While the 2020 season ended for the current Bulldogs, the 2020 season also ended for the former Bulldogs playing in the NFL as well—at least the regular season.
Probably the best Bulldog, at least on the offensive side, was Nick Chubb. Chubb helped lead the Cleveland Browns to the playoffs for the first time since 2002. Despite playing (and starting) just 12 games, Chubb ended the season carrying the ball 190 times and gained 1,067 yards on the ground. He added 12 touchdowns (all rushing) as well. He also chipped in 16 receptions for 150 yards.
His 1,067 yards rushing was seventh in the NFL, while his 12 rushing touchdowns were tied for fourth. His average of 5.62 yards per attempt was fourth in the NFL, but second among running backs behind J.K. Dobbins. In six of his 12 games this season, Chubb went for 100 yards. He's one of ten former Georgia players to have 1,000 yards rushing in an NFL season, and one of six to have done it more than once. Here's a list of all ten.
(video courtesy of the NFL and FOX Sports)
Todd Gurley came back to Georgia to play for the Falcons. Individually, his stats were not that bad early on. He had nine touchdown rushes through the teams first nine games. Unfortunately, he failed to score the remaining of the season. He ended up with 678 yards rushing, including a season-high 121 in week five against the Carolina Panthers. Scoring is not something new for Gurley, as this season he became the all-time leader in touchdown rushes in the NFL by a former Georgia Bulldog. Check out the top seven.
D’Andre Swift had an up-and-down season during his rookie campaign with the Lions in 2020. He had a bad drop in his first game, but statistically he did quite well running and catching the ball for Detroit. Swift played in 13 games while starting four of them. He had 521 yards rushing and 357 yards receiving. He also added ten total touchdowns (8 rushing, 2 receiving). His ten total touchdowns were tied for fourth-most by a rookie this season.
Sony Michel also missed his share of games. The third-year pro played just nine games while starting six. He amassed 449 yards rushing (a career-low), but averaged 5.7 yards an attempt (a career-high). He had one touchdown on the ground and one through the air this season. His touchdown reception was the first of his career.
Plenty of other former Dawgs also toted the rock this season (mostly wide receivers). Mecole Hardman, Isaiah McKenzie, Terry Godwin, and Javon Wims all saw action carrying the ball. Safety Shawn Williams also had two carries this season and so did quarterback Matthew Stafford. Stafford did end up with 112 yards, the fifth time in his career he ended the season in triple digits.
Speaking of Stafford, the Lions quarterback had a myriad of injuries throughout the season, but still managed to start every game for the ninth time in the last ten seasons. The gunslinger threw 528 times and completed 339 of them for a 64.2 completion percentage. It was his sixth straight season completing at least 64 percent of his passes. He added 26 touchdown passes while just throwing ten picks. He also threw for 4,084 yards which was the eighth time he had at least 4,000 yards passing in a season, which is the seventh most in NFL history.
Stafford had 402 yards passing against the Bears in week 13. That was Stafford’s tenth career 400-yard passing game. He's one of seven NFL quarterbacks to have ten or more games with that impressive number. In his last game this Sunday, he reached the 45,000-mark in career yards passing. He reached that total in 165 career NFL games, which is the fewest for any player in NFL history.
If you look deeper at his career totals, you find he is currently in the top-20 in all the major passing categories and climbing the charts quite rapidly. Entering next season, take a look at the players next on his list.
The Human Joystick, Isaiah McKenzie, got in the passing act by throwing a touchdown to Josh Allen for the Buffalo Bills in week ten against the Arizona Cardinals. This season he also had a touchdown reception and a touchdown on a punt return. He was the first NFL player to have a touchdown in all three ways in a regular season since Tarik Cohen did it in 2017 for the Chicago Bears. McKenzie is also the second Bulldog to do it as Charley Trippi did in 1948, also for Chicago—although the Chicago Cardinals.
On the receiving end, 14 former Bulldogs caught at least one pass this season. They ranged from A.J. Green—with 47 and now 649 in his career (T-62nd all-time)—to Isaac Nauta’s one. While Green has had a lot of catches in his career, players such as D’Andre Swift, Terry Godwin, Charlie Woerner, and Lawrence Cager had their first as pros. Swift was actually second among former Dawgs with 46 receptions. Mecole Hardman (41) and Chris Conley (40) also reached the 40 mark. Isaiah McKenzie led all former Bulldogs with five touchdown receptions this season, including two last Sunday. Mecole Hardman led in yards receiving with 560. In the third week of the season, nine different former Dawgs had at least one reception and five other weeks eight had one.
Green only managed two touchdown receptions this season, which brought his career total to 65. He's currently in third place for the most by a former Bulldog. To no one's surprise, Hines Ward is at the top of the list with 85. Second on the list may shock fans: Jimmy Orr had 66. Orr passed away last October at the age of 85.
Twenty-one former Georgia players had a tackle on defense, special teams, or after a turnover this season in the NFL. Thirteen of the 21 did it on defense, with Roquan Smith leading the way. Smith almost led the way amongst everybody in the league. His 139 tackles were sixth in the NFL. That number was also the sixth most in a season by a former Dawg since 1992. Here are the top seven in that category in that time period.
Speaking of Thomas Davis, the former 2005 first round draft pick and NFL Man of the Year winner will retire at the end of the season. The former Panther and Charger is currently playing for the Washington Football Team. That team is currently in the playoffs despite a 7-9 record.
From ending a career to starting one: Tae Crowder deserves some recognition. NFL’s Mr. Irrelevant this season had 56 tackles this season, including reaching double-digits twice.
Also reaching double-digits in sacks this season was Leonard Floyd. After four seasons with the Bears, Floyd became a member of the Los Angeles Rams and notched a career-high 10.5 sacks this season. Nineteen different times has a former Bulldog reached double-digit sacks in a season, including Justin Houston’s incredible 22 in 2014. Here are the former Georgia players with the most double-digit sack seasons in the NFL.
Justin Houston almost reached the double-digit total, as he had eight. He has also almost reached the triple-digit mark in his career. He currently has 97.5, which is tied for 37th all-time in NFL history.
Floyd and Houston each had a game with three sacks this season. It was Floyd’s first career game with at least that many, while it was Houston’s eighth.
On special teams, Rodrigo Blankenship went from delighting fans in Athens to delighting fans in Indianapolis. The rookie kicker finished fifth in the NFL with 32 field goals made. He connected on 32-of-37 attempts this season, including a 53-yarder against the Texans. His 32 field goals were tied for fifth-most by a Bulldog in an NFL season. Once again here are the top seven:
In returns, Isaiah McKenzie and Mecole Hardman each had a punt return for a touchdown. McKenzie’s was for 84 yards, while Hardman’s went for 70.
I can’t forget about the offensive linemen. David Andrews, Lamont Gaillard, Ben Jones, Solomon Kindley, Andrew Thomas, and Isaiah Wynn all made solid contributions out front in the NFL.
Finally, with the postseason in front of us, there are 24 former Bulldogs among the 14 playoff teams. Some of these players are on practice squads or reserve lists, but all of them are trying to reach the Super Bowl. At least one former Georgia Bulldog has represented a Super Bowl team in 19 straight seasons.
(cover photo courtesy of chisportsnation.com)
