Tweet #WinTheMoment

Eastern Illinois football will be represented by several former players active in the NFL when the 2023 season kicks off next week as teams cut down to their 53-man active rosters this week.
 
Former Panthers Jimmy Garoppolo and Kamu Grugier-Hill are both on active NFL rosters as players while former Panthers Sean Payton returns as an NFL head coach.
 
Garoppolo signed this off-season as a free agent quarterback with the Las Vegas Raiders.  The Raiders open the season on Sunday, Sept. 10 against the Denver Broncos.  Garoppolo spent the last several seasons with the San Francisco 49ers.
 
Grugier-Hill signed this off-season as a free agent linebacker with the Carolina Panthers.   The Panthers open the season on Sunday, Sept. 10 at against the Atlanta Falcons.   Grugier-Hill played last season with both the Houston Texans and Arizona Cardinals.
 
Payton returns to the head coaching ranks after a long and successful career on the sidelines with the New Orleans Saints.  He was hired this off-season as the head coach of the Denver Broncos and will open the year on Sept. 10 against the Las Vegas Raiders.
 
EIU has several additional former players also in the assistant coaching ranks as the NFL season openers.    Tim Kelly and Matt Jones are both on staff with the Tennessee Titans.   Adam Gristick has joined the staff of the New Orleans Saints.  Steven Bravo-Brown is on staff with the Cleveland Browns.  Ryan Pace is in a front office administrative role with the Atlanta Falcons.  Tony Romo returns to his color analyst position with CBS Sports.
 
Several additional former EIU assistant coaches will also begin the season on NFL coaching staffs.