Week 1: Auburn Players in the NFL

Their time has come and gone on the Plains, yet their impact on the football field is still alive and well at the next level.

With 42 former players on NFL rosters, Auburn boasts an impressive list of football alumni. Naturally everyone is aware of the former Heisman winner and reigning MVP Cam Newton at the helm of the Carolina Panthers, but others are as well making a difference for rosters.

These are the Auburn football alum who were featured in the first week of action in the NFL:

Carolina Panthers

Being handed to a 21-20 loss to the Denver Broncos in heartbreaking fashion lead to controversy over player safety for former Auburn quarterback Cam Newton, who withstood several shots to the head including one on a potential game-winning drive. Newton finished the game completing 18 of 33 pass attempts for 194 yards, one touchdown and an interception with 54 rushing yards on 11 attempts alongside a touchdown.

Cameron Artis-Payne, who last season had 183 yards for the Panthers with a single touchdown, did not have a rushing attempt in the loss.

Cincinnati Bengals

Squeaking by with a 23-22 victory over the New York Jets the Cincinnati Bengals defense was assisted by newcomer Karlos Dansby, second-team All-Pro in 2013, with 11 combined tackles.

Pat Sims, continuing his second stint with the team, finished the game with two total tackles as he helped against the rush.

C.J. Uzomah, former Auburn tight end, impressed in his second season debut with two receptions for 59 yards with a total of five targets in the win.

More from Auburn Football

• Ex-star Auburn DL confronts ‘slant man’ in MNF post-game video
• Ex-Auburn star laments not getting to face fellow Heisman candidate
• Analyst expects third-year RB to take AU rushing lead from surprising transfer
• Hugh Freeze was the right hire to truly embrace Auburn
• Auburn football Jack LB: ‘We’ve got to earn our respect back’

Cleveland Browns

A team that features former miracle maker Ricardo Louis, who recorded a tackle on special teams, did not shine too bright on Sunday. Shon Coleman, Gabe Wright nor Corey Lemonier found the spotlight in the loss against the Philadelphia Eagles 29-10, which is the only positive that can be found out of such a performance.

Houston Texans

Jay Prosch, only able to have two yards rushing, helped the offensive line push forward for 129 yards as a team alongside former guard Chad Slade in a victory against the Chicago Bears 23-14.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Jacksonville impresses with four former members of the Auburn Tigers on their roster, including former quarterback Nick Marshall at cornerback. Marshall, although appearing in few snaps last season, is expected to have more of an impact with the defense and potentially the offense.

Former running back Corey Grant was not featured in a faulty rushing game that only managed 48 yards in a loss to the Green Bay Packers 27-23. Sen’Derrick Marks, defensive tackle, tallied a single tackle in a near win, and Patrick Miller was less than noticeable on the offensive line.

Kansas City Chiefs

The largest comeback in franchise history with an overtime win over the San Diego Chargers 33-27 brought out former Auburn linebacker Dee Ford, who finished the game with four combined tackles and a sack to allow the offense to have a chance.

Los Angeles Rams

Running back Tre Mason was not available to play for the Rams in a shutout loss against the San Francisco 49ers 28-0, with Greg Robinson at offensive tackle struggling to get the team to a total of 65 rushing yards. Former wide receiver D’haquille “Duke” Williams was also not available to play.

New England Patriots

Without their franchise quarterback the Patriots squeaked away with phenomenal backup play and a newly refurbished defense featuring Auburn football alum Jonathan Jones, who tallied a single tackle in his debut.

Brandon King, former safety, took snaps on defense yet did not complete a tackle.

New Orleans Saints

A comeback for the Oakland Raiders saw a win against the New Orleans Saints 35-34, with the Saints featuring former defensive tackle Nick Fairley. Fairley could not have done more for his defense, as he had three combined tackles in the loss.

Oakland Raiders

Debuting the season with an impressive win over the New Orleans Saints, Daren Bates, former linebacker, completed a single tackle against an otherwise thriving Saints offense.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Sammie Coates impressed in his two receptions for 56 yards and a long for 42, but stood out most in his near touchdown reception that ricocheted to another teammate for the score. In a 38-16 win over Washington, Coates highlighted what more he could be for a dominant wide receiver core.

San Diego Chargers

Kansas City saw the fall of a 23-3 lead over the Chargers, which was brought ahead in an initially powerful rushing game helmed by former Auburn offensive tackle King Dunlap, who helped his sophomore running back get his first two career touchdowns.

Tennessee Titans

The last Auburn Tiger who made a statistic in the NFL is Angelo Blackson, former defensive end, of the Tennessee Titans. Blackson assisted his defense in holding the Minnesota Vikings without an offensive touchdown with two total tackles, yet saw his team lose 25-16.

Next: SEC Football Power Rankings After Week 2

Week two in the NFL will hopefully bring about the debuts of several Auburn alum in Cody Parkey of the Philadelphia Eagles, a Pro Bowl kicker who lost a season and potentially his job with a devastating groin injury, and running backs Tre Mason and Corey Grant.