FB Hooper action photo used 9-30-26FB Hooper action photo used 9-30-26
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Football

Stanford in the NFL: Week 3 Recap

Tight end scores and special teams stars

STANFORD, Calif. — Both the 49ers and Raiders are 3-0, with former Stanford football standouts making an impact for their respective teams. Week 3 of the 2026 NFL season also saw a record number of tight end touchdowns, including one from a Cardinal, and multiple impact plays were made on special teams.

Below is a breakdown of each performance by a former Cardinal in Week 3:

Atlanta Falcons 35, Green Bay Packers 14

  • Austin Hooper (ATL): Caught both of his targets for 11 yards, finishing third on the team in receiving yards…scored the final touchdown of the first half on a five-yard pass from Michael Penix Jr., his first touchdown of the year and the 31st of his NFL career…17 of his touchdowns have come with Atlanta, but this was his first with the Falcons since his Pro Bowl season of 2019.
  • Jake Bailey (ATL): Punted twice for an average of 45.5 yards, landing both of his kicks inside the 20-yard line.

Buffalo Bills 24, Los Angeles Chargers 16

Cleveland Browns 21, Carolina Panthers 18

    • Brycen Tremayne (CAR): Had his best game in the NFL in his second career start…caught four passes for 83 yards to pace the Panthers in receiving yards, setting career highs in both catches and yards…hauled in a 31-yard pass early in the fourth quarter to help set up a go-ahead field goal for Carolina…had never recorded more than 48 receiving yards in a game prior to Sunday.
    • Bobby Okereke (CAR): Started and played all 70 defensive snaps for Carolina, recording four tackles and one quarterback hurry.

Detroit Lions 31, New York Jets 24

    • Harrison Phillips (NYJ): Started on the defensive line and was on the field for 44 snaps, recording four tackles and one quarterback hit on Jared Goff.

Indianapolis Colts 19, Houston Texans 17

    • Dalton Schultz (HOU): Had three receptions for 30 yards in a quieter output compared to a record-setting Week 2…tied for the team lead in receptions and was second in receiving yards…ranks seventh in the entire league in receptions (19) through Week 3, second among tight ends.

New York Giants 12, Tennessee Titans 7

    • Elic Ayomanor (TEN): Caught one of three targets for 11 yards in a rain game…made his second start of the season and 16th in his career.
    • Solomon Thomas (TEN): Saw 14 snaps on the defensive line and was credited with one quarterback hurry.

Jacksonville Jaguars 35, New England Patriots 6

    • Walker Little (JAX): Played three snaps at left tackle and six special teams snaps, appearing on the line for five extra points and one field goal attempt.

San Francisco 49ers 36, Arizona Cardinals 30

    • Christian McCaffrey (SF): Carried the ball 15 times for 75 yards with a touchdown and added four receptions for 41 yards…his one-yard touchdown in the third quarter opened the scoring in the second half…all three of his rushing touchdowns this season have been from within the five-yard line.
    • Simi Fehoko (ARI): Made another impact play on special teams, recovering a fumble on a muffed punt by the 49ers near the end of the third quarter…through two games, has blocked a punt and recovered a muffed punt.
    • Michael Wilson (ARI): Finished as the team’s leading receiver, with 11 receptions for 89 yards and a touchdown…his five-yard touchdown catch in the third quarter was his first of the season and the 15th of his career…was the fourth game of his career with at least 10 catches, and tied for his second most in a game.
    • Elijah Higgins (ARI): Caught three passes for 20 yards in his first start of the season, with those catches standing as his first this year…also added two special teams tackles…finished the week as the fourth-highest-graded tight end per PFF (87.1).

Las Vegas Raiders 35, New Orleans Saints 27

      • Thomas Booker IV (LV): Played a total of 29 snaps, with 24 on the defensive line…blocked an extra point after the first touchdown of the game from the Saints, his first blocked kick in the NFL.
      • Justin Reid (LV): Started at safety and played every snap for the Saints, recording four tackles, including three solo tackles.

Denver Broncos 30, Los Angeles Rams 26

      • Colby Parkinson (LAR): One of the two starting tight ends for Los Angeles…failed to bring in his only target of the game.

Chicago Bears 27, Philadelphia Eagles 7

      • Sam Roush (CHI): Recorded his first NFL reception on Monday night, a 16-yard catch-and-run from Bears quarterback Case Keenum.
      • Zach Ertz (PHI): Debuted for the Eagles to kick off his 14th NFL season…was on the field for 19 snaps, catching one pass for nine yards (two targets).

Did not play in Week 3: Paulson Adebo (NYG), Ethan Bonner (MIA), Tanner McKee (PHI), Davis Mills (HOU), Curtis Robinson (DAL), Foster Sarell (SF), CJ Williams (JAX), Collin Wright (HOU)