Gators in the NFL: Week 18
Each week of the 2025-26 season, FloridaGators.com will cover all of the best moments from the NFL stars who made a name for themselves in Gainesville.
Offense
Kyle Pitts – TE – Atlanta Falcons
Pitts capped off his bounce-back season with another solid performance. The former first-round pick hauled in six passes for 58 yards, setting a franchise record in the process.
The only Falcons TE to record multiple seasons of 900+ receiving yards all-time
🔥 @kylepitts__ pic.twitter.com/tQGAA0jwqS
— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) January 4, 2026
Demarcus Robinson – WR – San Francisco 49ers
With a limited receiver core, Demarcus Robinson stepped up Saturday in San Fran. The 11-year NFL veteran notched three receptions for 24 yards, including this pivotal third-down conversion.
Brock Purdy and the 49ers converted an 3rd and 4 early in the 3rd Q with a completion to Demarcus Robinson into the boundary against Seahawks CB Josh Jobe.#Seahawks #SeattleSeahawks #49ers pic.twitter.com/nZQ3SJLfFp
— All 22 Films (@All_22_NFL_Cuts) January 4, 2026
Defense
Shemar James – LB – Dallas Cowboys
Closing the season strong. Shemar James finished his rookie season in Dallas by stuffing the stat sheet. The fifth-round pick totaled 13 tackles, two pressures and a sack in his sixth start at middle linebacker. James led the Cowboys in tackles this season with 91.
Gervon Dexter Sr. – DT – Chicago Bears
Not a bad day in the office for Dexter, who notched his sixth sack of the season in Week 18 action. The third-year nose tackle is slated to make his NFL playoff debut Saturday as the No. 2 seed Bears clash with the No. 7-seeded Packers.
.@GervonDexter gets home on 3rd down 😤
📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/M40viz5cmv
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) January 4, 2026
Special Teams
Chimere Dike – WR – Tennessee Titans
It’s official, Chimere Dike finished the 2025 NFL Regular Season with the most all-purpose yards. By racking up 2,427 combined rushing, receiving, punt and kick return yards, Dike set the record for all-purpose yards by a rookie and posted the most by any player since Darren Sproles in 2011.
Dike also became the 31st Gator to make a Pro Bowl, being tabbed as the AFC’s starting return specialist.
Chimere Dike has set the all-time NFL rookie record for all-purpose yards, leading the NFL with 2371 total yards. If he reaches 2400 yards this week, he will have the most all-purpose yards in a season since Darren Sproles in 2011, who set the NFL record with 2696 yards. pic.twitter.com/vMYqKw3AfL
— OptaSTATS (@OptaSTATS) January 4, 2026
Jeremy Crawshaw – P – Denver Broncos
Another rookie standout specialist, Crawshaw, put on a show when it mattered most. Crawshaw tallied six punts for 287 yards, with only one being returned, to help the Broncos clinch the No. 1 seed for the first time since 2015.
Playoff Bound Gators
| Player | Team | Position |
|---|---|---|
| O’Cyrus Torrence | Buffalo Bills | G |
| Montrell Johnson* | Carolina Panthers | RB |
| Cam Jackson | Carolina Panthers | DT |
| C.J. Gardner-Johnson | Chicago Bears | S |
| Gervon Dexter Sr. | Chicago Bears | DL |
| Jeremy Crawshaw | Denver Broncos | P |
| Brenton Cox Jr. | Green Bay Packers | DL |
| Tommy Townsend | Houston Texans | P |
| Graham Mertz | Houston Texans | QB |
| Trent Brown | Houston Texans | OT |
| Ventrell Miller | Jacksonville Jaguars | LB |
| Marcus Maye* | Los Angelas Chargers | S |
| DJ Humphries | Los Angeles Rams | OL |
| Fred Johnson | Philadelphia Eagles | OT |
| Jeremiah Moon | Pittsburgh Steelers | LB |
| David Sharpe* | Pittsburgh Steelers | OT |
| Ricky Pearsall | San Francisco 49ers | WR |
| Demarcus Robinson | San Francisco 49ers | WR |
| Eddy Piñeiro | San Francisco 49ers | K |
| Ja’Markis Weston* | Seattle Seahawks | LB |
* Denotes a member of the practice squad
For a complete list of Gators in the NFL, see below.
