This NFL puzzle ran on Aug 21, 2026. The task was to connect Ryan Shazier to Alex Smith with a chain of real players. The objective: “Your chain must include a Louisville alum.” Par was 3 links.
Ryan Shazier (ILB) played in the NFL from 2014 to 2017. A one-team career, spent with the Pittsburgh Steelers (2014 to 2017). College: Ohio State. As the Start of the chain, a household name like this gives you a lot of teammates to branch from, which makes it a friendly place to begin.
Alex Smith (QB) played in the NFL from 2005 to 2020. Career stops: the San Francisco 49ers (2005 to 2012), the Kansas City Chiefs (2013 to 2017), and the Washington Commanders (2018 to 2020). College: Utah. As the Finish of the chain, a household name like this gives you a lot of teammates to branch from, which makes it a friendly place to begin.
Ryan Shazier and Alex Smith do not share a team or a college, so there is no direct link. You need at least one connector in between, and the objective decides which ones are allowed to count.
This was a college objective. The chain has to pass through a player from the named school at some point, not necessarily as a link to the Start or Finish. Of the 17,973 players in the pool, 167 satisfy it. The best known are Lamar Jackson (QB, 2018 to 2026), DeVante Parker (WR, 2015 to 2023), Deion Branch (WR, 2002 to 2012), Sheldon Rankins (DL, 2016 to 2026), Sam Madison (DB, 1997 to 2008), and Elvis Dumervil (DE, 2006 to 2017).
6 of those players share a team or college with Ryan Shazier, and 32 share one with Alex Smith. The Start is the tighter side, so working forward from Ryan Shazier narrows the options fastest.
One shortest chain found by searching the full player pool, preferring the best known names at every step:
Many other chains work. Scoring rewards lower-profile connectors, so the best-known route is rarely the highest scoring one.
Want more? Browse the full NFL puzzle archive, read the strategy guides, or see how scoring works on How to Play.