AROUND THE SHIELD – All eyes were on starting quarterback Caleb Williams in the Chicago Bears’ 2024 season opener, but perhaps Williams’ eyes should have been on Jaylon Johnson.

At least during the post-game interview.

Shortly after Williams helped the Bears overcome a 17-0 deficit and beat the Tennessee Titans 24-17, the former University of Utah cornerback snuck up on the former USC quarterback during his postgame interview on FOX.

“The defense is behind you, No. 18,” Johnson whispered in Williams’ ear, to which he replied, “Oh, yeah.”

Williams became the first No. 1-drafted quarterback to win in his rookie debut since 2002. Back then, the former Southern California signal caller completed 14 of 29 passes for 93 yards and ran for 15 more.

But Williams will likely earn some steaks for his defense and special teams after the win, including Johnson, who had three tackles, two tackles for loss, two passes defended and the game-winning interception at the Bears’ 40-yard line with 1:15 left that allowed Williams to kneel in his first winning formation as a Chicago starter.

After the game, Williams admitted that he and much of the offense “didn’t perform the way I wanted” and that he “missed and missed” many passes that he wants back.

But Johnson – who signed a new four-year, $76 million contract in the offseason, according to NFL.com – and the defense stood behind him. A good thing for Bears fans, too.

“We just responded,” Johnson said, according to the team’s website. “We knew that wasn’t our style. We had a couple of big, explosive plays where we lost runs and there were a couple of miscommunications. But overall we kept pushing and kept going. We know we have a dominant defense and we showed that.”

Other outstanding achievements include:

• Former BYU starRyan Rehkow set a Bengals all-time record with his second punt, an 80-yard smash midway through the first quarter of Cincinnati’s 16-10 loss to the New England Patriots. The undrafted free agent punter, who originally signed with the Kansas City Chiefs before being released and heading to the Queen’s City, punted four times for 258 yards in his regular-season NFL debut, averaging 64.5 yards per punt, which set an NFL record for a single game (minimum four punts).
• At 34 years old Bobby Wagner is still laying down the hit stick. The former Utah State star and nine-time Pro Bowler made 10 tackles, including three tackles for loss, a team-high most on the field, in the Washington Commanders’ 37-20 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
• Another former hit machine from Utah, Kaden Elliss at Judge Memorial, started as a linebacker and recorded nine tackles (team best) in the Atlanta Falcons’ 18-10 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers

Here’s how other former Utah high school and college football players fared in Week 1 of the 2024 NFL regular season.

Monday Night Football, 6:15 p.m. MDT, ESPN

New York vs San Francisco

Jets (0-0)

• No locals on the active list.

49ers (0-0)

• Fred Warner, LB, BYU
• Mitch Wishnowsky, P, Utah

Football on Sunday evening

Detroit 26, Los Angeles 20 (OT)

Lions (1-0)

• Sione Vaki, RB, Utah: Reserve running back also played on special teams
• Penei Sewell, OT, Desert Hills (via Oregon): Started as left tackle and drove a running game to 163 yards, including 91 yards and the game-winning touchdown in overtime by David Montgomery

Rams (0-1)

• Puka Nacua, WR, BYU/Orem: The wide receiver caught four passes for 35 yards and managed a 7-yard run before leaving the game with a knee injury

Sunday afternoon

Dallas 33, Cleveland 17

Cowboys (1-0)

• No locals in the active squad

Brown (0-1)

• Mohamoud Diabate, LB, Utah: Reserve linebacker made two tackles in defense

Tampa Bay 37, Washington 20

Buccaneers (1-0)

• No locals in the active squad

Commanders (0-1)

• Michael Davis, CB, BYU: Reserve cornerback also played on special teams
• Bobby Wagner, LB, Utah State: The starting linebacker had 10 tackles (team-high), three tackles for loss of space in defense

Seattle 26, Denver 20

Seahawks (1-0)

• Marquise Blair, Utah: Reserve free safety had two tackles in the special teams
• Sataoa Laumea, OG, Utah: Inactive for week 1

Broncos (0-1)

• Zach Wilson, QB, BYU/Corner Canyon: Inactive for week 1
• Garett Bolles, OT, Utah/Snow/Westlake: Started as left tackle before retiring with an ankle injury
• Jonah Elliss, LB, Utah: Reserve linebacker also played on special teams
• Devaughn Vele, WR, Utah: The reserve receiver had the most balls in the team with eight catches for 39 yards

Los Angeles 22, Las Vegas 10

Chargers (1-0)

• Simi Fehoko, WR, Brighton (via Stanford): Reserve Wide Receiver played mainly on special teams
• Alohi Gilman, S, Orem (via Kahuku HS, Notre Dame): Starting Safety made four tackles in defense

Raiders (0-1)

• Andre James, OC, Herriman (via UCLA): Started in the middle
• Jackson Powers-Johnson, OG, Corner Canyon (via Oregon): Inactive in week 1 (illness)

Pittsburgh 18, Atlanta 10

Steelers (1-0)

