Week five of the NFL is over, and several former Gators made headlines for their performances on and off the field.
Here’s how the former Gators performed in Week 5 of the 2023 NFL season:
QB Anthony Richardson, Indianapolis Colts
The third-selected quarterback in the 2023 NFL draft class made headlines Sunday — but not for the right reasons. Richardson suffered a Grade 3 AC joint sprain and was forced to exit in the second quarter against the Tennessee Titans.
Richardson stayed on the turf after falling on his right shoulder while being tackled by Titans linebacker Harold Landry. Backup quarterback Gardner Minshew II took over under center and led the Colts to a 23-16 victory in the second half.
The former Florida quarterback is expected to miss at least a month and maybe more, according to NFL insider Ian Rapoport.
Richardson previously suffered injuries in each of the first two weeks of the NFL season. He briefly left the Colts’ season opener with a lower-leg injury, and Richardson sat out Week 3 of the season due to a concussion sustained against the Houston Texans
WR Van Jefferson, Atlanta Falcons
Former Rams wide receiver Van Jefferson was dealt to the Atlanta Falcons for a swap of late-round draft picks after not recording a single target in the Rams’ 23-14 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles Sunday.
The wide receiver position has been a focal point of the Los Angeles Rams offense behind veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford, who is known for his elite skill in the pocket.
However, Jefferson became an afterthought in Los Angeles’ offense due to the emergence of rookie receiver Puka Nacua and All-Pro receiver Cooper Kupp, who just returned from a hamstring injury after being sidelined the first four weeks of the season.
RB Dameon Pierce, Houston Texans
Texans running back Dameon Pierce failed get much going in the Texans’ 21-19 loss to the Atlanta Falcons. Houston settled for field goals four times before they found the endzone in the fourth quarter, and Pierce ran the ball 20 times for 66 yards.
TE Kyle Pitts, Atlanta Falcons
Kyle Pitts came out on top in the battle of former Gators teammates. Other than an impressive rookie season, Pitts hasn’t been featured much in the Falcons offense since being selected fourth overall in the 2021 NFL Draft class. However, the former Florida standout put on a show Sunday and made seven receptions for 87 yards.
Falcons quarterback Desmond Ridder has spread the ball evenly to Pitts and Falcons tight end Jonnu Smith, who leads the team in receiving yards with 246 yards. Ridder targeted the former Gators tight end 11 times Sunday, compared to Smith who had seven.
LB Alex Anzalone, Detroit Lions
Lions linebacker Alex Anzalone recorded eight tackles in the Lions’ 42-24 victory against the Carolina Panthers. Anzalone is now tied for No. 42 in total tackles in the NFL with 35.
DT Gervon Dexter Sr., Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears won for the first time in 347 days, and Bears defensive tackle Gervon Dexter recorded his first career pass deflection — an uncommon feat for a defensive tackle. The former second-round pick has seven tackles in five games in his rookie season for Chicago.
Contact Luke Adragna at ladragna@alligator.org. Follow him on Twitter @lukeadrag.
Luke Adragna is a third-year journalism student and the Florida Gators football reporter at The Alligator. He is a cat ethusiast and completes the NYT Daily Mini in less than a minute each day.
