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The National Football League regular season officially kicks off this evening, and there is no better way to celebrate the occasion than to remember that #MACtion is alive and well in the NFL.
To illustrate, we have created a one-stop shop in which you can locate the current homes of all the ex-players in the NFL from current Mid-American Conference schools. It should be noted that this list does not include players from former MAC schools such as Temple, Central Florida and Marshall.
Based on the official team roster pages for all 32 NFL teams as of today (Thurs., Sept. 5), there are 71 players from current MAC schools on NFL rosters. Of those 71, there are 56 players on active rosters and nine more on team practice squads. One (LaVon Brazill) is suspended, while two others are on injured lists.
That group of 71 players includes 15 rookies. All six MAC players who were drafted in April maintained employment, while nine undrafted free agents also kept their jobs. Ten of the 15 rookies from the MAC are on 53-man active rosters, and that number includes five of the nine UFAs.
As for the 32 individual NFL teams, all but five teams have at least one ex-MAC player on their active roster. The five that don't? The Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, Chicago Bears, Atlanta Falcons and St. Louis Rams. Now you know who to root against this year. The team with the most #MACtion on their squad? The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who employ seven former MAC stars. Six of those seven players are active, and that group includes former Toledo wide receiver Eric Page and three rookies (defensive end Steven Means, defensive tackle Chris Jones and cornerback Rashaan Melvin).
Here's the entire list, by team:
(position, college, pro experience)
(All players on active roster unless indicated otherwise)
Buffalo Bills
NONE
Miami Dolphins
NONE
New England Patriots
Julian Edelman (WR, Kent State, 5)
Josh Kline (OL, Kent State, R) *Practice Squad
New York Jets
Nick Bellore (LB, Central Michigan, 3)
Vladimir Ducasse (OL, Massachusetts, 4)
Brian Winters (OL, Kent State, R)
Baltimore Ravens
James Ihedigbo (SS, Massachusetts, 7)
Cincinnati Bengals
James Harrison (LB, Kent State, 10)
Jeromy Miles (S, Massachusetts, 4)
Andrew Hawkins (WR, Toledo, 3) *Reserve/Designated to Return
Cleveland Browns
John Greco (OL, Toledo, 6)
Paul Hazel (LB, Western Michigan, R)
Ishmaa'ily Kitchen (DL, Kent State, 2)
Julian Posey (DB, Ohio, 1) *Practice Squad
Pittsburgh Steelers
Antonio Brown (WR, Central Michigan, 4)
Bruce Gradkowski (QB, Toledo, 7)
Ben Roethlisberger (QB, Miami, 10)
Shaun Suisham (K, Bowling Green, 9)
Alan Baxter (LB, Northern Illinois, R) *Practice Squad
Houston Texans
Brandon Brooks (OL, Miami, 2)
Andy Cruse (WR, Miami, R) *Practice Squad)
Indianapolis Colts
Josh Gordy (CB, Central Michigan, 3)
Joe Reitz (OL, Western Michigan, 3)
Chandler Harnish (QB, Northern Illinois, 1) *Practice Squad
LaVon Brazill (WR, Ohio, 2) *Reserve/Suspended by Commissioner
Jacksonville Jaguars
Jason Babin (DE, Western Michigan, 10)
Stephane Milhim (OL, Massachusetts, R) *Reserve/Injured
Taylor Price (WR, Ohio, 4) *Reserve/Injured
Drew Nowak (OL, Western Michigan, 2) *Practice Squad
Tennessee Titans
Brett Kern (P, Toledo, 6)
Kevin Walter (WR, Eastern Michigan, 11) *Reserve/PUP
Denver Broncos
Zac Dysert (QB, Miami, R)
Kansas City Chiefs
Eric Fisher (OL, Central Michigan, R)
Frank Zombo (LB, Central Michigan, 4)
Oakland Raiders
Usama Young (S, Kent State, 7)
San Diego Chargers
Jahleel Addae (S, Central Michigan, R)
Larry English (LB, Northern Illinois, 5)
Antonio Gates (TE, Kent State, 11)
Dallas Cowboys
Barry Church (S, Toledo, 4)
Landon Cohen (DE, Ohio, 5)
Doug Free (OL, Northern Illinois, 7)
New York Giants
Michael Cox (RB, Massachusetts, R)
Victor Cruz (WR, Massachusetts, 4)
Cullen Jenkins (DT, Central Michigan, 11)
Eric Herman (OL, Ohio, R) *Practice Squad
Julian Talley (WR, Massachusetts, 1) *Practice Squad
Philadelphia Eagles
Emil Igwenagu (TE, Massachusetts, 1)
Washington Redskins
E.J. Biggers (CB, Western Michigan, 5)
Kory Lichtensteiger (OL, Bowling Green, 5)
Chicago Bears
NONE
Detroit Lions
Louis Delmas (S, Western Michigan, 5)
Jason Jones (DE, Eastern Michigan, 6)
Tony Sheffler (TE, Western Michigan, 8)
Green Bay Packers
T.J. Lang (OL, Eastern Michigan, 5)
Andy Mulumba (LB, Eastern Michigan, R)
James Starks (RB, Buffalo, 4)
Minnesota Vikings
Greg Jennings (WR, Western Michigan, 8)
Atlanta Falcons
NONE
Carolina Panthers
Chase Blackburn (LB, Akron, 9)
Domenik Hixon (WR, Akron, 8)
Mike Mitchell (S, Ohio, 5)
Josh Thomas (CB, Buffalo, 3)
New Orleans Saints
Lance Moore (WR, Toledo, 8)
Chris Givens (WR, Miami, 1) *Reserved/Injured
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tom Crabtree (TE, Miami, 4)
Chris Jones (DT, Bowling Green, R)
Steven Means (DE, Buffalo, R)
Rashaan Melvin (CB, Northern Illinois, R)
Eric Page (WR, Toledo, 1)
Trevor Scott (DE, Buffalo, 6)
Danny Noble (TE, Toledo, 2) *Practice Squad
Arizona Cardinals
Dave Zastudil (P, Ohio, 12)
St. Louis Rams
NONE
San Francisco 49ers
Joe Staley (OL, Central Michigan, 7)
Seattle Seahawks
Stephen Williams (WR, Toledo, 3)