Tag: badgers in the NFL

The Pittsburgh Steelers continue to be a popular home for former Wisconsin Badgers

Can you name all six former Badgers currently on the Pittsburgh Steelers?

Former Wisconsin quarterback Russell Wilson signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers Sunday evening, sending shockwaves through the NFL as the first big domino of the free-agent period.

Wilson will make just $1.2 million over the one-year deal from the Steelers — that while somehow still getting paid $39 million per year from the Broncos.

Related: Pre-spring bold predictions for the 2024 Big Ten football season

For Pittsburgh, the former Badger is an easy upgrade over Kenny Pickett and should make the Steelers contenders in the AFC North. For Wilson, this move was a badly-needed second chance after the disaster his tenure in Denver became.

The non-Wilson story here: the former Wisconsin signal-caller became yet another former Badger to join the Steelers. Here are all of those players now, up to a whopping total of six:

Every former Wisconsin Badger who has played in the Super Bowl since 2000

Can you name all of them?

We have reached another year’s edition of the big game. This time, it’s Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs against Christian McCaffery and the San Francisco 49ers.

While former Wisconsin Badgers are not the headliners for this contest, and they rarely are, there is one who will play a prominent role in this edition: Chiefs starting inside linebacker Leo Chenal.

That’s actually been the case for many Super Bowls. The Wisconsin products aren’t on the front page of the preview or winning MVP, but players like James White (14 catches, 110 receiving yards, 3 touchdowns in Super Bowl 51), Corey Clement (four catches, 100 receiving yards in Super Bowl 52) and numerous lineman have all been key pieces in Super Bowl victories.

For those names and a few others who may have been forgotten, here is every former Wisconsin Badger to have played in the Super Bowl since 2000:

How to watch four former Wisconsin Badgers in today’s NFL Pro Bowl Games

How to watch four former Wisconsin Badgers in today’s NFL Pro Bowl Games

The NFL Pro Bowl is later today — or Pro Bowl Games given the move away from a true football game. The shift occurred entering 2023 as the league opted to move away from contact in the exhibition contest, or as years of players not trying pushed them to do so. Regardless, there is one football-adjacent activity today. It’s the NFL’s Pro Bowl Games.

Four former Wisconsin Badgers earned the nod this season: Miami Dolphins fullback Alec Ingold, Baltimore Ravens guard Kevin Zeitler, Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt and Dallas Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson.

Related: Power ranking all 18 Big Ten football programs after the 2023 season

The game kicks off — or begins, given it’s a flag football game and not played with traditional rules — at 2 p.m. central / 3 p.m. eastern on ESPN and ABC.

Former Wisconsin offensive lineman named to first NFL Pro Bowl

Former Wisconsin offensive lineman, 12-year NFL veteran, named to first Pro Bowl

How about this for a developing storyline: Former Wisconsin offensive lineman Kevin Zeitler was named to the NFL Pro Bowl earlier today, replacing Chiefs guard Joe Thuney.

Zeitler is a 12-year veteran with more than 180 games of experience, yet it is his first Pro Bowl nomination.

The former Badger started his career with five years in Cincinnati, then played two years in both Cleveland and New York (Giants) before spending the last three in Baltimore.

2023 has actually now become a banner year for the veteran guard. First, he entered the 2023 season with Iron Man status — leading the NFL in snaps on the offensive line since 2012. His mark of 11,054 snaps also ranked fourth-highest overall behind quarterbacks Tom Brady, Russell Wilson and Matt Ryan. Then, the Ravens win over the Cardinals in October meant Zeitler had accomplished the rare feat of defeating every NFL team.

Now, Zeitler is off to his first Pro Bowl in his 12th NFL season.

How every former Wisconsin Badger performed in NFL Week 18, 2023

How every former Wisconsin Badger performed in NFL Week 18, 2023

The 2023 NFL regular season drew to a close Sunday night in Miami as the Bills clinched the AFC East with a win over the Dolphins and finalized the 2024 playoff field.

