The 2024 NFL season is in full swing and the league once again littered with former Alabama players. The Crimson Tide had 10 players drafted into the NFL in 2024 and has the highest population of players in the league with 61 currently on active rosters.
Each week, Tide Illustrated will break down the top performances of former Crimson Tide players in the NFL along with a roundup of all former Alabama players in the pros.
Week 11 saw Denver Broncos wide receiver Jerry Jeudy put up his best performance of the season in the Cleveland Browns' 34-14 loss to the Saints. Despite the defeat, Jeudy racked up 142 yards and a touchdown on six receptions. Jeudy has 39 catches for 560 yards and two touchdowns this season.
Jameson Williams also had an explosive day through the air. The Detriot Lions wide receiver hauled in four catches for 124 yards and a touchdown in their 52-6 thumping of the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Former Alabama running backs Derrick Henry, Jahmyr Gibbs and Josh Jacobs all found the end zone last week. Jacobs had a productive game for the Green Bay Packers with 134 all-purpose yards, helping the Packers to a thrilling 20-19 win over the Chicago Bears.
Jalen Hurts helped the Philadelphia Eagles to a huge divisional win in Prime Time over the Washington Commanders on Thursday. Hurts completed 18 of 28 passes for 221 yards and had 10 carries for 39 yards and a touchdown on the ground.
Former Alabama safeties Xavier McKinney and Brian Branch had productive outings on defense. McKinney had nine tackles for the Packers which was tied for the most on the team, while Branch had seven for Detriot in its blowout win over the Tennessee Titans.
New York Jets defensive tackle Quinnen Williams was a standout on defense in New York's narrow loss to the Indianapolis Colts. Williams finished with seven tackles, including two for loss, one sack and three quarterback hits. He has now had a sack in four of the Jets' last five games.
Offensive star of the week: Tua Tagovailoa
2024 has been a rocky year for Tagovailoa and the Miami Dolphins, but the former national champion quarterback and his team look to be righting the ship. Tagovailoa delivered a highly efficient performance in Miami’s 34-19 win over the Las Vegas Raiders.
Tagovailoa finished completing 28 of 36 passes for 288 yards and three touchdowns. His 77.8% completion rate ranked fourth among all quarterbacks in Week 11, helping Miami rattle off its second straight win.
Tagovailoa made multiple high-level throws throughout the game, including the game-clinching touchdown. With Miami up five points with just three and a half minutes left, Tagovailoa found a wide-open Jonnu Smith and delivered a perfect off-balance pass off his back foot, which Smith hauled in and ran in for the touchdown, sealing the Dolphins' victory.
Since returning from injury in Week 8, Tua has a league-leading completion percentage of 77.7% with seven passing touchdowns and just one interception. Miami is 2-2 since Tagovailoa returned, but with the fourth easiest schedule remaining, the Dolphins will look to keep their quarterback healthy and make a late playoff push.
Defensive star of the week: Christian Barmore
Though he only totaled three tackles in a 28-22 loss to the Los Angeles Rams, New England Patriots defensive tackle Christan Barmore’s Week 11 was bigger than his numbers on the stat sheet. The former second-round pick made his season debut after being sidelined since July due to a diagnosis of blood clots.
Blood clots are blockages in the bloodstream that block blood flow, which can cause serious health risks and made Barmore's return a severe challenge. Three and a half months after the diagnosis, the Patriots defensive anchor was cleared to play ahead of Week 11 and totaled 21 snaps against the Rams.
Barmore, who totaled eight and a half sacks and 64 tackles in 2023, received a massive $92 million extension over the offseason and told reporters postgame he was determined in his unexpected battle with blood clots.
“Blood clots are no joke,” Barmore said... “I told myself that I’m not going to lose that battle. I told myself I was going to keep fighting.”
As the Patriots sit at 3-8 midway through November, with Barmore back in the lineup, New England will look to play as a spoiler team down the stretch.
Here’s how other former Alabama players performed last week.
Atlanta Falcons
RB Jase McClellan: 8 carries for 15 yards against the Broncos.
LB Rashaan Evans: Played 1 snap on defense.
Baltimore Ravens
RB Derrick Henry: 13 carries for 65 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 fumble lost against the Steelers.
CB Eddie Jackson: Inactive.
CB Jayln Armour-Davis: Played 25 snaps on special teams.
Buffalo Bills
WR Amari Cooper: 2 catches for 55 yards against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Cincinnati Bengals
S Jordan Battle: 2 tackles against the Chargers.
WR Jermain Burton: 1 catch for 8 yards.
Cleveland Browns
WR Jerry Jeudy: 6 catches for 142 yards, 1 touchdown against the Saints.
RB Jerome Ford: 5 carries for 10 yards, 4 catches for 29 yards
LT Jedrick Wills Jr.: Inactive.
DT Dalvin Tomlinson: 2 tackles.
