Irish in the NFL: Tommy Tremble scores first TD, bigger workload to come?
Carolina Panthers tight end Tommy Tremble was right in the middle of a touchdown run.
It was no surprise to Notre Dame fans who watched him clear paths for Irish running backs the last two years as a dominant run blocker. Except this time, in the Panthers’ 24-9 win over the Houston Texans on Thursday, Tremble was not a run blocker.
He was the runner.
Tremble scored his first NFL touchdown in the victory, a seven-yard run on a jet sweep in the third quarter. He also had a 30-yard reception for his first professional catch. The Panthers, unsurprisingly, frequently deploy him as a blocker on offense and kickoff return teams.
“[Tremble is] a guy who we thought could do a lot of different things,” Panthers head coach Matt Rhule told reporters after the win. “After the draft, we got more phone calls from other teams, tight end coaches, special team coordinators, to our guys about Tommy.”
The Panthers made a trade Monday night that could open up more chances for him to touch the ball. They sent tight end Dan Arnold to the Jacksonville Jaguars, clearing a spot on the tight end depth chart ahead of Tremble. Arnold had seven catches for 84 yards through three games, tops among Panthers tight ends.
Tremble was among 37 former Notre Dame players on an NFL 53-man roster for Week 3 of the 2021 season. That’s not including four ex-Irish players on injured reserve: Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Miles Boykin (hamstring), Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Khalid Kareem (shoulder), Panthers cornerback Troy Pride Jr. (ACL) and Pittsburgh Steelers defensive end Stephon Tuitt (knee).
Ravens outside linebacker Daelin Hayes joined them Monday due to an ankle injury suffered Sunday. The Green Bay Packers elevated wide receiver Equanimeous St. Brown from the practice squad for Week 2, but he returned there for Week 3.
Here’s a look at each of the 37 former Irish players and their Week 3 activity.
• Josh Adams (Played at Notre Dame from 2015-17), RB, New York Jets: Was active but didn’t record any stats in the Jets’ 26-0 loss at Denver … Has played in one game for the 0-3 Jets, but has not compiled any stats.
• Aaron Banks (2017-20), OG, San Francisco 49ers: Was inactive for the 49ers’ 30-28 home loss to Green Bay … Has yet to appear in a regular-season game for 2-1 San Francisco.
• Alex Bars (2014-18), OL, Chicago Bears: Saw action in Chicago’s 26-6 loss at Cleveland … Has played as a reserve in each of the 1-2 Bears’ three contests.
• Ian Book (2016-20), QB, New Orleans Saints: Was inactive for the Saints’ 28-13 win at New England … Has yet to play in a regular-season game for 2-1 New Orleans.
• Chase Claypool (2016-19), WR, Pittsburgh Steelers: Started, was targeted 15 times and caught nine passes for 92 yards in Pittsburgh’s 24-10 home loss to Cincinnati … Has played in three games with two starts, logged two rushing attempts for 22 yards, and notched 15 receptions for 211 yards (14.1 per catch) and no touchdowns for the 1-2 Steelers.
• Scott Daly (2012-15), LS, Detroit Lions: Served as the primary long snapper in the Lions’ 19-17 home loss to Baltimore … Has played in all three contests for 0-3 Detroit.
• Liam Eichenberg (2016-20), OL, Miami Dolphins: Started at right tackle in Miami’s 31-28 overtime loss at Las Vegas … Has played in all three contests and made two starts for the 1-2 Dolphins.
• Matthias Farley (2011-15), S, Tennessee Titans: Made one tackle in the Titans’ 25-16 home win over Indianapolis … Saw action in each of Tennessee’s first three games and notched one tackle.
• Will Fuller V (2013-15), WR, Miami Dolphins: Made his Miami debut and caught three passes for 20 yards in the Dolphins’ overtime defeat at Las Vegas … Has three receptions for 20 yards in one game played for 1-2 Miami.
• Alohi Gilman (2017-19), S, Los Angeles Chargers: Made seven solo tackles and recorded his first career interception in the Chargers’ 30-24 win at Kansas City … Has come off the bench for 2-1 Los Angeles in all three games, and recorded 15 tackles (10 solo) and one interception.
• Robert Hainsey (2017-20), OL, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Was active but did not play in Tampa Bay’s 34-24 loss at the Los Angeles Rams … Has yet to play in a regular-season contest for the 2-1 Buccaneers.
• Daelin Hayes (2016-20), DE, Baltimore Ravens: Was active and made NFL debut in the Ravens’ 19-17 win at Detroit, but left due to an ankle injury … Played in one game with no stats recorded for 2-1 Baltimore before landing on injured reserve Sept. 27 due to his ankle injury.
• J.J. Jansen (2004-07), LS, Carolina Panthers: Served as the primary long snapper in Carolina’s 24-9 win at Houston … Has held down that role in all three contests for the 3-0 Panthers.
• Jamir Jones (2016-19), DL, Pittsburgh Steelers: Started in the place of injured All-Pro edge rusher T.J. Watt and made one tackle in the Steelers’ loss to Cincinnati … Has played in all three games with one start and made three tackles for 1-2 Pittsburgh.
• Tony Jones Jr. (2016-19), RB, New Orleans Saints: Had two carries for 12 yards and two receptions for 10 yards in New Orleans’ 28-13 win at New England … Has played in all three contests with one start for the 2-1 Saints, and notched 16 rushing attempts for 69 yards (4.3 per carry) and three catches for 13 yards.
