There was plenty of talent on the field in the Oregon Ducks' matchup with the Ohio State Buckeyes on Saturday on the road, as both rosters are filled with NFL-caliber players at nearly every position. The Ducks came out on top on the scoreboard, leaving Columbus with a convincing 41-28 victory.
In terms of the two program's excellence in sending players to the next level, there's an argument to be made that the Ducks are in the lead in the performance of their former players on Sunday's, as well. In Week 9 in the NFL, there were six touchdowns scored by former Ducks, plus an interception and numerous tackles.
The headliners are the same players that have led the way in recent weeks: Bo Nix and Bucky Irving, the star-studded backfield for the Ducks
in 2023. After slow starts to the year, both played tremendous football in the past few games. There was another former Oregon star that popped up this week, with his team trading away players in bunches as the trade deadline approaches: linebacker Bryce Boettcher, who had a career-high in tackles this week.
Let's dive into the full performances of former Ducks in the NFL in Week 9, starting with the aforementioned Boettcher.
LB Bryce Boettcher — Indianapolis Colts
Starting alongside 2026 second-round pick CJ Allen at linebacker, the fourth-round Boettcher finished second on the Colts in tackles with a career-high 12 takedowns, four of which were solo. Boettcher had primarily played on special teams for Indianapolis, but made his way into the starting lineup and had an impressive effort in their 27-23 loss to the Cowboys.
RB Bucky Irving — Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Bucky Irving's excellence continued in Week 9, as he carried the ball 20 times for 97 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He also caught four of five targets for 28 yards, though it came in a 27-24 loss to the Bears that dropped the Buccaneers to 3-7 on the year. Irving is fourth in the league in carries (167), fourth in rushing yards (825) and tied for eighth with seven rush touchdowns while adding 106 yards and a score in the receiving game.
QB Bo Nix — Denver Broncos
After enduring criticism for his player early in the year, it's full steam ahead for Bo Nix. On Sunday against the Panthers, Nix completed 25-of-37 passes for 237 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. The Broncos got their fifth straight win, reaching 7-2 on the year.
CB Christian Gonzalez — New England Patriots
The Patriots were dismantled, 45-27, by the Packers, but Christian Gonzalez had one of the best tackling days of his career. He recorded 10 tackles, nine of which solo, and a pass deflection in the defeat.
S Evan Williams — Green Bay Packers
Evan Williams had another standout performance for the Packers in their blowout win over the Patriots, totaling five tackles and making an impressive interception catch. Williams now has three interceptions on the year.
TE Kenyon Sadiq — New York Jets
Phased out of the offense for much of the past month, Kenyon Sadiq's presence was finally felt on Sunday. Though it came in a 35-12 loss to the Chiefs, the former Oregon tight end caught four passes for 49 yards.
TE Juwan Johnson — New Orleans Saints
The Saints got their third win of the season this week, in part because of Juwan Johnson's two-reception, 34-yard, one-touchdown performance against the Browns.
WR Tez Johnson — Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tez Johnson dropped multiple passes in the Buccaneers' loss to the Bears, but it was overshadowed by his two catches for 76 yards.
S Dillon Thieneman — Chicago Bears
Essential to the Bears' secondary, Dillon Thieneman added to his tackle total with five takedowns in Chicago's Sunday Night Football win.
QB Justin Herbert
The nightmare year for Justin Herbert continued, as he completed just 13-of-23 passes for 293 yards, one touchdown and one interception in a 44-22 loss to the Texans. Herbert now has six touchdown passes to 11 interceptions on the season for the 0-8 Chargers. He injured his finger late in the game, but early reports suggest it is not a fracture.
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This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: How Pro Ducks performed in Week 9 of the 2026 NFL season
