season with 9 tackles and will be a free agent this offseason.
Washington ended the 2018 season with a 7-9 record and did not qualify for the playoffs.
Bobby Wagner – Seattle Seahawks (10-6)
Wagner racked up a game-high 12 tackles, including 9 solo take-downs, one tackle-for-loss and one hit on the quarterback in the Seahawks’ 27-24 win over the Arizona Cardinals.
NEXT UP: NFC Wildcard at Dallas Cowboys (10-6), Saturday at 6:15 p.m. on FOX.
Former Cougars
Michael Davis – Los Angeles Chargers (12-4)
In the Chargers’ 23-9 win over the Denver Broncos, Davis had nine tackles and two pass deflections.
NEXT UP: AFC Wildcard at Baltimore Ravens (10-6), Sunday at 11:05 a.m. on CBS.
John Denney – Miami Dolphins (7-9)
The long time long snapper executed 8 special teams snaps in the Dolphins’ 42-17 loss to the Buffalo Bills. Denney will become a free agent this upcoming offseason.
Miami finished the season with a 7-9 record and did not qualify for the playoffs. They also fired their head coach Adam Gase.
Taysom Hill – New Orleans Saints (13-3)
Hill had three carries for 11 yards and one touchdown while catching one pass for three yards in the Saints’ 33-14 loss to the Carolina Panthers.
NEXT UP: The Saints have a first round bye and will play in two weeks in the divisional round.
Taysom Hill refuses to go down and bounces off defenders for a 9-yard touchdown run!#CARvsNO pic.twitter.com/ek2W9XsiTW
— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) December 30, 2018
Bronson Kaufusi – New York Jets (4-12)
The former Cougar had a pass deflection in the Jets’ 38-3 loss to the New England Patriots. Kaufusi finished his third NFL season with one pass deflection and one quarterback hit in three games played. He will become a free agent this upcoming offseason.
The Jets ended the year with a 4-12 record and did not qualify for the postseason. They fired their head coach Todd Bowles.
Daniel Sorensen – Kansas City Chiefs (12-4)
Sorensen had two tackles, one pass deflection and returned an interception 54 yards for a touchdown in the Chiefs’ 35-3 win over the Oakland Raiders.
NEXT UP: The Chiefs are the No. 1-seed in the AFC and will have a first round bye.
DIRTY DAN 😤😤😤 pic.twitter.com/4jVudRNSAh
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) December 30, 2018
Kyle Van Noy – New England Patriots (11-5)
Van Noy collected three tackles, a half of a tackle-for-loss, a quarterback hit while recovering a fumble and returning the ball 46-yards for a touchdown.
NEXT UP: The Patriots are the No. 2-seed in the AFC and will have a first round bye.
SCOOP & SCORE! @KVN_03 visits the end zone for the second time this season#NYJvsNE | #GoPats pic.twitter.com/Nt5XbrXehS
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) December 30, 2018
Fred Warner – San Francisco 49ers (4-12)
Warner had a game-high 14 tackles, including 9 solo take-downs in the 49ers’ 48-32 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. The former Cougar finished his rookie season with a team-high 124 tackles, a team-best 85 solo tackles, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and six pass deflections while playing in all 16 games.
San Francisco finished the season with a 4-12 record and did not qualify for the playoffs.
Jamaal Williams – Green Bay Packers (6-9-1)
The Detroit Lions shut the Packers offense down with Williams getting just four rushing yards on eight carries and three receptions for 16 yards. Green Bay lost their season finale 31-0. Williams finished his second season with 464 rushing yards, three touchdowns and 27 receptions for 210 yards.
The Packers season is over after a 6-9-1 record.
Former Thunderbirds
Miles Killebrew – Lions (6-10)
Killebrew had two tackles in the Lions’ 31-0 win over the Green Bay Packers. He finished his third season with 7 tackles. The former Thunderbird has one more season left on his rookie contract.
Detroit ended their 2018 season with a 6-10 record and didn’t qualify for the playoffs.
LeShaun Sims – Tennessee Titans (9-7)
Sims had 4 tackles in the Titans’ 33-17 loss to the Indianapolis Colts. He ended the season with 22 tackles in 16 games played and has one more season left on his contract.
Tennessee’s season is over with a 9-7 record.
Former High School Standouts
Marcus Kemp – Kansas City Chiefs (12-4)
The former Layton High School star played 14 offensive and 13 special team snaps in the Chiefs’ 35-3 win over the Oakland Raiders.
NEXT UP: The Chiefs are the No. 1-seed in the AFC and will have a first round bye.
Haloti Ngata – Philadelphia Eagles (9-7)
The former Highland High School star had one tackle in the Eagles’ 24-0 win over the Washington Redskins.
NEXT UP: NFC Wildcard at Chicago Bears (12-4), Sunday at 2:40 p.m. on KSL.
Dalton Schultz – Dallas Cowboys (10-6)
The Bingham High School product had one reception for 17 yards in the Cowboys’ 36-35 win over the New York Giants.
NEXT UP: NFC Wildcard vs. Seattle Seahawks (10-6), Saturday at 6:15 p.m. on FOX.
Xavier Su’a-Filo – Dallas Cowboys (10-6)
The former Timpview product started on the offensive line for the Cowboys and played 45 offensive snaps before leaving the game with an ankle injury. Dallas beat the New York Giants 36-35. It is unknown if Su’a-Filo will be available for the Cowboys NFC Wildcard game.
NEXT UP: NFC Wildcard vs. Seattle Seahawks (10-6), Saturday at 6:15 p.m. on FOX.