Arizona Cardinals (ARI 20-37 LAR)
90 – Zachary Carter – DT – 4 years (2 TOT, 1 Solo)
Atlanta Falcons (ATL 19-17 NO)
8 – Kyle Pitts – TE – 5 years (6 Rec, 58 Yards)
16 – Kyle Trask* – QB – 4 years (Practice Squad)
39 – C.J. Henderson – CB – 6 years (7 TOT, 3 Solo, 2 PBU)
Baltimore Ravens (BAL 24-26 PIT)
58 – Taven Bryan – DT – 8 years (Reserve/Injured)
Buffalo Bills (BUF 35-8 NYJ)
64 – O’Cyrus Torrence – G – 3 years
Carolina Panthers (CAR 14-16 TB)
37 – Montrell Johnson* – RB – Rookie (Practice Squad)
92 – Cam Jackson – DT – Rookie (1 TOT)
Chicago Bears (CHI 16-19 DET)
35 – C.J. Gardner-Johnson – S – 7 years (6 TOT, 5 Solo)
99 – Gervon Dexter Sr. – DL – 3 years (3 TOT, 2 Solo, 1 Sack)
Cincinnati Bengals (CIN 18-20 CLE)
2 – Evan McPherson – K – 5 years (0/2 XP)
24 – Marco Wilson – CB – 5 years (Reserve/Injured)
98 – T.J. Slaton Jr. – DL – 5 years (5 TOT, 2 Solo, 1 Sack)
Cleveland Browns (CLE 20-18 CIN)
65 – Kingsley Eguakun – C – 1 year
Dallas Cowboys (DAL 17-34 NYG)
13 – Dante Fowler Jr. – DE – 11 years
21 – Malik Davis – RB – 3 years
25 – Trikweze Bridges – CB – Rookie (5 TOT, 2 Solo)
50 – Shemar James – LB – Rookie (13 TOT, 3 Solo, 0.5 Sacks)
Denver Broncos (DEN 19-3 LAC)
16 – Jeremy Crawshaw – P – Rookie (6 Punts, 287, 47.8 Avg, 1 IN20, Long of 54)
Detroit Lions (DET 19-16 CHI)
34 – Alex Anzalone – LB – 9 years
Green Bay Packers (GB 3-16 MIN)
57 – Brenton Cox Jr. – DL – 3 years (2 TOT, 1 Sack, 3 QB Hits)
Houston Texans (HOU 38-30 IND)
6 – Tommy Townsend – P – 6 years (3 Punts, 121 Yards, 40.3 Avg, 2 IN20)
18 – Graham Mertz – QB – Rookie
77 – Trent Brown – OT – 11 years
Indianapolis Colts (IND 30-38 HOU)
5 – Anthony Richardson Sr. – QB – 3 years (Reserve/Injured)
Jacksonville Jaguars (JAX 41-7 TEN)
51 – Ventrell Miller – LB – 3 years (3 TOT, 2 Solo)
Kansas City Chiefs (KC 12-14 LV)
34 – Dameon Pierce – RB – 4 years (4 Carries, 10 Yards)
74 – Jawaan Taylor – OT – 7 years (Reserve/Injured)
Las Vegas Raiders (LV 14-12 KC)
70 – Stone Forsythe – OL – 5 years
88 – Justin Shorter* – WR – 3 years (Practice Squad)
Los Angeles Chargers (LAC 3-19 DEN)
35 – Marcus Maye – S – 9 years (5 TOT, 1 Solo)
Los Angeles Rams (LAR 37-20 ARI)
72 – DJ Humphries – OL – 11 years
Miami Dolphins (MIA 10-38 NE)
33 – Jason Marshall Jr. – CB – Rookie (1 TOT)
Minnesota Vikings (MIN 16-3 GB)
58 – Jonathan Greenard – OLB – 6 years (Reserve/Injured)
New Orleans Saints (NO 17-19 ATL)
98 – Jonathan Bullard – DE – 10 years (1 TOT)
Philadelphia Eagles (PHI 17-24 WAS)
74 – Fred Johnson – OT – 7 years
Pittsburgh Steelers (PIT 26-24 BAL)
53 – Jeremiah Moon – LB – 3 years
61 – David Sharpe* – OT – 6 years (Practice Squad)
San Francisco 49ers (SAN 3-13 SEA)
1 – Ricky Pearsall – WR – 1 year (Reserve/Injured)
5 – Demarcus Robinson – WR – 10 years (3 Rec, 24 Yards)
18 – Eddy Piñeiro – K – 5 years (1/1 FG, Long of 48 Yards)
Seattle Seahawks (SEA 13-3 SAN)
46 – Ja’Markis Weston* – LB – Rookie (Practice Squad)
Tennessee Titans (TEN 7-41 JAX)
11 – Van Jefferson – WR – 6 years
17 – Chimere Dike – WR – Rookie (3 Rec, 27 yards, 1 Punt Return, 20 yards, 1 Kick Return, 9 Yards)
35 – Kaiir Elam – CB – 4 years
78 – Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson – OT – Rookie
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