Which Former Alabama Players are Still in 2026 NFL Playoffs: Bama in the NFL Tracker

The Alabama contingency in the NFL took a major hit last week in trying to reach the Super Bowl with the Philadelphia Eagles, the team with the most Crimson Tide players, lost in the wild-card round of the playoffs. The remaining team with the most is Seattle, which is a little odd in that just a couple of years ago the Seahawks didn't have anyone who used to play in Tuscaloosa on the roster.

The Houston Teaxns also stand out in the Divisional Round is they have three players plus head coach DeMeco Ryans, a proficient linebacker for the Crimson Tide before the Nick Saban era, from 2002-05. Incidentally, he's still just 41.

This weekend's games are coming off a wild wild-card weekend, in which there were 12 fourth quarter lead changes with four teams winning after trailing in the final three minutes of the fourth quarter. The Buffalo Bills, Chicago Bears and Los Angeles Rams – scored the game-winning touchdown in the final two minutes of the fourth quarter to set an NFL playoff record.

However, last week's results also led to something usual from an Alabama perspective, Sunday will see a rare game without any former Crimson Tide players. That may not be such a bad thing considering the weather forecast for Chicago on Sunday night, snow, windy and bitterly col.

AFC: No. 6 Buffalo Bills (13-5) at No. 1 Denver Broncos (14-3)

Saturday, 4:30 p.m. ET, CBS/Paramount+
Bills: #72 Phidarian Mathis, DT
Broncos: #51 Que Robinson, OLB#2 Pat Surtain II, CB
NFL notes: The Broncos – the No. 1 seed for the first time since 2015 – are set to host their first playoff game since the 2015 AFC Championship Game (Jan. 24, 2016, against New England) prior to winning Super Bowl 50 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara (the site of Super Bowl LX). On Wild Card Weekend, the Bills defeated the Jaguars, 27-24, to earn their first road postseason victory since the 1992 AFC Championship Game (Jan. 17, 1993, at Miami).

• In the 2024 Wild Card round last season in Buffalo, the Bills defeated the Broncos, 31-7, and Buffalo has won both postseason meetings against Denver, including the 1991 AFC Championship Game (Jan. 12, 1992) to advance to Super Bowl XXVI.
• During the regular season, the Broncos defense led the NFL in sacks (68), ranked second in total defense (278.2 yards per game allowed) and rushing defense (91.1 yards per game allowed) and ranked third in scoring defense (18.3 points per game against) and passes defensed (94).

AFC: No. 6 San Francisco (13-5) at No. 1 Seattle Seahawks (14-3)

Saturday, 8 p.m. ET, FOX/FOX One/FOX Deportes
49ers: #10 Mac Jones, QB; #3 Brian Robinson Jr., RB
Seahawks: #29 Josh Jobe, CB#6 Jalen Milroe, QB#40 Robbie Ouzts TE#90 Jarran Reed, DT
NFL notes: The Seahawks, the No. 1 seed for the first time since 2014 and looking for their first playoff win since the 2019 Wild Card (Jan. 5, 2020, at Philadelphia) round, will host their first postseason game since the 2020 Wild Card (Jan. 9, 2021, against the Los Angeles Rams). Prior to that game, Seattle had won 10 consecutive home playoff games from Jan. 14, 2006, to Jan. 7, 2017. Last week, San Francisco defeated Philadelphia, 23-19, to earn its first road playoff win since the 2021 Divisional playoffs (Jan. 22, 2022, at Green Bay).

• Seattle and San Francisco split the season series, with the 49ers earning a Week 1 victory in Seattle (17-13) and the Seahawks winning in Week 18 at San Francisco (13-3) to clinch the NFC West division title and the No. 1 seed in the NFC.
• The 49ers have won seven consecutive Divisional playoff games (Jan. 14, 2012, to Jan. 20, 2024), tied with Kansas City (seven consecutive games from Jan. 12, 2019, to Jan. 18, 2025) for the second-longest such streak all-time.

AFC: No. 5 Houston Texans (13-5) at No. 2 New England Patriots (15-3)

Sunday, 3 p.m. ET, ESPN/ABC/ESPN+/ESPN Deportes
Texans: Head coach DeMeco Ryans; #51 Will Anderson Jr., DE; #48 Christian Harris, LB; #39 Henry To'oTo'o, LB
Patriots: #90 Christian Barmore, DT; #33 Anfernee Jennings, LB; #82 CJ Dippre, TE
NFL notes: New England defeated the Los Angeles Chargers, 16-3, on Wild Card Weekend to secure their first postseason win since Super Bowl LIII (Feb. 3, 2019, against the Los Angeles Rams). Houston earned its first road playoff win in franchise history with a 30-6 win at Pittsburgh and advanced to the Divisional playoffs for the third straight season, the longest such streak in team history.