• Cole Kmet (2017-19), TE, Chicago Bears: Started and caught one pass for 11 yards on four targets in the Bears’ loss at Cleveland … Has started all three contests and reeled in seven receptions for 53 yards for 1-2 Chicago.
• Julian Love (2016-18), CB, New York Giants: Made three tackles and broke up one pass in the Giants’ 17-14 home loss to Atlanta … Came off the bench in each of 0-3 New York’s first three games and notched four tackles (one solo) and one pass defended.
• Nick Martin (2011-15), C, Las Vegas Raiders: Served as a reserve lineman in Las Vegas’ overtime win over Miami … Has played in all three games for the 3-0 Raiders.
• Zack Martin (2009-13), OG, Dallas Cowboys: Started at right guard in Dallas’ 41-21 home win over Philadelphia … Missed the 2-1 Cowboy’s season opener after testing positive for COVID-19, but started the next two contests at right guard.
• Nick McCloud (2020), CB, Cincinnati Bengals: Was inactive for the Bengals’ 24-10 win at Pittsburgh … Has yet to play in a regular-season contest for 2-1 Cincinnati.
• Mike McGlinchey (2013-17), OT, San Francisco 49ers: Started at right tackle in San Francisco’s home loss to Green Bay … Has opened all three games at right tackle for the 2-1 49ers.
• Sam Mustipher (2014-18), C, Chicago Bears: Started at center in the Bears’ loss at Cleveland … Started at center in each of 1-2 Chicago’s first three games.
• Quenton Nelson (2014-17), OG, Indianapolis Colts: Started at left guard in Indianapolis’ loss at Tennessee and was carted off the field with an ankle injury that was later deemed a high ankle sprain … Started each of the 0-3 Colts’ first three contests at left guard.
• Ade Ogundeji (2016-20), DE, Atlanta Falcons: Was active but didn’t record any stats in the Falcons’ road win over the New York Giants … Has seen action in all three games and notched one tackle for 1-2 Atlanta.
• Julian Okwara (2016-19), LB, Detroit Lions: Played on defense but didn’t compile any stats in the Lions’ loss to Baltimore … Has played in two games with no stats for 0-3 Detroit.
• Romeo Okwara (2012-15), LB, Detroit Lions: Started at linebacker and notched four tackles with one sack in Detroit’s loss to Baltimore … Started each of the 0-3 Lions’ first three contests and compiled six tackles with one sack.
• Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (2017-20), LB, Cleveland Browns: Started at linebacker and notched four tackles with 0.5 sacks and two passes broken up in Cleveland’s home win versus Chicago … Has played in all three contests with two starts, made nine tackles (six solo) with 0.5 sacks and three passes defended for the 2-1 Browns.
• Isaac Rochell (2013-16), DL, Indianapolis Colts: Was inactive for Indianapolis’ loss at Tennessee … Has yet to see action in a regular-season contest for the 0-3 Colts.
• Kyle Rudolph (2008-10), TE, New York Giants: Started but was not targeted in the Giants’ loss Atlanta … Has played in all three games with two starts and caught four passes for 33 yards for 0-3 New York.
• Ben Skowronek (2020), WR, Los Angeles Rams: Made his NFL debut but didn’t record any stats in the Rams’ 34-24 win over Tampa Bay … Has played in one game with no stats for 3-0 Los Angeles.
• Harrison Smith (2007-11), S, Minnesota Vikings: Started at safety and made eight tackles with one pass broken up in Minnesota’s 30-17 win over Seattle … Started all three contests for the 1-2 Vikings, and compiled 22 tackles (18 solo), one sack and one pass broken up.
• Jaylon Smith (2013-15), LB, Dallas Cowboys: Started at linebacker and made four tackles in the Cowboys' win over Philadelphia … Has played in three games with two starts and notched 16 tackles (11 solo) for 2-1 Dallas.
• Durham Smythe (2013-17), TE, Miami Dolphins: Started and was targeted once in Miami’s overtime loss at Las Vegas … Saw action in each of the 1-2 Dolphins’ first three contests with two starts and had one reception for nine yards.
• Ronnie Stanley (2012-15), OT, Baltimore Ravens: Did not play in the Ravens’ win at Detroit due to ankle injury … Started 2-1 Baltimore’s season opener, but has missed the last two games due to his ankle injury.
• Jerry Tillery (2015-18), DT, Los Angeles Chargers: Started at defensive tackle and made two tackles (one for loss) with two quarterback hits in Los Angeles’ win at Kansas City … Has started each of the Chargers’ first three games and compiled nine tackles (five solo) with 0.5 sacks.
• Drue Tranquill (2014-18), LB, Los Angeles Chargers: Made eight tackles with 0.5 sacks in the Chargers’ win at Kansas City … Has played in all three games for 2-1 Los Angeles and tallied 12 tackles (nine solo) with 0.5 sacks.
• Tommy Tremble (2018-20), TE, Carolina Panthers: Ran for seven-yard touchdown and caught one pass for 30 yards in Carolina’s win at Houston … Saw action in each of the 3-0 Panthers’ first three contests, and had one reception for 30 yards and the one rushing attempt for seven yards and a touchdown.
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