• Jaylen Warren, RB, Utah State/Snow/East (via Oklahoma State): The reserve running back managed 7 yards on two runs, caught two passes for 13 yards
• Miles Killebrew, S, Southern Utah: Reserve Safety played mainly on special teams and had two penalties

Falcons (0-1)

• Tyler Allgeier, RB, BYU: Reserve running back ran 21 yards on three offensive runs
• Clark Phillips III, CB, Utah: Reserve cornerback had a tackle in defense
• Kaden Elliss, LB, Judge Memorial (via Idaho): Starting linebacker recorded nine tackles, most on the team

Buffalo 34, Arizona 28

Invoices (1-0)

• Dalton Kincaid, TE, Utah: Starting receiver caught a pass for 11 yards on offense
• Taron Johnson, CB, Weber State: The starting nickelback made one tackle in defense before leaving the field with a forearm injury
• Cole Bishop, S, Utah: Inactive for week 1

Cardinals (0-1)

• Khyiris Tonga, DT, BYU/Granger: Reserve defensive lineman had a tackle in defense

Chicago 24, Tennessee 17

Bears (1-0)

• Jaylon Johnson, DB, Utah: The starting cornerback had three tackles, two tackles for loss, two defended passes and one interception
• Braxton Jones, OT, Southern Utah/Murray: The left tackle played most of the snaps with a false start penalty
• Noah Sewell, LB, Orem (via Oregon): Inactive for week 1

Titans (0-1)

• No locals in the active squad

New England 16, Cincinnati 10

Patriots (1-0)

• No locals in the active squad

Bengals (0-1)

• Zack Moss, RB, Utah: Starting running back ran 44 yards on nine carries, including a 5-yard touchdown; caught two passes for 17 yards; and made one tackle
• Ryan Rehkow, P, BYU: Four punts for 258 yards, an average of 64.5 yards per punt with two touchbacks and a franchise record of 80 yards on his second attempt
• Tanner McLachlan, TE, Southern Utah (via Arizona): Inactive for week 1
• Jay Tufele, DT, Bingham (via USC): Reserve defensive tackle made four stops and one tackle for loss of space in defense

Houston 29, Indianapolis 27

Texans (1-0)

• Dalton Schultz, TE, Bingham (via Stanford): Starting tight end caught three passes for 67 yards on offense

Colts (0-1)

• Blake Freeland, OT, BYU/Herriman: Inactive for week 1
• Julian Blackmon, FS, Utah/Layton: The starting safety has completed a total of 13 tackles in defense
• Matt Gay, C, Utah/UVU/Orem: Inactive for week 1

Miami 20, Jacksonville 17

Dolphins (1-0)

• No locals in the active squad

Jaguars (0-1)

• Devin Lloyd, LB, Utah: Starting linebacker recorded nine tackles and one tackle for loss of space in defense

New Orleans 47, Carolina 10

Saints (1-0)

• Taysom Hill, TE, BYU: Starting Tight End ran five times for 35 yards and caught one pass for 1 yard in the offense
• Dallin Holker, TE, BYU/Lehi (via Colorado State): Inactive for week 1
• Jamal Williams, RB, BYU: The reserve running back ran for 38 yards on 11 attempts, including a 14-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter; caught a pass for 13 yards and returned a kickoff for 32 yards
• Rashid Shaheed, WR/RS, Weber State: The wide receiver caught three passes for 73 yards, including a 59-yard touchdown in the first quarter; returned three punts for 60 yards; and returned a kickoff for 33 yards

Panthers (0-1)

• Brady Christensen, OG, BYU/Bountiful: Reserve guard rotates in the offensive line

Minnesota 28, New York 6

Vikings (1-0)

• Taki Taimani, DL, East (via Oregon): The reserve defensive lineman played primarily on special teams.

Giants (0-1)

• No locals in the active squad

Friday in Brazil

Philadelphia 34, Green Bay 29

Eagles (1-0)

• Britain Covey, WR/RS, Utah/Timpview: The reserve receiver had a fair-catch punt return and five snaps on offense, three on special teams

Packers (0-1)

• Jordan Love, QB, Utah State: The starting quarterback completed 17 of 34 passes for 260 yards, two touchdowns and one interception with one sack in 65 snaps before leaving the game late with an MCL injury, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter
• Zayne Anderson, S, BYU/Stansbury: The reserve safety made one tackle in 18 snaps on special teams

Football on Thursday evening

Kansas City 27, Baltimore 20

Chiefs (1-0)

• Kingsley Suamataia, OT, BYU/Orem: The left tackle played 54 snaps on offense, five on special teams and one holding call

Ravens (0-1)

• Kyle Van Noy, LB, BYU: SAM’s starting linebacker had one tackle and one quarterback hurry in 20 snaps on defense before leaving the game with an orbital fracture, according to Steve Wyche of NFL Network
• Marcus Williams, FS, Utah: The free safety in the starting lineup recorded a total of six tackles and one defended pass in 54 snaps in defense