Kansas Alum Luke Grimm Returns Punt for TD in NFL Preseason

The Kansas Jayhawks have a number of former players competing in the NFL Preseason as they try to earn a roster spot.

One of the most notable names is Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Luke Grimm, who has been limited for much of training camp with an injury.

On Saturday, he made his second preseason appearance and delivered one of the best moments of his career.

Grimm scored his first NFL touchdown, but it did not come through the air. The former KU wideout returned a punt 66 yards for a score, giving the Chargers a 22-17 lead.

Luke Grimm takes it the distance on the punt return!

Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/YhXnLOPa16
— NFL (@NFL) August 17, 2025

During the electric run-back, Grimm weaved through defenders in space and got into the open field for six.

It was an incredible moment for Grimm, who flashed his athleticism throughout his KU career.

The 6-foot, 190-pound wideout also added one catch for six yards in Saturday’s preseason contest. In his preseason debut against the New Orleans Saints, Grimm was targeted once but did not come up with the catch.

Across his five years with the Jayhawks, Grimm hauled in 177 receptions for 2,472 yards and 23 receiving touchdowns. He was consistently one of the most steady receivers in the Big 12.

Returning punts was never his specialty at Kansas, as he only returned five in his career for 39 total yards. That made the touchdown even more remarkable, as it was likely his first punt return score since his high school days.

Special teams could ultimately provide the path for Grimm to carve out a spot on the 53-man roster. LA is suddenly in need of wide receiver depth after the surprise retirement of Mike Williams earlier this offseason, and the receiving corps took another hit in tonight's same preseason game when Quentin Johnston went down with a concussion.

Even though he has been sidelined for much of training camp, the door is still open for Grimm to take advantage of the opportunity.

His ability to create explosive plays and contribute on special teams make him a potential weapon for LA. His skill set has impressed his coaches as he continues to develop chemistry with star quarterback Justin Herbert.

While Grimm has always been an underdog — he was not invited to the NFL Scouting Combine and went undrafted in April — the Missouri native continues to show teams why they should take a chance on him.

If he continues to make the most of his chances, the former Jayhawk could see meaningful playing time as a rookie in 2025.