Former ACC Football Stars To Enjoy
Huge NFL Television Spotlight Sunday



By David Glenn

North Carolina Sports Network

When the National Football League hosts its AFC and NFC championship games on Sunday, and likely draws two of the largest American television audiences of the entire 2025 calendar year, more than 30 products of Atlantic Coast Conference schools will be part of the show, as members of the participating teams’ active rosters.

In most years, the three most-watched American television programs — of any kind, not just sports — are the Super Bowl and the two conference championship contests. In 2024, the Super Bowl drew a total audience of more than 120 million viewers, and the AFC/NFC title games attracted more than 50 million viewers each.

For comparison, the most-watched 2024 program beyond the sports genre (a presidential debate) drew about 20 million viewers and ranked behind 11 NFL contests, including six regular-season games.

This year, the 12-5 Washington Commanders will visit the 14-3 Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC championship game (Sun., 3 p.m., FOX), and the 13-4 Buffalo Bills will visit the 15-2 Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC championship game (Sun., 6:30 p.m., CBS/Paramount+).


Among the many ACC products who will be in starting roles on Sunday are Eagles offensive guard Mekhi Becton (Louisville), Commanders wide receiver Dyami Brown (UNC), Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker (Georgia Tech), Chiefs cornerback Chamarri Conner (Virginia Tech), Commanders punt returner Jamison Crowder (Duke), Bills wide receiver Mack Hollins (UNC; pictured above), Bills safety Damar Hamlin (Pitt), Chiefs wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins (Clemson), Bills linebacker Matt Milano (Boston College), Bills defensive end Greg Rousseau (Miami), Eagles linebacker Josh Sweat (Florida State), Chiefs offensive guard Joe Thuney (NC State) and Commanders wide receiver Olamide Zaccheaus (Virginia).

In addition, although they never played in the ACC personally, Eagles tight end Grant Calcaterra (SMU), Commanders tight end Zach Ertz (Stanford), Chiefs safety Justin Reid (Stanford) and Chiefs return specialist Nikko Remigio (Cal) will play significant roles while representing programs that joined the league in 2024.

At the beginning of this year’s NFL playoffs, current ACC schools had more than 160 players on the 12 participating teams’ rosters, including those on practice squads or injured/reserve lists.

The list below includes only those players affiliated with the four remaining NFL playoff teams.


Players On Remaining NFL Playoff Rosters
(Products of Current ACC Schools)

Boston College (1)

Matt Milano, starting LB, Buffalo Bills

California (2)

Nikko Remigio, starting KR/PR (backup WR), Kansas City Chiefs
McKade Mettauer, backup OG, Kansas City Chiefs (reserve/injured)

Clemson (7)

DeAndre Hopkins, starting WR, Kansas City Chiefs
Clelin Ferrell, second-team DE, Washington Commanders
Jeremiah Trotter Jr., second-team LB, Philadelphia Eagles
Will Shipley, third-team RB, Philadelphia Eagles
KJ Henry, backup DE, Philadelphia Eagles (practice squad)
Justyn Ross, backup WR, Kansas City Chiefs (practice squad)
Baylon Spector, backup LB, Buffalo Bills (reserve/injured)

Duke (3)

Jamison Crowder, starting PR (backup WR), Washington Commanders
Noah Gray, second-team TE, Kansas City Chiefs
DeWayne Carter, third-team DT, Buffalo Bills

Florida State (6)

Keon Coleman, starting WR, Buffalo Bills
Josh Sweat, starting LB, Philadelphia Eagles
Derrick Nnadi, second-team DT, Kansas City Chiefs
Johnny Wilson, second-team WR, Philadelphia Eagles
Bobby Hart, backup OT, Washington Commanders (practice squad)
Fabien Lovett Sr., backup DT, Kansas City Chiefs (practice squad)

Georgia Tech (2)

Harrison Butker, starting PK, Kansas City Chiefs
EJ Jenkins, third-team TE, Philadelphia Eagles

Louisville (1)

Mekhi Becton, starting RG, Philadelphia Eagles

Miami (4)

Greg Rousseau, starting DE, Buffalo Bills
KJ Osborn, second-team WR, Washington Commanders
Deon Bush, backup S, Kansas City Chiefs (practice squad)
Te’Cory Couch, backup CB, Buffalo Bills (practice squad)

North Carolina (3)

Dyami Brown, starting WR, Washington Commanders
Mack Hollins, starting WR, Buffalo Bills
Mitchell Trubisky, second-team QB, Buffalo Bills


NC State (1)

Joe Thuney, starting LG, Kansas City Chiefs

Pitt (4)

Damar Hamlin, starting FS, Buffalo Bills
Avonte Maddox, second-team CB, Philadelphia Eagles
Kenny Pickett, second-team QB, Philadelphia Eagles
AJ Woods, backup CB, Philadelphia Eagles (practice squad)

SMU (4)

Grant Calcaterra, second-team TE, Philadelphia Eagles
Shane Buechele, backup QB, Buffalo Bills (reserve/injured)
Danny Gray, backup WR, Philadelphia Eagles (practice squad)
Rashee Rice, backup WR, Kansas City Chiefs (reserve/injured)

Stanford (6)

Zach Ertz, starting TE, Washington Commanders
Justin Reid, starting SS, Kansas City Chiefs
Thomas Booker IV, second-team DT, Philadelphia Eagles
Tanner McKee, third-team QB, Philadelphia Eagles
Casey Toohill, backup DE, Buffalo Bills (practice squad)
Brycen Tremayne, backup WR, Washington Commanders (practice squad)

Syracuse (1)

Kingsley Jonathan, backup DE, Buffalo Bills (practice squad)

Virginia (1)

Olamide Zaccheaus, starting WR, Washington Commanders

Virginia Tech (2)

Chamarri Conner, starting CB, Kansas City Chiefs
Norell Pollard, backup DT, Washington Commanders (reserve/injured)

Wake Forest (0)

none