Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG – The ninth week of the 2025 NFL season wrapped up this past weekend, as Monday’s contest concluded a three-day slate that saw nine of 14 games be decided by seven points or fewer. Former Hokies continued to shine throughout the wire-to-wire action, often making their presence known in big ways on all three phases. In this week’s NFL Hokies, we place a magnifying glass on some of the most impressive performances of Week 9 and look ahead to which games feature Tech alumni in Week 10.
Tremaine Edmunds – Linebacker, Chicago Bears
When the Chicago Bears and the Cincinnati Bengals kicked off on Sunday afternoon, it would have been difficult to predict that the game would turn into one of the wildest back-and-forth matchups in the 2025 season. A combined 89 points were shared on Sunday, turning the game into the highest-scoring contest through nine weeks this season.
Edmunds, who is now in his third year in Chicago, was one of the biggest reasons that the Bears left their road game at Paycor Stadium with a win. Alongside a team-high nine tackles (five solo) and a pass deflection, the former First Team All-ACC linebacker intercepted a pass from Bengals quarterback Joe Flacco with less than three minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. The leaping effort was perfectly timed, seeing as Flacco and the Bengals were in the red zone and driving as the game winded down.
The former Butkus Award finalist has been having one of his most successful seasons to date in 2025. Edmunds’s 73 total tackles rank at the top of the team by more than 30, and his four interceptions are tied for first among all NFL defensive players.
Bhayshul Tuten – Running Back, Jacksonville Jaguars
While the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Las Vegas Raiders did not score as many as the Bears and Bengals, their matchup on Sunday afternoon was similarly productive for both offenses. A total of 59 points were scored on Sunday, and the contest needed a nail-biting overtime period to find its winner in the Jaguars’ 30-29 victory.
Jacksonville running back Bhayshul Tuten found the end zone for the third time in his rookie season this fall, slicing through the Raiders defensive line for a 1-yard touchdown rush with four minutes in the fourth quarter. The score concluded a nine-play, 74-yard drive that gave the Jaguars a 20-16 lead late in the action.
Through eight appearances this season, the former All-ACC Second Team back has 159 rushing yards, ranking second on Jacksonville behind Travis Etienne.
Jaylin Lane – Wide Receiver, Washington Commanders
Tuten was not the only rookie to perform well in Week 9 of the NFL season. Jaylin Lane, who has assumed a larger role among an injury-riddled Washington Commanders team, tallied three receptions for 29 yards against the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday night. The former special teams standout also recorded 26 yards on his sole kick return of the evening, and 15 yards on a pair of punt returns.
Through nine games this season, Lane has tallied 171 receiving yards on 14 receptions (12.2 yards per catch).
Joey Slye – Kicker, Tennessee Titans
Kicking veteran Joey Slye has continued to impress through the 2025 NFL season. In last week’s contest against the Los Angeles Rams, Slye converted on every opportunity, sending a pair of field goal tries (49, 37) and a pair of extra points through the uprights. The seventh-year kicker accounted for eight of the team’s 20 points on Sunday afternoon.
Slye’s 17 field goals are tied for fourth among all active NFL kickers in 2025. The former Lou Groza semifinalist is also one of five kickers to have accurately kicked six or more field goals of 50 or more yards.
Notable Week 10 Matchups
Baltimore Ravens at Minnesota Vikings: Sunday, Nov. 9 at 1 p.m. ET on FOX
After a 28-6 win against the Miami Dolphins in Week 9, the Baltimore Ravens will look to stretch their win streak to three as they face the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday afternoon. Quarterbacks on both teams returned to their teams last week, the Ravens’ Lamar Jackson tallying four touchdowns while Minnesota’s J.J. McCarthy returned from a high-ankle sprain suffered earlier this season. While it’s unclear if rookie defensive lineman Aeneas Peebles will dress for the Ravens, Vikings tackle Christian Darrisaw will be there to meet him and the Baltimore defense on Sunday.
Jacksonville Jaguars at Houston Texans: Sunday, Nov. 9 at 1 p.m. ET on CBS
In a premier AFC South contest on Sunday, the Jacksonville Jaguars will play the second of two consecutive road games as they visit the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium. In the last ten matchups between the two divisional rivals, Houston has come out on top seven times, yet the Jaguars won the most recent game on Sept. 21, 17-10. Former Hokies are on both sides, as running back Bhayshul Tuten will matchup against Texans defensive lineman Tim Settle Jr.