The Mountaineers have produced plenty of NFL talent, but not all of them have been able to make a name for themselves in the league. Here’s a list of those who did.
Chuck Howley
Howley played for the Mountaineers from 1954-1957. He began his NFL career with the Chicago Bears for two seasons before moving to the Dallas Cowboys, where he would finish his career. Howley was a massive part of the historic “Doomsday Defenses” for Tom Landry and the Cowboys. He was named to six Pro Bowl teams, five All-Pro teams, and won one Super Bowl. Howley was the first and only player so far to win Super Bowl MVP as a member of the losing team. He was inducted into the Cowboys Ring of Honor in 1977 and named an Inaugural member of the Mountaineer Legends Society in 2016, and then in 2023, he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Sam Huff
Huff played for WVU from 1952-1955. He was regarded as one of the greatest players to ever play for the Mountaineers after being a dominant force on defense. He was selected in the third round of the 1956 NFL draft by the New York Giants. Huff played for New York from 1956-1963, he was named to four consecutive Pro Bowl teams and two First-Team All-Pro teams. He finished his career with the Washington Redskins where he made another Pro Bowl. Huff was inducted into the WVU Athletics Hall of Fame in 1991, the Giants Ring of Honor in 2010, and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1982.
Pat McAfee
McAfee spent 2005-2008 with the Mountaineers as a kicker/punter. In that time, he was part of some of the greatest WVU teams of all time, surrounded by college football icons Pat White and Steve Slaton. McAfee was taken in the seventh round of the 2009 NFL Draft by the Indianapolis Colts, where he would play for eight seasons. During his NFL tenure, he was named to two Pro Bowl teams and one First-Team All-Pro honor. McAfee switched to the media side of sports after his playing career ended, starting his podcast that became so popular that he earned his show that airs daily on ESPN.
Darryl Talley
Talley was a Mountaineer from 1979-1982. In the 1983 NFL draft, the Buffalo Bills selected him 39th overall. Talley had an incredible career with the Bills, being named to two Pro Bowl teams. After spending 12 seasons in Buffalo, he spent a year each in Atlanta and Minnesota. Over his 14-year career, he recorded 38.5 sacks, 1190 tackles, and 17 forced fumbles in 216 games. Talley is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame, but not the NFL Hall of Fame, causing all-time great Lawrence Taylor to publicly defend Talley, saying, “Are you kidding me? Yes, he deserves to be in the Hall of Fame.”
Geno Smith
Smith was a part of one of the most electric eras of Mountaineer football, pairing with Tavon Austin and Stedman Bailey, who were all near the top of their positions. Smith led WVU to a 26-13 record as a starter. He was taken 39th overall by the New York Jets in the 2013 NFL Draft. He got off to a slow start in his career with the Jets, going 11-18 as a starter his first two seasons before becoming a backup. He moved around quite a bit, spending time with the Giants and Chargers afterwards, before turning his career around with the Seattle Seahawks. In five seasons with Seattle, he was named to two Pro Bowl teams. Earlier this off-season he reunited with his former head coach Pete Carroll when a trade sent him to the Las Vegas Raiders.
Bruce Irvin
Irvin spent the 2010 and 2011 seasons in Morgantown before being selected 15th overall in the first round of the 2012 NFL draft by the Seattle Seahawks. He was a part of one of the greatest defenses in NFL history with Seattle, “The Legion of Boom,” where they won the Super Bowl 43-8 over the Denver Broncos in 2014. Irvin has spent time with Oakland, Carolina, Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, and Miami over his 12-year career in which he recorded 56.5 sacks, 235 solo tackles, and forced 16 fumbles.
Jeff Hostetler
Hostetler made a name for himself as a backup quarterback in the league with the New York Giants. He stepped in for Phil Sims, who was injured in 1990 and was able to lead the Giants to an NFC title and a Super Bowl victory over the Buffalo Bills. He won another Super Bowl with the Giants and was named to one Pro Bowl team. Throughout his 15-year NFL career spending time with the Giants, Washington Redskins, and Oakland Raiders he finished with over 16,000 passing yards and 94 touchdowns.
Mark Bulger
Bulger was an excellent quarterback for the St. Louis Rams from 2002-2008, making two Pro Bowl teams. His best season came in 2006, when he threw for 4,301 yards with 24 touchdowns and eight interceptions. Before his NFL career, he was one of the best WVU quarterbacks of all time when he played from 1996-1999.
