Week 1 of the 2025 NFL season is in the books, and several former Iowa football players had huge hands in their teams’ performances.
The collection of ex-Hawkeyes in the NFL continues to grow, with several more added to rosters this year after having numerous active last season. While the star-studded names like George Kittle, Sam LaPorta, Tristan Wirfs and more continue to shine week after week, several other names Iowa fans will recognize are making significant impacts at the pro level too.
With that, here are three ex-Hawkeyes who stood out in Week 1 of the NFL season.
Noah Fant, Cincinnati Bengals TE
The former Iowa tight end delivered a nice showing in his Cincinnati Bengals debut. In helping propel them to a 17-16 win over the Cleveland Browns, Fant hauled in four catches for 26 yards and one touchdown. That score equaled the number of TDs Fant had all of last season.
With the Bengals featuring high-end wide receivers Tee Higgins and Ja’Marr Chase, there could be opportunities for Fant to essentially hide in plain sight. His five targets tied for a team high, as quarterback Joe Burrow leaned on Fant in a couple key spots.
George Kittle, San Francisco 49ers TE
There was good and bad for Kittle in Week 1. First, the good. The former Iowa tight end helped propel San Francisco to a 17-13 road win over the Seattle Seahawks by catching four passes for 25 yards and touchdown. Kittle kicked off the scoring with 5-yard scoring grab late in the first quarter.
Now, the bad. Kittle suffered a hamstring injury that’s going to keep him sidelined for at least a few weeks. That’s a big blow for a 49ers squad trying to rebound after rare struggles last season.
Lukas Van Ness, Green Bay Packers DE
Green Bay set an early tone in Week 1 with a dominant 27-13 win over the Detroit Lions, and Van Ness emulated that perfectly.
The former Iowa defensive star had four tackles, 1 TFL, a half-sack and a QB hit while shining at defensive end. With the addition of Micah Parsons, the Packers defense has been further thrusted into the spotlight of elite units. Van Ness and Green Bay will look to keep things rolling in Week 2 on a short week against Washington.
Dargan Southard is a sports trending reporter and covers Iowa athletics for the Des Moines Register and HawkCentral.com. Email him at msouthard@gannett.com or follow him on Twitter at @Dargan_Southard.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa football: Three former Hawkeyes who stood out in Week 1 of the NFL season
Reporting by Dargan Southard, Des Moines Register / Des Moines Register
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