This NFL puzzle ran on Aug 30, 2026. The task was to connect Courtney Brown to Robert Mathis with a chain of real players. The objective: “Links must alternate between a shared team and a shared college, starting with a shared team.” Par was 3 links.
Courtney Brown (DL) played in the NFL from 2000 to 2005. Career stops: the Cleveland Browns (2000 to 2004) and the Denver Broncos (2005). College: Penn 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.
Robert Mathis (DE) played in the NFL from 2003 to 2016. A one-team career, spent with the Indianapolis Colts (2003 to 2016). College: Alabama A&M. 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.
Courtney Brown and Robert Mathis 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 an alternating-link objective. Links have to take turns between a shared team and a shared college, in the order the objective states.
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.