On the heels of Will Johnson’s pick-six last Saturday night against Fresno State, here’s a look at the longest interception returns in program history:
94 yards – Brandon Herron (2011 vs. Western Michigan)
92 yards – Thomas Darden (1971 vs. UCLA)
88 yards – Ernest Shazor (2004 vs. Miami-OH)
86 yards – Will Johnson (2024 vs. Fresno State)
81 yards – Mike Rotunno (1955 vs. Missouri)
81 yards – Mike Sainristil (2023 vs. Washington)
80 yards – David Long, Jr. (2017 vs. Maryland)
73 yards – Josh Metellus (2018 vs. SMU)
72 yards – Blake Countess (2013 vs. Minnesota)
72 yards – Mike Sainristil (2023 vs. Michigan State)
Minnesota Vikings captain and safety Josh Metellus had one of his best games as a professional, totaling 8 tackles with 1 sack and 1 forced fumble in a 19-13 win over the Chicago Bears. That fumble was returned for a touchdown. Unfortunately, it was on rookie quarterback Tyson Bagent out of Shepherd University and not Ohio State product Justin Fields, who is expected to be out for a few weeks with a dislocated thumb.
Josh Metellus with the strip sack! He has really become a great pro player recently! Go Blue! 〽️
RB Zach Charbonnet (Seahawks): Charbonnet ran the ball 9 times for 46 yards in a 37-27 win over the Panthers.
WR Nico Collins (Texans): Collins caught 4 passes, including three for first downs, and 80 yards in a 20-13 win over the Saints.
DE Brandon Graham (Eagles): Graham made 2 tackles and 0.5 sacks in a 20-14 loss to the Jets.
S Dax Hill (Bengals): Hill made 8 tackles and 2 pass breakups in a 17-13 win over the Seahawks.
LB Khaleke Hudson (Commanders): Hudson made 3 tackles in a 24-16 win over the Falcons.
DT Maurice Hurst, Jr.: Hurst made 2 tackles and 1 tackle for loss in the Browns’ 27-3 victory over the Titans.
DE Aidan Hutchinson (Lions): Hutchinson made 3 tackles in a 20-6 win over the Buccaneers.
CB Jourdan Lewis (Cowboys): Lewis made 3 tackles in a 20-17 win over the Chargers.
S Jabrill Peppers (Patriots): Peppers made 7 tackles and 2 pass breakups in a 21-17 loss to the Raiders.
TE Luke Schoonmaker (Cowboys): Schoonmaker made his first professional catch for 1 yard. Unfortunately, he was targeted six times and reeled in just the one catch, but a journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step.
CB D.J. Turner II (Bengals): Turner made 4 stops in a 17-13 win over the Seahawks.
Several former Wolverines had good weeks, but no game was more impressive than Aidan Hutchinson’s. In a 20-6 win over the Falcons last Sunday, Hutchinson made 4 tackles, 2 sacks, 1 additional tackle for loss, 1 forced fumble, 1 quarterback hit, 2 pass breakups, and 6 pressures.
HONORABLE MENTION
WR Ronnie Bell (49ers): Bell caught 2 passes for 24 yards, including a 9-yard touchdown, his first career score. He also made 1 tackle on special teams. The 49ers beat the Giants, 30-12.
NOTE: I thought I posted this in the middle of last week, but turns out I forgot to make it live. So now you get it on the morning of Week 2.
Detroit Lions defensive end Hutchinson made 3 tackles in a 21-20 win over the Chiefs, but he was constantly double-teamed. And in the NFL season debut on TV, the broadcasters constantly talked about how the Chiefs were “cheating” via false starts and illegal alignments to prevent Hutchinson from getting to Patrick Mahomes.
HONORABLE MENTION
LB Devin Bush, Jr. (Seattle Seahawks): Bush made 1 tackle in a 30-13 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. This was Bush’s debut with Seattle after being drafted by the Steelers.
DE Frank Clark (Denver Broncos): Clark made 2 tackles in a 17-16 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders. Clark is in his first season with the Broncos after coming over from the Kansas City Chiefs.
WR Nico Collins (Houston Texans): Collins made 6 catches for 80 yards and 1 touchdown in a 25-9 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.
DE Mike Danna (Kansas City Chiefs): Danna made 6 tackles, 1 sack, and 1 pass breakup in a 21-20 loss to the mighty Detroit Lions.
RB Chris Evans (Cincinnati Bengals): Evans had 2 carries for 12 yards in a 24-3 loss to the Cleveland Browns.
S Daxton Hill (Cincinnati Bengals): Hill made 6 tackles and his first career interception in a 24-3 loss to the Browns.
S Josh Metellus (Minnesota Vikings): Metellus made 6 tackles and 1 pass breakup in a 20-17 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Metellus recently signed a 2-year, $13 million contract extension and is a captain for the Vikings.
K Jake Moody (San Francisco 49ers): Moody was 3/3 on extra points and 3/3 on field goals, including a long of 41 yards, in a 30-7 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers.
DT Mike Morris (Seattle Seahawks): Morris made 2 tackles in his NFL debut, a 30-13 loss to the Rams.
DE David Ojabo (Baltimore Ravens): Ojabo made 3 tackles, 1 sack, and 1 forced fumble on former Ohio State quarterback Marcus Stroud in a 25-9 win over the Texans.
DE Kwity Paye (Indianapolis Colts): Paye made 3 tackles and 1 sack in a 31-21 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
WR Donovan Peoples-Jones (Cleveland Browns): Peoples-Jones made 1 catch for 12 yards and 3 punt returns for 15 yards in a 24-3 win over the Bengals.
S Jabrill Peppers (New England Patriots): Peppers made 6 tackles, 1 forced fumble, and 1 pass breakup in a 25-20 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.
P Brad Robbins (Cincinnati Bengals): Robbins punted 10 times for 409 yards (40.9 yards/punt), including 2 inside the 20-yard line, during a 24-3 loss to the Browns.
CB Ambry Thomas (San Francisco 49ers): Thomas made 5 tackles and 1 pass breakup in a 30-7 win over the Steelers.
CB D.J. Turner II (Cincinnati Bengals): Turner made 2 tackles in his NFL debut during a 24-3 loss to the Browns.
DE Josh Uche (New England Patriots): Uche made 1 tackle and 1 sack in a 25-20 loss to the Eagles.
Philadelphia Eagles outside linebacker/defensive end Brandon Graham had an outstanding day on Sunday when he made 6 tackles, 2.5 sacks, 1 forced fumble, and 1 pass breakup in a 24-8 win over the Washington Commanders. He was named NFC Defensive Player of the Week for his efforts.
HONORABLE MENTION
Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB Tom Brady completed 31/42 passes for 271 yards, 1 touchdown, and 0 interceptions in a 14-12 loss to the Green Bay Packers
Pittsburgh Steelers LB Devin Bush, Jr. made 11 tackles in a 29-27 loss to the Cleveland Browns
Kansas City Chiefs DE Frank Clark made 3 tackles and 1 sack in a 20-17 loss to the Indianapolis Colts
Packers OLB Rashan Gary made 3 tackles and 1 sack in a 14-12 win over the Bucs
Dallas Cowboys CB Jourdan Lewis made 7 tackles in a 23-16 win over the New York Giants
Minnesota Vikings S Josh Metellus made 11 tackles and 1 huge interception in a 28-24 win over the Detroit Lions
New England Patriots S Jabrill Peppers made 7 tackles and 1 fumble recovery in a 37-26 loss to the Baltimore Ravens
Steelers DT Chris Wormley made 5 tackles in a 29-27 defeat at the hands of the Browns
