As we all know, Alabama is NFLU, leading the NFL with 57 players on active rosters. Four Alabama quarterbacks are actually starters. Other programs are also breaking barriers in the big league. If you are looking for a spouse or just to win an argument, here are a few of our Bama alums in the big leagues.
Let us start off in the quarterback department. The University of Alabama Crimson Tide football team currently has four starting quarterbacks in the National Football League. Need them listed? I got you!
Jalen Hurts
Jalen Hurts played for Alabama from (-) before transferring to Oklahoma. I know, I know, some people think it is controversial to include him on an Alabama list because he did not finish at Bama, but we all know where home is! As we all know, Jalen Hurts is the starting quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles. This position is a major accomplishment considering that the Eagles were the Super Bowl runner-ups last year and are currently sitting at a 5-1 record and first in the NFC East. Hurts’ 2023 season stats are as follows, 1,821 yards with nine touchdowns and eight interceptions. These stats have him at a 61.9 Quarterback Rating which has him ranked eighth overall. His previous match-up was an exhilarating one against former teammates Tua Tagovailoa and Jaylen Waddle. On Hurts’ side of the ball, he has two Alabama alumni one of which being a former teammate, Devonta Smith, and NFL veteran Julio Jones.
Tua Tagovailoa
Does anyone remember the slogan “Tank for Tua” because I definitely do! This philosophy reaped major benefits for the Miami Dolphins who picked Tagovailoa fifth overall. The Miami Dolphins have had a spectacular season especially their exhilarating offense with Tyreek Hill and former teammate Alabama alumna Jaylen Waddle. Tua Tagovailoa currently has 2,092 yards with 15 touchdowns and six interceptions. With these rankings, he is currently fourth in Quarterback Rating sitting at 69.3. Tagovailoa and the Dolphins will face off against former teammate and next up on the list, Mac Jones and the New England Patriots.
Mac Jones
With Mac Jones being drafted in the first round, 15th overall to the Nick Saban of the NFL, Bill Belichick, and the New England Patriots, many were hopeful for a Patriots comeback since the departure of seven-time Super Bowl Champion, Tom Brady. So far, Jones has 1,480 yards with seven touchdowns and seven interceptions. Jones’ Quarterback Rating is 42.6 which lands him at 23rd on the list. Although the Patriots are 2-5, I believe there might still be some hope for Jones and the Patriots to turn the program around. Will they be back in their Brady days? That is a question I cannot answer, only time will tell. For now, they must face Tua Tagovailoa and the Miami Dolphins on Sunday at 12 p.m.
Bryce Young
The number one draft pick from the 2023 NFL Draft, Bryce Young, has not had the best year with the Carolina Panthers. Sitting at fourth, dead last, in the NFC South, the Panthers have won a grand total of zero games while losing six. However, I do not believe the brunt of the force should be on Young because after all, to have the first pick in the draft you had to have a terrible season prior. Unlike popular opinion, one man cannot be an entire team. I have hopes that the Panthers will shape their team around the young star and eventually secure that franchise tag. As of now, Young has 967 yards, six touchdowns, and four interceptions. His Quarterback Rating is at 32.1 where he sits at 32nd overall.
Next, we are going to go with a collective, the 2017 Alabama Crimson Tide football team. This team has over 20 active roster NFL players, three of whom are starting quarterbacks. We all must admit that these numbers are literally insane. The majority of these members are actually starters. From Levi Wallace and Minkah Fitzpatrick to Devonta Smith and Josh Jacobs, this was one heck of a team. Big props go to those recruiters. Not only did these men do great at Alabama, but they also had longevity that reached deep into the National Football League. This portion wraps up Bama in the NFL!
The University of Alabama’s basketball program has been on an incline for the past few years, but last year, with the lead of Brandon Miller, the team was able to blast all the way to the number one spot in the nation. Following this jam-packed season, two players were drafted in the first round, Brandon Miller at number two and Noah Clowney at number 21. Overall, there are 10 former Alabama players on active NBA rosters. This is a crazy number considering the sizes of these NBA teams. Two of these stars for the New Orleans Pelicans, Herb Jones and Kira Lewis recently played a preseason game in Birmingham, Alabama. Such a great way to give back to the state that poured into you.
Drifting into Alabama Crimson Tide gymnastics, Luisa Blanco became the sixth Alabama gymnast to reach the Olympics this past Monday. Blanco will compete for Team Colombia at the Paris 2024 Olympics. She deserves a tremendous round of applause. Blanco joins greats like Shallon Olsen. Blanco’s accolades run overfloweth. She has made First-Team Championship All-American for uneven bars, balance beam, and floor exercises for 2023. Blanco is also an NCAA Champion. Let us wish her the absolute best in Paris and the rest of our big league players/athletes as they navigate the professional realm!