Dallas Cowboys
CB Trevon Diggs: 6 tackles, 1 pass deflection against the Texans.
Denver Broncos
CB Patrick Surtain II: 1 tackle, 1 pass deflection against the Falcons.
CB Levi Wallace: 1 tackle.
Detriot Lions
RB Jahmyr Gibbs: 11 carries for 69 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 catch for 54 yards against the Jaguars.
S Brian Branch: 7 tackles.
CB Terrion Arnold: 2 tackles.
Green Bay Packers
RB Josh Jacobs: 18 carries for 76 yards, 1 touchdown, 4 catches for 58 yards against the Chicago Bears.
S Xavier McKinney: 9 tackles.
Houston Texans
WR John Metchie: 3 catches for 33 yards against the Cowboys.
DE Will Anderson Jr.: Inactive.
LB Henry To’o To’o: 7 tackles, 1 for loss.
Indianapolis Colts
DT Raekwon Davis: 2 tackles against the Jets.
DB Ronnie Harrison: Played 21 snaps on special teams.
Jacksonville Jaguars
QB Mac Jones: 17 of 29 for 138 yards, 0 touchdowns, 1 interception, 2 carries for 7 yards, sacked once for nine yards against the Lions.
Los Angeles Chargers
OL Bradley Bozeman: Started at center, played 67 snaps on offense against the Bengals.
P JK Scott: 6 punts for 280 yards, with a 46.7 average and a long of 58.
DE Justin Eboigbe: Played 2 snaps on defense.
Miami Dolphins
QB Tua Tagovailoa: 28 of 36 for 288 yards, 3 touchdowns, sacked twice for 17 yards, 1 fumble (not lost) against the Raiders.
WR Jaylen Waddle: 2 catches for 37 yards.
RG Lester Cotton: Played 6 snaps on special teams.
DT Da'Shawn Hand: Played 4 snaps on special teams.
Minnesota Vikings
OL Cam Robinson: Started at tackle, played 73 snaps on offense against the Titans.
LB Dallas Turner: Played 12 snaps on defense.
New England Patriots
LB Anfernee Jennings: 2 tackles, 1 quarterback hit against the Los Angeles Rams.
DT Christian Barmore: 3 tackles.
New Orleans Saints
CB Kool-Aid McKinstry: 3 tackles against the Browns.
New York Jets
DT Quinnen Williams: 7 tackles, including 2 for loss, 1 sack, 3 quarterback hits against the Colts.
LB CJ Mosley: Inactive.
Philadelphia Eagles
QB Jalen Hurts: 18 of 28 for 221 yards, 10 carries for 39 yards, 1 touchdown, sacked twice for 15 yards against the Commanders.
WR DeVonta Smith: 4 catches for 29 yards.
LG Landon Dickerson: Started at guard, played 63 snaps on offense.
RG Tyler Steen: Played 8 snaps on offense.
CB Eli Ricks: Inactive.
Pittsburgh Steelers
RB Najee Harris: 18 carries for 63 yards, 4 catches for 30 yards against the Ravens.
S Minkah Fitzpatrick: 7 tackles.
Seattle Seahawks
DT Jarran Reed: 1 tackle, 1 quarterback hit against the San Francisco 49ers.
CB Josh Jobe: 1 tackle.
Tennessee Titans
WR Calvin Ridley: 4 catches for 58 yards against the Vikings.
OL JC Latham: Started at tackle, played 58 snaps on offense.
Washington Commanders
RB Brian Robinson Jr.: 16 carries for 63 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 catch for 9 yards against the Eagles.
DT Daron Payne: 3 tackles.
DT Phidarian Mathis: 2 tackles.
Tide on bye
Arizona Cardinals
LB Mack Wilson
Carolina Panthers
QB Bryce Young
DT A’Shawn Robinson
DE LaBryan Ray
New York Giants
OL Evan Neal
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
LB Chris Braswell
Practice squad players
Bills — S Kareem Jackson
Browns — TE Cameron Latu
Chargers — OL Alex Leatherwood
Jets – DB Jaylen Key
Rams — TE Miller Forristall
Ravens — OL Darrian Dalcourt
Steelers — CB Anthony Averett
Texans — TE Irv Smith Jr.
IR/Suspension
Browns CB Tony Brown — Played on IR Oct. 29 with a foot injury
Cardinals OL Jonah Williams — Placed on IR Sept. 11 with a knee injury.
Colts C Ryan Kelly — Played on IR Nov. 5 with a knee injury.
Commanders DT Jonathan Allen — Placed on IR Oct. 16 with a pectoral injury.
Eagles DT Byron Young — Placed on IR Oct. 25 with a hamstring injury.
Falcons S DeMarcco Hellams — Placed on IR Aug. 27 with an ankle injury.
Texans LB Christian Harris — Placed on IR Aug. 27 with a calf injury. Designated to return.
Vikings K Will Reichard — Played on IR Nov. 5 with a quad injury.