As the 2012 NFL season starts tonight, 14 former Ohio Valley Conference players find themselves on NFL rosters for the season. That number includes nine active players, one player on injured reserve and four practice squad members.
Some of those players include former Eastern Illinois standout Tony Romo, a three-time Pro Bowl pick, Cortland Finnegan (Samford), who has been a Pro Bowl defensive back selection with the Tennessee Titans (and who now plays with St. Louis) and Tennessee State's Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, who was a starter for the Arizona Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII, has been a Pro Bowl selection and is now with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Seven of the nine current OVC football schools have at least one player in the NFL with Eastern Kentucky and Southeast Missouri leading the way with two active players apiece.
Several NFL coaches also have connections to OVC schools, including two who went to Eastern Illinois, the "Cradle of NFL Head Coaches." Those coaches include Super Bowl champion Sean Payton (New Orleans), who is serving a one-year suspension this year, and Mike Shanahan (Washington).
UT Martin graduate and former assistant coach Jerry Reese made waves in 2007 when he led the New York Giants to Super Bowl XLII in his first season as General Manager with the franchise. Reese led the team to another title a year ago.
Active Players (9)
Tony Romo - Dallas Cowboys (Eastern Illinois)
Derek Hardman - Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Eastern Kentucky)
Yeremiah Bell - New York Jets (Eastern Kentucky)
Austen Lane - Jacksonville Jaguars (Murray State)
Cortland Finnegan - St. Louis Rams (Samford)
Dan Connolly - New England Patriots (Southeast Missouri)
Edgar Jones - Kansas City Chiefs (Southeast Missouri)
Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie - Philadelphia (Tennessee State)
Frank Omiyale - Seattle Seahawks (Tennessee Tech)
Practice Squad (4)
Otis Hudson - Cincinnati Bengals (Eastern Illinois)
T.J. Heath – Buffalo Bills (Jacksonville State)
Anthony Levine - Green Bay Packers (Tennessee State)
Tim Benford - Dallas Cowboys (Tennessee Tech)
Injured Reserve (1)
Eugene Amano - Tennessee Titans (Southeast Missouri)