• The Patriots have won eight consecutive Divisional playoff games (Jan. 14, 2012, to Jan. 13, 2019), the longest such streak in NFL history. The Texans, with a win, can advance to their first-ever Championship Game.
•New England has defeated Houston in both previous postseason meetings (2012 and 2016 Divisional playoffs, both in New England). In Week 6 of the 2024 season – their last regular season meeting – the Texans defeated the Patriots, 41-21, as both C.J. Stroud and Drake Maye recorded three touchdown passes. The game marked Maye’s first career NFL start.

AFC: No. 5 Los Angeles Rams (13-5) at No. 2 Chicago Bears (12-6)

Sunday, 6:30 p.m. ET, NBC/Peacock/Telemundo/Universo
Rams: None
Bears: None

NFL notes: Last week, Chicago overcame an 18-point deficit – the largest comeback in Chicago postseason history – and scored 25 fourth quarter points – the third-most ever in a playoff game – to defeat Green Bay, 31-27, for its first postseason win since the 2010 NFC Divisional round (Jan. 16, 2011, against Seattle). In the Wild Card round, the Rams earned their first road postseason victory since the 2021 Divisional Playoffs (Jan. 23, 2022, at Tampa Bay) with a 34-31 win over the Panthers.

• The Bears and Rams are set to meet in the postseason for the first time in 40 years. The teams have split their two previous playoff meetings, with the Bears defeating the Rams, 24-0, in the 1985 NFC Championship (Jan. 12, 1986) prior to winning Super Bowl XX, while Los Angeles defeated Chicago, 24-14, in the 1950 Divisional playoffs (Dec. 17, 1950).
• Chicago looks for multiple home wins in the same postseason for the third time in the Super Bowl era (1985 and 2006) while the Rams can win multiple road games in the same postseason for the third time in franchise history (1979 and 1989).

Bama in the NFL Wild Card Playoffs Tracker

For the full set of statistics on how the former Crimson Tide players did this week, check out our elaborate Bama in the NFL Divisional Round Playoff Tracker. It will be updated throughout the weekend until every game is concluded:

Bama in the NFL Tracker | Kristi L. Patrick

The Ultimate Bama in the NFL Database

Contract Info, Status of Former Alabama Crimson Tide Players
Active Crimson Tide Players by Team, Position
All-Time Alabama Crimson Tide Players in the NFL
All-Time Crimson Tide Draft Selections

Bama In The NFL: Playoffs Notes

• The Bills at Broncos will be the fifth time in NFL history that a reigning Most Valuable Player and reigning Defensive Player of the Year will play each other in the postseason. Buffalo quarterback Josh Allenw was the 2024 Most Valuable Player, and Denver cornerback Pat Surtain II was the 2024 Defensive Player of the Year.

• If he can score a rushing touchdown, Allen can tie Jalen Hurts for the most rushing touchdowns by a quarterback in the postseason in NFL history. He's had 10 rushing touchdowns with Philadelphia/

• San Francisco quarterback Brock Purdy is attempting to become the sixth starting quarterback drafted in the seventh round or later or undrafted with at least six postseason wins in NFL history, Obviously Bart Starr is one of the five to have done so as he was a 17th-round selection back when the draft went way beyond seven round. But he doesn't hold the record with nine playoff wins. Roger Staubuch, a 10-round selection, does with 11. The others with six-lus: Kurt Warner, Steve Young and Johnny Unitas.

• The National Football League announced the head coaches for the 2026 Panini Senior Bowl in Mobile, Clint Hurtt of the Philadelphia Eagles and Joel Thomas of the New Orleans Saints. The 76th Senior Bowl will kick off at 2:30 p.m. ET (1:30 p.m. CT) on Jan. 31, from the University of South Alabama’s Hancock Whitney Stadium (NFL Network).

• The head coaches for the 101st East-West Shrine Bowl, Lunda Wells of the Dallas Cowboys and Marquice Williams of the Atlanta Falcons. The Shrine Bowl will kick off at 7 p.m. ET (6 p.m. CT) on January 27 from the Ford Center at the Star in Frisco, Texas, home of the Dallas Cowboys.

Kristi Patrick at Travelmation | Call today!