Former Oregon Ducks Just Had One of Their Best NFL Weeks Yet

A pair of former Oregon Ducks played each other in week 8, while two former Oregon teammates showed off their offensive connection in a victory. How did former Ducks like Dillon Gabriel, Justin Herbert and Tez Johnson perform in week 8?

Aug 21, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New England Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez (0) on the field before the preseason game against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

The 2025 NFL season has provided Oregon fans plenty to cheer for – especially when it comes to Ducks who played in the Dan Lanning coaching era.

Five different Pro Ducks quarterbacks headlined NFL week 8 with their starts, while two former Ducks faced off.

Bo Nix to Troy Franklin Connection Remains Strong

Nov 17, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos wide receiver Troy Franklin (16) celebrates his touchdown with quarterback Bo Nix (10) in the second half against the Atlanta Falcons at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

The Denver Broncos are becoming one of the most difficult opponents on any team’s schedule. At the center of their offensive success is a former Oregon duo.

Denver defeated the Dallas Cowboys 44-24 to move to 6-2 on the season. Quarterback Bo Nix threw for 247 yards and four touchdowns, two of which were caught by wide receiver Troy Franklin.

Sep 30, 2023; Stanford, California, USA; Oregon Ducks quarterback Bo Nix (10) and wide receiver Troy Franklin (11) are interviewed after defeating the Stanford Cardinal at Stanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

The Ducks’ former quarterback joined legendary NFL quarterbacks Peyton Manning and John Elway as the only quarterbacks in Broncos history with three or more wins with four or more touchdowns. Nix isn’t even halfway through his second season with the team.

Nix now has the most touchdowns among the 2024 quarterback draft class, which included first pick Caleb Williams, New England Patriots’ Drake Maye and 2024 Offensive Rookie of the Year Jayden Daniels.

Meanwhile, Franklin has been targeted 18 times and recorded three touchdowns in the last two weeks. He’s already surpassed his total number of receptions and touchdowns from his rookie season in 2024 through the first eight games.

Dillon Gabriel Struggles

Oct 19, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Dillon Gabriel (8) celebrates after the Browns beat the Miami Dolphins at Huntington Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

The rookie quarterback for the Cleveland Browns didn’t have as positive of a week as the Denver duo.

Former Ducks star Dillon Gabriel threw his first two picks of the season in a 32013 loss to the Patriots and gave up a safety for intentional grounding. He threw for two touchdowns but ended the game with an 18.8 total quarterback rating.

The bye week comes at a much-needed time for Gabriel and the Browns. Despite his struggles, coach Kevin Stefanski made his commitment to Gabriel as Cleveland’s starter clear.

Christian Gonzalez Shuts Down Browns

Aug 21, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New England Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez (0) on the field before the preseason game against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Cornerback Christian Gonzalez played a formidable role in Gabriel’s week 8 woes.

The Pro Duck cornerback played 38 coverage snaps and just allowed one catch for two yards on four targets. He broke up three passes and recorded three tackles, including one for a loss.

Gonzalez is performing well this season for a Patriots squad that remains first in the AFC East. He is becoming one of Oregon’s best defensive players in the NFL, with several fans going as far as to call him the best cornerback in the league after his latest performance.

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Justin Herbert Leads Thursday Night Football Win

Oct 23, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) rushes the ball against the Minnesota Vikings during the second half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Chargers bounced back from their third defeat of the season with a 37-10 victory over the Minnesota Vikings on Thursday night.

Justin Herbert threw for 227 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 62 yards on seven carries. Even though the quarterback helped the Chargers to a 3-0 start to the season, they’re 2-3 in their last five games. Time will tell if the latest outing will be the beginning of a new winning streak for Herbert’s squad.

Tez Johnson Continues His Impressive Rookie Season

Oct 12, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Tez Johnson (15) reacts during the third quarter against the San Francisco 49ers at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images | Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images

Rookie wide receiver Tez Johnson is quickly becoming an NFL fan favorite in Tampa Bay. He caught his first career touchdown in week 6 versus the San Francisco 49ers before notching his second a week later.

Johnson gave his fourth straight performance of 40 or more yards in week 8. All but one of his receptions have come in that span. He’s caught the ball 14 times for 205 yards and two touchdowns in the last four games.

He may have fallen to the seventh round in the 2025 NFL Draft, but Johnson is proving that the teams who passed on him made a mistake.