Former Florida Gators in the NFL: Week 1 (2012)

The 2012 NFL regular season began on Wednesday with 32 former Florida Gators football players spread over 23 teams.

A total of 26 players participated in week one action, many of whom had an impact on their respective team’s performance.

For the third-straight year, OGGOA has checked and re-checked the box scores to bring you a summary of what all of these Gators accomplished during the first week of the 2012 regular season.

PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
SS AHMAD BLACK, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Interception (no return), pass defense

Black caught his first career interception on Sunday and was obviously enthralled with the ball afterward. Image credit: SB Nation

TE AARON HERNANDEZ, New England Patriots: Six receptions [team-high] for 59 yards (targets: 7, long: 23), touchdown; carry for five yards

Check out how the rest of the Florida Gators in the NFL played this week…

ACTIVE (26)
LB MIKE PETERSON, Atlanta Falcons: Played as a reserve
WR DEONTE THOMPSON*, Baltimore Ravens: Reception for 25 yards (targets: 2), four kick returns for 88 yards (long: 27)
WR DAVID NELSON, Buffalo Bills: Two receptions for 31 yards (targets: 5, long: 21)
WR LOUIS MURPHY, Carolina Panthers: Three receptions for 63 yards (targets: 5, long: 51)
S MAJOR WRIGHT, Chicago Bears: Seven tackles (six solo) [team-highs]
S REGGIE NELSON, Cincinnati Bengals: Eight tackles (seven solo) [team-highs], pass defense
CB JOE HADEN, Cleveland Browns: Six tackles (five solo), interception (50-yard return), pass defense
DE JEREMY MINCEY, Jacksonville Jaguars: Three tackles (two solo, one for loss)
LB BRANDON SILER, Kansas City Chiefs: Played as a reserve
C MIKE POUNCEY, Miami Dolphins: Started at center
WR PERCY HARVIN, Minnesota Vikings Six receptions for 84 yards [team-highs] (targets: 8, long: 20); five carries for 20 yards (long: 9); three kick returns for 88 yards (long: 30)
DE JERMAINE CUNNINGHAM, New England Patriots: Three tackles (two solo, one for loss), sack, QB hit
LB BRANDON SPIKES, New England Patriots: Solo tackle
S WILL HILL, New York Giants: Solo tackle
QB TIM TEBOW, New York Jets: Five carries for 11 yards (long: 4)
OG COOPER CARLISLE, Oakland Raiders: Started at left guard
P CHAS HENRY, Philadelphia Eagles: Six punts for 330 yards (avg.: 55.0, long: 62)
OT MARCUS GILBERT, Pittsburgh Steelers: Started at right tackle
C MAURKICE POUNCEY, Pittsburgh Steelers: Started at center
RB CHRIS RAINEY*, Pittsburgh Steelers: Two carries for five yards (long: 7); reception for -1 yard
OT MAX STARKS, Pittsburgh Steelers: Started at left tackle
DE RAY MCDONALD, San Francisco 49ers: Four tackles (three solo)
CB JANORIS JENKINS*, St. Louis Rams: Six tackles (four solo), interception (34-yard return), pass defense
OG MAURICE HURT, Washington Redskins: Played as a reserve

INJURED / DID NOT PLAY (6)
DE CARLOS DUNLAP, Cincinnati Bengals: Injured – knee
WR ANDRE CALDWELL, Denver Broncos: Injured – ribs
RB JEFF DEMPS, New England Patriots: “Injured” – leg (season)
WR RILEY COOPER, Philadelphia Eagles: Injured – collarbone
DT JAYE HOWARD*, Seattle Seahawks: Inactive
QB REX GROSSMAN, Washington Redskins: Inactive

NOTES
– Nelson tore his ACL and is out for the remainder of the season.
– Haden was suspended four games for violating the league’s banned substances policy.
– Tebow did not throw a single pass on Sunday.
– Henry set the franchise record for punting average in a single game (55.0 yards).
– Gilbert hyperextended his left knee during the game but should be OK.
– Rainey started at kick returner but was not in position to return any kicks.
– Three Gators (Haden, Jenkins, Black) registered interceptions on Sunday.

PRACTICE SQUAD (1)
TE Cornelius Ingram (Denver)

NOTABLE FREE AGENTS
QB John Brantley*, LB Andra Davis, LB Brandon Hicks, RB Earnest Graham, WR Jabar Gaffney, OT Phil Trautwein, DE Bobby McCray, DE William Green*, DE Derrick Harvey, DE Jarvis Moss, DE Justin Trattou, CB Lito Sheppard, DT Marcus Thomas, DT Gerard Warren

* Rookie