On Sunday, 26 quarterbacks will start NFL games. Depending on the health of Jordan Love, six of them could be alumni of Alabama high schools and colleges.

The 2024 season is already the second that has featured six starting quarterbacks with Alabama football roots, joining 2022. But the NFL has never had a weekend when six of the starting quarterbacks came from the state’s high schools and colleges.

Love had to leave the Green Bay Packers’ game on Sunday because of a groin injury. Malik Willis (Auburn) came on to throw a fourth-quarter touchdown pass and set up the game-winning field goal on the final snap with a 51-yard completion as the Packers downed the Jacksonville Jaguars 30-27.

Love did not practice on Wednesday.

“Just take it one day at a time and see where he’s at by the end of the week,” Green Bay coach Matt LaFleur said on Wednesday about the Packers’ quarterback plans.

Green Bay obtained Willis in a trade with the Tennessee Titans on Aug. 26. On Sept. 15, Willis made the first of back-to-back starts with Love out with a knee injury. The Packers won both games.

LaFleur said he’s “much more confident” in Willis now after five more weeks in the system if he needs to start against the Detroit Lions on Sunday.

“He’s got a good understanding of what we’re trying to get accomplished, of the techniques and the fundamentals,” LaFleur said.

On Sunday, Jalen Hurts (Alabama) and Bo Nix (Pinson Valley, Auburn) will be under center for the Philadelphia Eagles and Denver Broncos, respectively, as they have for every game this season.

With the Miami Dolphins, Tua Tagovailoa (Alabama) resumed his starting position in Week 8 after missing four games on injured reserve with a concussion.

Jameis Winston (Hueytown) made his first start of 2024 for the Cleveland Browns on Sunday and won the AFC Offensive Player of the Week Award. Winston ascended to starting status again when Deshaun Watson sustained a season-ending Achilles tendon injury.

The Carolina Panthers have decided to start Bryce Young (Alabama) again on Sunday. The No. 1 pick in 2023 NFL Draft, Young served as the Panthers’ No. 1 QB through the first two games of the 2024 season. Replaced by Andy Dalton, Young got to start again on Sunday after Dalton hurt the thumb on his throwing hand in a traffic accident. On Wednesday, Carolina coach Dave Canales announced the Panthers were sticking with Young for at least another game.

During his Wednesday press conference, Hurts was asked about the benching of Young earlier this season and the Indianapolis Colts’ announcement on Wednesday that Anthony Richardson, the No. 4 pick in the 2023 draft, was being pulled from the lineup for veteran Joe Flacco.

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“Things take time,” Hurts said. “Everybody has a different approach, obviously, going in. I wasn’t supposed to be the guy I am today. Nobody expected that, but I took advantage of my opportunity, and that’s what I encourage everyone to do regardless. I’ve got a ton of respect for Tom Brady, and you hear him talk about it all the time, about taking advantage of the moment. …

“You just want to take advantage of every opportunity that comes, and sometimes adversity builds the appropriate calluses for you to be able to forge your new paths and withstand different storms that are coming your way.”

In all, 34 quarterbacks from Alabama high schools and colleges have started NFL or AFL regular-season games.

In addition to the starting quarterbacks with Alabama football roots, the one-play-away QBs on Sunday will included the Jaguars’ Mac Jones (Alabama), Minnesota Vikings’ Nick Mullens (Spain Park) and Broncos’ Jarrett Stidham (Auburn).

Last week, the Las Vegas Raiders elevated Carter Bradley (South Alabama) from their practice squad to serve as the backup QB. Whether that happens again on Sunday likely depends on the readiness of Desmond Ridder, who was signed by Las Vegas off the Arizona Cardinals’ practice squad on Oct. 21.

The Alabama Game of the Week is the Los Angeles Chargers-Cleveland Browns contest on Sunday. Fourteen players from Alabama high schools and colleges are on the teams’ active rosters.

The Week 9 schedule (with all times Central and point spreads from BetMGM):

Thursday

· Houston Texans at New York Jets (-1.5), 7:15 p.m. (Prime Video)

Sunday

· Dallas Cowboys at Atlanta Falcons (-3), noon (WBRC, WZDX, WALA, WCOV, WDFX)

· Denver Broncos at Baltimore Ravens (-9), noon (WIAT, WTVY, WHNT, WAKA)

· Miami Dolphins at Buffalo Bills (-6), noon

· New Orleans Saints (-7.5) at Carolina Panthers, noon (WKRG)

· Las Vegas Raiders at Cincinnati Bengals (-7), noon

· Los Angeles Chargers (-1.5) at Cleveland Browns, noon

· Washington Commanders (-4) at New York Giants, noon

· New England Patriots at Tennessee Titans (-3.5), noon

· Chicago Bears at Arizona Cardinals (-1), 3:05 p.m.

· Jacksonville Jaguars at Philadelphia Eagles (-7.5), 3:05 p.m.

· Detroit Lions (-3.5) at Green Bay Packers, 3:25 p.m. (WBRC, WZDX, WALA, WCOV, WDFX)

· Los Angeles Rams (-1.5) at Seattle Seahawks, 3:25 p.m.

· Indianapolis Colts at Minnesota Vikings (-5.5), 7:20 p.m. (NBC)

Monday

· Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Kansas City Chiefs (-9), 7:15 p.m. (ABC, ESPN)

CHECK OUT MAPS OF SUNDAY’S BROADCAST TV COVERAGE

Teams on their bye this week are the Pittsburgh Steelers and San Francisco 49ers.

FOR MORE OF AL.COM’S COVERAGE OF THE NFL, GO TO OUR NFL PAGE

Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.