Wolverines in the NFL: Colston Loveland Dominates, Six Former Michigan Players Set for Divisional Round
Former Michigan Wolverines football standouts are scattered across the NFL playoffs this year, and several stood out in the divisional round — none more than Chicago Bears rookie tight end Colston Loveland.
'The backbone of the offense' is how NFL columnist Judy Battista described Loveland, naming the rookie one of the biggest winners of the first round of the NFL playoffs.
That’s quite the statement about somebody who had 8 catches for 78 yards and no touchdowns in his first six games, but that quiet start only illustrates just how prolific Loveland has been since, finishing the regular season with 58 catches, 713 yards and 6 scores.
The 6-foot-6, 241-pounder has been clutch, too, a go-to target for second-year quarterback Caleb Williams when games get tight. And, boy, have they gotten tight. The Bears, who won the NFC North for the first time since 2018, notched seven comeback victories in the regular season.
Naturally, they found a way to pull another one off Saturday night, Jan. 10, at Soldier Field in Chicago — and Loveland’s production was a big reason why. The home crowd was dejected, down 21-3 at halftime to Green Bay Packers, but that deficit only opened the door for some more magic, leading to a 31-27 win, the franchise’s first playoff victory since 2010 and first postseason triumph over the arch-rival since 1941.
The No. 10 overall pick and first player at his position taken in 2025, Loveland caught 8 passes for 137 yards, becoming the first rookie tight end in NFL history to register 8-plus catches and 100-plus receiving yards in a playoff game. His 137 yards now check in second all-time in receiving yards for a rookie tight end in a playoff game, behind Keith Jackson’s 142 for the Philadelphia Eagles in 1988.
Loveland was the recipient of a Williams-thrown pass to complete a two-point conversion that put the Bears down three points, 27-24.
'When we drafted him, he was still coming off the injury,' Bears head coach Ben Johnson noted postgame. 'He really missed the springtime, and then training camp, you’re trying to be smart, in terms of how you’re acclimating him not only to the offense but physically, making sure his shoulder is good to go. So, it did take a little bit of time before we built that trust with him. A little bit of a slower start earlier in the year, and then it’s just kind of picked up and it’s clicked for us.'
'I know Caleb has an immense amount of trust in him. He’s a guy that is one of the first ones in the building every single day. He’s always studying his playbook while he’s eating breakfast. He’s always the last one off the practice field, doing the jugs machine.
'He’s been the model of consistency, which, for a rookie, speaks volumes. As a coaching staff, I know we really believe in him. He’s really just scratching the surface of what he’s going to become.'
Loveland is one of 17 former Michigan players in the NFL playoffs. Here’s a look at how every former Wolverine performed in the regular season, with an asterisk next to their name denoting that they made the postseason.
Los Angeles Rams 34, Carolina Panthers 31
Rams: RB Blake Corum, OLB Josaiah Stewart, CB Josh Wallace
Panthers: None
Corum rushed 11 times for 45 yards with an 8-yard long, helping the Rams score 34 points and notch the comeback win. Stewart, meanwhile, totaled 2 tackles on defense, while Wallace was out with an injury.
Chicago Bears 31, Green Bay Packers 27
Bears: TE Colston Loveland
Packers: DE Rashan Gary
Loveland led Chicago with 8 catches for 137 yards and a key fourth-quarter two-point conversion. Gary registered 1 tackle and a team-high 6 pressures, laying 1 hit on Williams.
Buffalo Bills 27, Jacksonville Jaguars 24
Bills: None
Jaguars: CB Jourdan Lewis; out for season
San Francisco 49ers 23, Philadelphia Eagles 19
49ers: None
Eagles: OLB Joshua Uche, DE Brandon Graham
Uche didn’t see any game action, while Graham logged 7 defensive snaps but didn’t record any statistics. The Eagles’ defense got just 1 sack but held San Francisco to 75 rushing yards on 25 carries, with a long of 10 yards.
New England Patriots 16, Los Angeles Chargers 3
Patriots: OLMike Onwenu
Chargers: RB Hassan Haskins, CBBenjamin St-Juste
Starting at right guard, Onwenu ranked second on the New England offensive line with a 71.5 overall PFF grade and second with an 83.3 pass-blocking rating. He allowed 1 pressure and no sacks on 40 pass-blocking snaps, and helped pave the way for 146 rushing yards.
St-Juste made 1 tackle. Former Michigan defensive coordinator Jesse Minter’s unit held up all night, but didn’t get any help from the offense. Former U-M All-American quarterback and national championship-winning head coach Jim Harbaugh has made the postseason but bowed out in the first round each of his first two seasons as the Chargers’ head man.
Houston Texans 30, Pittsburgh Steelers 6
Texans: WR Nico Collins
Steelers: SJabrill Peppers, WR Roman Wilson
Collins hauled in 3 catches for 21 yards on 7 targets, before being carted off the field and being ruled out with a concussion. The injury occurred in the third quarter. His status is in question for Sunday’s game against New England.
Wilson didn’t play for Pittsburgh and has made only one appearance since the end of November, a week 17 game against Cleveland. Peppers made 2 tackles on special teams and didn’t see any time on defense.
