In a season marked by transcendent highs and heartbreaking lows for the BYU Cougars in the National Football League, only three games remain.
It's been a great year for NFL players "along the trail to fame and glory."
Fred Warner and Kyle Van Noy both posted Pro Bowl-worthy performances this year, and Puka Nacua continued his white-hot start from last season and churned out highlights like there was a coolness clause in his contract.
STAFFORD. PUKA. WOW.
— NFL (@NFL) January 19, 2025
📺: #LARvsPHI on NBC
📱: Stream on @NFLPlus + Peacock pic.twitter.com/CJa15yMhp3
But with three games left, three Cougars have emerged as the only BYU alumni to make it to the AFC and NFC Conference Championships. Let's take a look at them.
Andy Reid — Kansas City Chiefs
Andy Reid finds himself leading the Chiefs in yet another AFC Championship game, their seventh in a row.
What can be said that hasn't already been said? He's the most successful coach in the NFL today and is on the cusp of a Super Bowl three-peat, something that has never been accomplished since the NFL-AFL merger. What Big Red has accomplished in Kansas City is incredible.
It's also nice to know that someone so successful on the biggest stage in American sports is also such a wonderful ambassador for BYU. With a recent appearance on campus for a coaching clinic and much more, he never once distances himself from his alma mater and his faith.
The matchup with the Buffalo Bills will prove to be a challenge, seeing as Kansas City did not walk away with the win when they met in November. But Reid has seen this before, and he has the hardware to prove he knows how to get the job done when the lights are brightest.
Kingsley Suamataia — Kansas City Chiefs
Reid will be asking for a lot from each of the 53 players on the roster, including rookie offensive tackle Kingsley Suamataia. He was drafted last year to the Chiefs in the second round with the 63rd pick after showing flashes of greatness holding the line for BYU in their first year in the Big 12. Many BYU fans were thrilled to see him play for a fellow Cougar.
Suamataia got starting time early and performed well in the season opener against the Ravens. The following week he struggled against DPOY candidate Trey Hendrickson on the Bengals. Can't blame him for that one.
His time as a starter didn't go past the first two games, but he has continued to develop this season and proven he belongs on an NFL roster.
It'll be interesting to see how much Suamataia will play this weekend against the Bills.
Michael Davis — Washington Commanders
The Cinderella story of the postseason has undoubtedly been the Commanders, reaching the NFC Championship for the first time since 1992. After a close bout with Tampa Bay and an emphatic win over Detroit, the No. 6 seed Commanders will face off with a division rival, the Philadelphia Eagles.
Michael Davis played as a defensive back for BYU from 2013 to 2016 before signing with the LA Chargers in 2017. He spent seven years with the Chargers before joining the Commanders for the 2024 season.
Davis hasn't quite gotten the playing time he had in L.A. All but one of his solo tackles from this season came in the overtime game against Atlanta in Week 17. But with a Super Bowl spot on the line, who knows what will be asked of Davis with AJ Brown and DeVonta Smith potentially lining up opposite him.
It's shaping up to be a weekend to remember for the NFL. BYU football is coming off a landmark year of its own. Let's see if one of BYU's own will be on the field when the confetti falls in New Orleans come February.