Cowboys in the NFL: Jaylen Warren celebrates birthday with career performance, Chuba Hubbard scores at Lambeau

STILLWATER, Okla. — Former Oklahoma State running backs continue to make their presence felt across the NFL, with Jaylen Warren and Chuba Hubbard delivering standout performances during Week 8.

Warren celebrated his 28th birthday with one of the best games of his professional career, while Hubbard found the end zone at Lambeau Field. Meanwhile, another former Cowboy, Ollie Gordon II, experienced a frustrating afternoon in Miami.

Warren gave himself quite the birthday present Sunday, tying his career high with 143 rushing yards and scoring a touchdown in the Pittsburgh Steelers' 27–6 victory over the Cleveland Browns.

The former Cowboy averaged 8.4 yards on 17 carries, highlighted by a 51-yard run on third-and-13. Warren's performance helped Pittsburgh move into first place in the AFC North ahead of its bye week.

The 28-year-old has emerged as one of the NFL's most productive running backs this season, accumulating 704 rushing yards through eight games while averaging 5.9 yards per carry.

He also leads the league in yards per carry and yards after contact per carry among 40 qualifying running backs, according to data shared by SumerSports. Warren's success is another reminder of his remarkable journey from Oklahoma State to the NFL after going undrafted in 2022.

Another former Oklahoma State standout made an impact Thursday night. Hubbard rushed for 81 yards and a touchdown on 22 carries while adding seven receptions for 38 yards in Carolina's 27–19 loss to the Green Bay Packers.

His touchdown also produced a memorable celebration as Hubbard performed the traditional Lambeau Leap into the stands. Despite the individual success, Hubbard expressed frustration with Carolina's inability to capitalize on three Green Bay turnovers.

The former Cowboy has accumulated 540 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns through seven games this season. Hubbard is on pace to challenge his career-high 1,195 rushing yards from the 2024 season, when he also scored 10 rushing touchdowns.

It was a more difficult outing for former Oklahoma State star Ollie Gordon II. Gordon rushed for 69 yards on 19 carries in Miami's 24–19 loss to the New England Patriots.

However, a third-quarter taunting penalty proved costly for the Dolphins. With Miami leading 13–10 and facing third-and-5, Gordon was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct, turning the situation into third-and-20.

The Dolphins failed to convert, and New England scored on its following possession before eventually securing the victory. Gordon later addressed the incident with reporters and accepted responsibility for the mistake.

Several other Oklahoma State alumni contributed across the league.

Baltimore running back Justice Hill finished with 15 rushing yards and 20 receiving yards in the Ravens' loss to Buffalo. Detroit linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez recorded four tackles in the Lions' victory over Minnesota, while Amen Ogbongbemiga added a tackle and defensive lineman Tyler Lacy registered a quarterback hit. Cleveland wide receiver Tylan Wallace caught one pass for three yards against Pittsburgh, while Indianapolis defensive back Kenneth Harris recorded a tackle against Jacksonville.

With Warren and Hubbard continuing to produce at a high level, Oklahoma State's tradition of developing NFL running backs remains on display throughout the 2026 season.