Hawks in the NFL | Week 3

A pair of former Hawkeye standouts, Josey Jewell and George Kittle, made their way back onto the gridiron in the NFL’s third week.

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Isaiah J. Downing/USA TODAY SPORTS

Sep 25, 2022; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos safety P.J. Locke (6) knocks the ball away from San Francisco 49ers running back Jeff Wilson Jr. (22) as safety Kareem Jackson (22) recovers the fumble and linebacker Josey Jewell (47) looks on in the fourth quarter at Empower Field at Mile High.

Grant Hall, Sports Reporter
September 27, 2022

Hawkeye football alumni made an impact throughout Week 3 of the NFL slate.

All-Pro guard Brandon Scherff kept the pocket clean for the Jacksonville Jaguars’ 2021 No. 1 pick Trevor Lawrence en route to a 38-10 win over the Los Angeles Chargers.

Tennessee safety Amani Hooker recorded six tackles and forced a fumble against the Raiders on Sunday. Hooker’s Titans escaped with a 24-22 victory to send Vegas to 0-3 on the year.

Desmond King recorded seven tackles in his Texans’ 23-20 loss to the Chicago Bears. The cornerback won the 2015 Jim Thorpe Award and was a unanimous All-American as a junior in Iowa City.

Detroit tight end T.J. Hockenson caught three passes for 18 yards and a touchdown against Minnesota. Hockenson’s Lions fell to the Vikings, 28-24.

2019 first round pick Noah Fant hauled in all his targets, catching four passes for 27 yards against Atlanta. But his Seahawks dropped the game, 27-23. The tight end recorded a season-long 16 yard reception in the contest.

Hyde out for the year

Bills safety Micah Hyde was placed on injured reserve this week due to an injury suffered late in Buffalo’s Week 2 victory over Tennessee. He will miss the rest of the season because of a herniated disc in his neck.

His absence leaves a massive hole on the back end of Buffalo’s secondary as the Super Bowl favorites pursue a title. Hyde thanked Buffalo’s fan base for their support in a tweet sent out Saturday afternoon.

Kittle returns from injury

First-team All-Pro tight end George Kittle missed the first two weeks of the season with a groin injury. He suited up for the first time this season for the 49ers in their one-point loss to the Denver Broncos.

Kittle didn’t quite look to be 100 percent, hauling in four receptions for 28 yards. 

The 28-year old has struggled with injuries in recent seasons, but he is still an established star in the league and a top-3 tight end when healthy. In 2018, he broke the NFL single-season record for receiving yards.

‘The Outlaw’ shines in comeback

Broncos linebacker Josey Jewell missed an entire year with a torn pectoral muscle which he suffered in Week 2 of 2021. He returned to action Sunday night against Kittle’s 49ers. 

Jewell rushed out of the gate, racking up nine tackles and a sack on 49ers QB Jimmy Garoppolo in Denver’s win.

Handful of Hawkeyes suit up in Ravens-Patriots

Five former Iowa standouts took the field in Baltimore’s 37-26 win in Foxborough.

James Ferentz and Carl Davis Jr. suited up for New England, while rookie center Tyler Linderbaum and defensive reserves Geno Stone and Kristian Welch dressed for Baltimore. Hawkeye football shared a photo on Twitter to commemorate the occasion.