The 2023 NFL season continued over the past few days and several former Tennessee players were in action and having productive performances during Week 13. The highlights for the VFL contingent were Jauan Jennings scoring his first touchdown since 2022 and Hendon Hooker returning to practice. Alvin Kamara and Darrell Taylor made big plays for their teams, and rookie Princeton Fant made his NFL debut.
GoVols247 recaps how every former Tennessee player fared during the 13th week of the NFL season in the latest installment of our weekly feature.
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Dog stuff
The 49ers made the statement of the week in the NFL by blowing away the one-loss Eagles in Philadelphia, and in a feisty game it was only fitting that Jauan Jennings found the end zone. The bruising wide receiver caught an 18-yard touchdown pass early in the fourth quarter, tossing a defender aside and waltzing to the end zone. Jennings was targeted four times and caught three passes for 44 yards – an 18-yarder to convert third-and-5 early in the third quarter and an 8-yarder on third-and-9 (San Francisco converted the fourth down) early in the fourth quarter before his touchdown, which also came on third down.
It was Jennings’s first touchdown since Week 11 of the 2022 season.
Hooker returns to practice
A little more than a year after tearing his ACL at South Carolina, Hendon Hooker took a big step toward getting his football career going again. The third-round pick, who has been on the Non-Football Injury/Reserve List since late August had his 21-day practice window opened and returned to the practice field for the Lions. It’s unclear if he’ll made his debut this season with high-flying Detroit riding Jared Goff to a 9-3 record and a commanding lead atop the NFC North, but Hooker returning to practice certainly was a big deal to and for him.
“Just want to get better every day 1%,” Hooker said after his first practice per the Lions’ official website. “Continue to stay in my playbook, continue to ask questions and get better. It was fun just to get out there and run through the plays, communicate with the guys and just ask them what they are seeing on the field. It just feels good to be a baller again.”
Taylor adds to sack total
Seahawks linebacker Darrell Taylor stepped up to make a big play in primetime, adding to his sack total during the loss at the Cowboys on Thursday Night Football. The 2020 second-round pick is up to 4.5 sacks during his fourth NFL season. Taylor finished the game with two tackles, one sack and two quarterback hits.
Fant makes NFL debut
Tight end Princeton Fant didn’t make the 53-man roster for the Cowboys coming out of the preseason, but stuck in Dallas on its practice squad. He was elevated to the active roster and made his debut in the win against the Seahawks on Thursday Night Football. All 15 of his snaps came on special teams, and there was an added benefit of playing in his first game opposite Seattle tight end Noah Fant, Princeton’s cousin.
Kamara doubles up
Saints star running back Alvin Kamara found the end zone twice this week, though it wasn’t enough to result in a win against the Lions at home. Kamara rushed for 51 yards on 16 carries and scored from 2 yards out in the third quarter and from 1 yard out in the fourth quarter – his third and fourth rushing touchdowns of the season and 53rd of his career, setting a Saints franchise record. Kamara was targeted eight times and added six catches for 58 yards.
Rounding up the rest of the former Vols
Rookie outside linebacker Byron Young had five tackles and one tackle for loss in the win against the Browns.Rookie wide receiver Cedric Tillman was targeted six times and caught two passes for 20 yards in the loss at the Rams.
Chiefs offensive lineman Trey Smith started at right guard and helped K.C. rush for 148 yards, but it wasn’t enough in a loss at the Packers on Sunday Night Football. Defensive end Derek Barnett made his Texans debut in the win against the Broncos, playing 17 snaps (14 on defense) while recording no stats.For the Lions in the win at the Saints, cornerback Cameron Sutton started and had two tackles and a pass breakup, and linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin was all over the field – he had two tackles, one pass breakup and one quarterback hit on defense and made three tackles on special teams. For the Falcons in the win at the Jets, running back Cordarrelle Patterson totaled 11 yards on five carries and caught a 6-yard pass on two targets, and safety Micah Abernathy played 25 snaps on special teams with no stats.
For the Panthers in the loss at the Bucs, defensive tackle Shy Tuttle started and had four tackles, and offensive lineman Cade Mays played three snaps (one on offense). Titans long snapper Morgan Cox was excellent on two field goals, three extra points and seven punts in the overtime loss to the Colts.
Not in actions
Bye week: OL Darnell Wright (Bears), WR Velus Jones Jr. (Bears), QB Joshua Dobbs (Vikings), SAF Theo Jackson (Vikings), WR Jalin Hyatt (Giants).
Practice squad: DT Matthew Butler (Raiders), LB Alexander Johnson (Dolphins), FB Jakob Johnson (Raiders), RB John Kelly Jr. (Browns – re-signed to the practice squad on November 28), DT Kendal Vickers (Cardinals).
Injured reserve: Chargers WR Joshua Palmer (knee), Lions CB Emmanuel Moseley (knee).
