With the recent start of the NBA season, and the NFL season in the swing of things, it’s time to check up on how a few Harvard alums have been doing in these two professional sports leagues:
Jeremy Lin ’10 has become a bit of an NBA journeyman over his career, playing for five different teams in his six-year career. This past offseason, after the conclusion of a middling Lakers campaign in which he averaged 11.2 points and 4.6 assists, Lin signed a two-year contract with the Charlotte Hornets, where he will serve as the backup point guard behind Kemba Walker. The Hornets are expected to compete for the 8-seed in the weaker Eastern Conference, with the most recent ESPN projections ranking them as the 10th best team in the conference.
Ryan Fitzpatrick ’05 has suffered misfortune as of late, breaking his thumb in last Sunday’s game against the Oakland Raiders. The New York Jets quarterback—who got the starting nod this season after presumptive starter Geno Smith broke his jaw in a preseason locker-room scuffle—is out for an undefined amount of time. Meanwhile, the Jets—who have lost their last two games—are scrambling to find a replacement quarterback. Before the injury, Fitzpatrick was having one of his best seasons, with an 86.5 passer rating and 11 thrown touchdowns.
Over the last two seasons, Kyle Jusczcyk ’13 has seen playing time as the starting fullback for the Baltimore Ravens. Jusczcyk already has two touchdowns for the season—more than his other two seasons combined—and while he doesn’t see consistent touches, he plays a key role in the Baltimore offense as a ball-handler and blocker. The Ravens are 2-6 on the season.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Cameron Brate ’14 scored his first career touchdown last Sunday in a win against the Atlanta Falcons, pulling in a 20-yard heave from quarterback Jameis Winston. Earlier in the game, Brate had another big highlight, nabbing a 28-yarder in the second quarter. While Brate hasn’t seen much playing time yet this season—and will likely take a backseat once Austin Seferian-Jenkins returns from injury—his success last game could be indicative of a bigger role in the games to come.
