One former Auburn Tigers player is still in contention for a Super Bowl ring.
February is here. The Super Bowl is upon us. New Orleans is the destination for the Clash of Titans. And only one Auburn Tiger left, one sole survivor from The Plains, could walk away sporting one of the most coveted rings in sports.
C.J. Uzomah’s action on the field this past season has been relatively unnoticed. Since joining the Philadelphia Eagles at the beginning of the 2024 season, the tight end has been utilized more as a blocker than a pass-catching force.
The irony is that the same could be said of his time in a Tigers uniform. In his four seasons from 2011 to 2014, Uzomah caught only 29 passes. The plus side for C.J. is that seven catches resulted in a visit to the endzone.
In the 2015 NFL Draft, the Cincinnati Bengals took a chance on Uzomah, drafting him in the fifth round.
Although his first season was relatively unproductive, Uzomah blossomed in the Bengals offense during year 2, finishing 25 receptions for 234 yards.
Uzomah witnessed a slump in his third year but came back swinging in year four, becoming one of then-Quarterback Andy Dalton’s (now, there’s a name) favorite targets. Uzomah started 15 of a possible 16 games, racking up 43 receptions for 439 yards and finding paydirt on three occasions. According to Pro Football Reference, Uzomah finished the year with an average of 10.7 yards per reception.
His biggest season for Cincinnati came in his last for the club in 2021, with Joe Burrow at the helm of the offense. Uzomah totaled 49 receptions for 493 yards and five touchdowns.
Uzomah’s consistent performances, balanced with his impressive numbers, scored him a three-year, $24 million contract with the New York Jets.
The former Tiger’s time in the Big Apple didn’t go as planned, and he was cut after just two seasons. The Eagles swooped in to pick him up once he hit the free agent market, signing Uzomah on a one-year deal just before the 2024 regular season.
The tight end has appeared in seven games for the Eagles this season but has not made a catch, with most of the passing duties handed to either starter Dallas Goedert or second-string Grant Calcaterra.
Furthermore, Uzomah has been on IR since Week 17 with an abdomen injury. He has not seen the field during the Eagles’ playoff run thus far; however, his injury status has been upgraded to questionable, with just over a week remaining until New Orleans.
Considering all these factors, it would be an enigma if we saw Uzomah on the field. But seeing an old friend in the winners club would still be a nice sight.
