DALLAS – Former Conference USA players reached career milestones in week nine of the NFL season, as Denver’s
Devon Key (WKU) recorded his first career NFL interception and Indianapolis’
Seth McGowan (New Mexico State) scored his first NFL touchdown.
Key recorded four tackles, two solo stops, a pass deflection and his first career interception in the Broncos’ 26-21 win over the Panthers. McGowan scored the first touchdown of his NFL career, rushing for 45 yards on six carries, including a long of 36 yards, in Indianapolis’ 27-23 loss to Dallas.
Former UTSA standout
Riq Woolen added four solo tackles and two pass deflections in Philadelphia’s 19-11 loss to the New York Giants, while former FAU standout
Azeez Al-Shaair totaled nine tackles, four solo stops and a pass deflection in Houston’s 44-22 win over the Chargers.
James Pierre (Florida Atlantic) recorded six tackles, including five solo stops, in Minnesota’s 23-6 loss to Buffalo. Former MTSU standout
Charvarius Ward added three solo tackles for Indianapolis, while former LA Tech standout
Amik Robertson contributed two tackles and a pass deflection in Washington’s 20-13 loss to the Rams. San Francisco’s
Upton Stout (WKU) also recorded four tackles and a pass deflection for San Francisco in its win over Las Vegas.
Former Tulane standout
Cairo Santos delivered the game-winning points for Chicago, converting a 38-yard field goal as time expired to lift the Bears to a 27-24 win over Tampa Bay. Santos finished with nine points, making both of his field goal attempts and all three extra-point attempts.
Other former CUSA players in action included
Rasheen Ali (Marshall), who returned three kicks for 91 yards;
Aaron Jones Sr. (UTEP), who totaled 21 yards from scrimmage;
Hezekiah Masses (FIU), who recorded three tackles;
Sean Fresch Jr. (Rice), who returned two kicks for 62 yards, including a long of 41; and
Ricky Barber (Western Kentucky), who recorded two tackles for the Rams.
Click
here for a complete list of the 79 former CUSA players featured on NFL rosters for the 2026 season.