Vancouver's Giovanni Manu, Theo Benedet make respective NFL rosters

Tuesday was quite the day for folks from the Metro Vancouver Area.

The NFL's roster cut window has come and gone, and while that signals the end of opportunities for some, that wasn't the case for a pair of UBC Thunderbirds alumni.

Both Giovanni Manu and Theo Benedet — natives of Metro Vancouver — made their respective teams' 53-man rosters. Manu with the Detroit Lions and Benedet with the Chicago Bears.

Although neither offensive lineman is set to be a starter, both will be within striking distance of playing time depending on how the year unfolds. Manu is listed as the Lions' backup left tackle behind Taylor Decker, who's battled a knee injury throughout pre-season, while Benedet is slated to be the Bears' third-string right tackle.

Should both find themselves on the field during the 2025 campaign, they would be just the fourth and fifth players from UBC's football program to appear in an NFL regular-season game — joining Brant Bengen (Seattle Seahawks), Bill Crawford (New York Giants) and Dakoda Shepley (San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, Dallas Cowboys).

It wouldn't be the first time Manu made history for the school, as he became the first player from UBC taken in an NFL draft when Detroit selected him in the fourth round last year. Benedet, meanwhile, went undrafted in 2024 but was quickly signed by Chicago as a free agent. Both spent four years at UBC before going pro.

The NFL season kicks off on Sept. 4, a Thursday night primetime matchup between NFC East rivals in the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles. As for potential debuts for the Canadians, Manu and the Lions will open the year on the road against the Green Bay Packers (Sept. 7), while Benedet's Bears will host the Minnesota Vikings for Monday Night Football (Sept. 8) to conclude Week 1 action.

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