Thomas Healy ’28
Chief Sports Editor
On Sunday, Holy Cross football had a day to remember. No, not the 2026 team, but Jalen Coker, Khalif Raymond, and Luke Newman. In a week 1 bout, the Carolina Panthers and Chicago Bears faced off in Charlotte, North Carolina. The matchup was the definition of a barnburner, with a combined 96 points scored. Panthers QB Bryce Young threw for 361 yards and 3 touchdowns and the Bears dropped 59 points in a 22 point win. However, for this article’s sake, these stats are irrelevant. If you scroll down to the receiving portions of the box score, two names stand alone on the Bears and Panthers’ ends. Khalif Raymond ‘15 hauled in 8 passes for 84 yards while Jalen Coker ‘23 led all receivers in week 1 fantasy points and brought in two touchdown passes. Offensive lineman Luke Newman ‘23 played 9 snaps for the Bears in their victory.
It was undoubtedly the most successful day for Holy Cross football alumni in a single professional game. Perhaps the most illustrious day for any trio of Holy Cross athletes ever? The much-welcomed publicity the school must be receiving right now is not something that should be too new or a one off thing. Holy Cross’s athletics teams have proven their ability to not only produce professional athletes, but also perform and make an impact on whatever playing field it might be. Just a few months ago, Holy Cross women’s ice hockey player Naemi Herzig earned a spot on Switzerland’s olympic hockey squad. Bob Cousy and Tommy Heinsohn did it over 75 years ago and it has continued to this day.
It’s a testament to the school’s balanced blend between academics and athletics. In the crazed world of NIL deals and professional athletes returning to compete in college sports, it’s sobering to view the way Holy Cross lifts up its student athletes and provides them a platform for success in the classroom and on the field.
Sunday’s performances from Coker, Raymond, and Newman are more than just a fun box-score note. They are a reminder that the impact of a Holy Cross athlete does not end when the diploma is handed over. The relationships built and competitive drive developed on Mount St. James can follow athletes wherever their careers take them.
For a school that competes without the massive resources of many of its Division I counterparts, moments like these are worth celebrating. Three former Crusaders making an impact in the same NFL game is impressive on its own. But perhaps more impressive is that it feels less like an anomaly and more like another chapter in a long history of Holy Cross athletes proving that they belong on the biggest stages.
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