There will be several Wisconsin products playing in this year’s postseason. The entire Steelers group of T.J. Watt, Nick Herbig, Keeanu Benton and Isaiahh Loudermilk clinched their spot with a win over the Ravens, Melvin Gordon is in with the 1-seed Ravens, Leo Chenal’s Chiefs and Jake Ferguson’s Cowboys are division champions and Andrew Van Ginkel and Alex Ingold are in with the aforementioned Dolphins.

There will be updates as the playoffs continue. But for now, here is how every former Wisconsin Badger performend in NFL Week 18:

A former Wisconsin Badger just scored his first NFL touchdown since 2017

A former Wisconsin Badger just scored his first NFL touchdown since 2017

Former Wisconsin wide receiver Alex Erickson is somehow still in the NFL. It’s year eight, and he just scored his first NFL touchdown in six years.

The former Badger was a lone bright spot during the Chargers’ 63-21 loss to the Raiders that resulted in both head coach Brandon Staley and general manager Tom Telesco. He caught a 13-yard touchdown from Easton Stick midway through the fourth quarter to cut the Chargers’ deficit to 49. As previously referred to, it was Erickson’s first NFL touchdown since November 19, 2017 — more than six years ago.

Here is Thursday night’s touchdown, followed by his last from 2017:

Erickson is up to 74 yards and one touchdown on 14 receptions in limited work this season. He began the year on the Chargers’ practice squad. Thanks to injuries and poor play, he seems to be firmly on the team’s active roster entering each week.

How every former Wisconsin Badger performed in NFL Week 14 2023

How every former Wisconsin Badger performed in NFL Week 14 2023

Week 14 of the NFL season is now complete, as Tommy DeVito is grabbing headlines across the country and reminding Wisconsin Badgers fans of an infamous day in program history.

Jonathan Taylor usually headlines the former Badgers in the NFL each weekend, though he remains out with a hand injury. So, our headlines this week include Russell Wilson dazzling yet again, T.J. Edwards continuing his terrific pace in Chicago, Jake Ferguson excelling as one of Dak Prescott’s top options and more.

Related: BREAKING: Wisconsin lands a former All-American linebacker

Here are notes from those performances, plus how every former Wisconsin Badger performed in NFL Week 14:

How every former Wisconsin Badger performed in NFL Week 13 2023

How every former Wisconsin Badger performed in NFL Week 13 2023

The calendar has turned to December, and it’s time for the final stretch of the 2023 NFL season. In other words: it’s officially the time of year each television network shows the ‘In The Hunt’ graphic during its broadcasts.

Former Wisconsin Badgers are in the middle of both the NFC and AFC playoff races. Russell Wilson has the Broncos in the hunt for a wild card, Jake Ferguson is dominating for the 9-3 Dallas Cowboys, a handful of former Badgers are willing the Steelers into playoff position and more.

Minus Colts star Jonathan Taylor being out with an injury, and Jack Sanborn and T.J. Edwards’ Chicago Bears having a bye week, here is how every former Wisconsin Badger performed in NFL Week 13:

A Badger is top among NFL rookies in this stat

A Badger is top among NFL rookies in this stat

A number of Badger rookies have been showing out, but perhaps none more than offensive lineman Joe Tippmann. The Jets’ starting center has been not only one of the best rookies in the league, but one of the best centers in the league. Wisconsin knows a thing or two about this position, and Tippmann is carrying the legacy.

According to Pro Football Focus, Tippmann has a 98.4 pass blocking efficiency number. That number is the best among all NFL rookies.

Expect the Badger offensive lineman to not only finish the year strong, but be a consistent piece of the New York Jets offense for years to come.

Jonathan Taylor enters the Indianapolis Colts record books

Jonathan Taylor enters the Indianapolis Colts record books

If anybody expected Jonathan Taylor to have the first four NFL seasons he has had, it was Badger nation. Even with the expectations being set high, it feels like the Wisconsin legend has surpassed any and all of them through his first four campaigns.

It’s also just good to see Taylor back out there after contract disputes had him on the sidelines to start the year. The former Badger has also set an Indianapolis Colts record. With a pair of touchdowns this past weekend, Taylor now has 37 for his career. That is the most by any Colts player through their first four seasons in franchise history, as he passed the legendary Marshall Faulk who had 36 scores through four years.