Travis Hunter (Jacksonville Jaguars)
There it is.
After coming close during his injury-shortened rookie season and showing encouraging signs through the first two weeks of 2026, Hunter finally secured his first career NFL interception in Jacksonville's dominant 35-6 victory over New England.
The play came in the end zone against Patriots quarterback Drake Maye, ending a New England scoring opportunity and preserving Jacksonville's 14-3 lead late in the first half.
Hunter finished the afternoon with four total tackles, one pass defended and the interception.
Hunter credited Jacksonville's preparation and communication for putting him in position to make the play.
"We get those plays in practice. The coach did a great job scheming it up for us. He called the perfect call for us. We all talked and we communicated on my side of the ball and I just made it happen," Hunter said.
"He tried me a couple of times," Hunter added. "I was just in there saying, 'I'm getting too close to the ball, I got to get me one.'"
Three games into his return, Hunter appears to be settling back into his role in Jacksonville's secondary. He has now recorded nine tackles, two passes defended and an interception this season.
For a player like Travis, making the extraordinary look routine is something most of us have gotten used to, so seeing No. 12 come down with his first NFL interception felt familiar. Sunday wasn’t without its learning moments, though. There were times in coverage when Hunter was reminded of just how much talent exists at the NFL level, where even good coverage can be beaten by a great route or catch. But those moments are part of the adjustment, and Hunter continues to make plays of his own. With each passing week, he looks increasingly comfortable in the secondary and more prepared for the challenges that come with defending NFL receivers.
A viral moment followed Hunter’s interception when Jaguars linebacker Josh Hines-Allen attempted to retrieve the game ball, only for a visibly irritated NFL employee to clutch onto it like it was coming out of his own trophy case. Here’s hoping Trav eventually got his hands on the keepsake. For the record, the ball-boy displayed excellent ball security.
Nate Landman (Los Angeles Rams)
For Nate Landman, Week 3 brought a return to familiar territory, just not in black and gold this time.
Landman made his way back to Colorado as the Rams traveled to Denver for a Sunday Night Football matchup with the Broncos. After recording 15 tackles over the first two weeks of the season, Landman had a quieter statistical night in his return to the mile-high elevation.
The former Colorado linebacker finished with three total tackles, one solo and two assisted, as the Rams fell to the Broncos 30-26 in an absolute thriller of a Sunday Night Football game. The Rams have now slipped to 1-2, a surprising start for a team with high expectations entering the season. With injuries beginning to pile up across the roster, including Myles Garrett expected to be sidelined longer than initially anticipated, Landman may be asked to make his presence felt even more over the next few weeks. The road doesn’t get any easier, as Los Angeles now heads to Philadelphia for another tough matchup against the Eagles.
Brady Russell (Seattle Seahawks)
Russell continues to find ways to contribute in Seattle, and on Sunday, he came about a yard away from finding the end zone.
Brady’s NFL role has been solidified almost solely through blocking and special teams and hasn’t typically been a major part of Seattle’s passing attack until this season. But those who remember Russell’s time in Boulder know catching the football isn’t foreign territory for the former Colorado tight end.
Russell hauled in his lone target for 20 yards against Washington, rumbling down the field before being tackled at the 1-yard line and narrowly missing what would have been his first NFL touchdown.
It was another encouraging offensive contribution for Russell, who now has three catches for 40 yards through the first three weeks of the season.
If his past playing days in Colorado show us anything, it’s that Brady has a unique ability to get better and grow his role with time. He was a walk-on at CU under coach Mike MacIntyre and eventually earned a scholarship as he became a notable starter in Boulder. We might be seeing the same trajectory in Seattle.
LaJohntay Wester (Baltimore Ravens)
Wester had a quieter afternoon in Baltimore’s 34-31 victory over Dallas in Rio de Janeiro. In a game that broke the international viewership records, LaJohntay finished the game without a reception after catching three passes for 29 yards across the first two weeks. However, he did see his usual production as a return specialist on special teams with three returns for close to 50 yards.
One obvious explanation for the reduced opportunities was the return of Zay Flowers, who was back in the lineup after a hamstring injury kept him out in Week 2. Flowers is arguably Baltimore’s top weapon at wide receiver, and his versatility allows the Ravens to use him in several different ways, including designed runs and packages that are drawn up to highlight his speed in space.
That happens to overlap with an area where Wester also has shown he can thrive. With Flowers back, many of those opportunities will now go to him and it wasn’t surprising to see Wester’s offensive involvement take a step back in Week 3.
That doesn’t necessarily mean Wester’s role is disappearing. It means he’ll have to find ways to make an impact more as a primary kick and punt returner for Baltimore.
Shedeur Sanders (Cleveland Browns)
For the first time this season, Shedeur Sanders officially entered an NFL game.
Sanders’ action was limited in Cleveland’s 21-18 victory over Carolina, completing his lone pass attempt. The completion went for no gain, leaving him 1-for-1 for zero yards in his first regular-season appearance of 2026.
When Sanders checked into the game, the reaction inside the stadium spoke for itself. Cleveland fans greeted No. 2 with a loud roar, showing just how much support he has already built within the city.
There were trade rumors throughout the week surrounding the Browns and Shedeur, but the team has made it clear that they are not looking to move Sanders. A tough position to be in as a second-year QB, but to his credit, Sanders has continued to bring positive energy to the team and its fan base despite all the noise that has surrounded Cleveland. He has remained engaged on the sideline and supportive of his teammate’s successes.
Colorado fans are still waiting for an extended opportunity to watch No. 2 operate the offense this year, whether it’s with Cleveland or not, and I believe they will get it before the season is over.
Kahlil Benson (Kansas City Chiefs)
Kahlil Benson continues to be one of the more interesting former Buffs to follow early this season. The undrafted rookie earned an opportunity along Kansas City’s offensive line after starting left tackle Josh Simmons was sidelined with a back injury.
Benson put together an encouraging performance in Week 2, but Sunday against Miami proved to be a much tougher assignment. He struggled at times in pass protection, with Patrick Mahomes taking several hard hits throughout the game as Miami consistently applied pressure.
Playing left tackle in the NFL is one of the toughest assignments in football, and performances like Sunday’s are part of the learning curve for a young player. Kansas City also has an important decision approaching with Simmons, as the team reaches the point where it must determine the next step with its starting tackle’s injury status. That could have a direct impact on how much longer Benson is asked to hold down the position.
Following the difficult afternoon, Benson remained focused on correcting his mistakes.
“As a rookie, I am going to keep listening to my coaches and make sure I clean up the right things so we can go back and play better next week,” Benson said.
Chiefs offensive coordinator and Colorado legend Eric Bieniemy has also offered encouraging words about Benson while acknowledging the inevitable ups and downs that come with playing a rookie.
“Yes, he is a young player. He’s going to have some good plays, he’s going to have some bad plays. But when it’s all said and done with, he just needs to go out there and play and have fun,” Bieniemy said.
After an encouraging Week 2 and a difficult Week 3, Benson is getting an early look at just how quickly life can change for an NFL offensive lineman. His opportunity came sooner than expected, and now the former Buff gets the chance to show how he responds.
Also Active
Will Sherman was active in Week 3 for New Orleans. The Saints fell to Las Vegas 35-27
Other Notable Updates:
Jimmy Horn Jr. remains on Cleveland's practice squad after joining the Browns following his release from Carolina. That keeps Horn reunited with Sanders, but he was not part of the active game-day roster in Week 3.
For the Buffs in the NFL, Week 3 ultimately belonged to No. 12.
Hunter has spent his career collecting memorable firsts. On Sunday, he added another one.
