August in the NFL is basically a meat grinder. You’ve got these small-town legends, guys who were absolute gods in their home states, and suddenly they're just numbers on a spreadsheet in a humid office in Vegas or Santa Clara. That’s the reality for Tommy Mellott and Junior Bergen, the two Montana icons who found out the hard way that the gap between FCS dominance and a 53-man roster is wider than the Continental Divide.
If you followed the Big Sky Conference last year, you know these names aren't just names. They’re institutions. Mellott, the "Touchdown Tommy" of Montana State, and Bergen, the electrifying returner from the University of Montana, were the rare rivals who actually shared a similar fate when the NFL cuts started rolling in.
Honestly, it’s kinda brutal.
The Raiders Experiment: Why Tommy Mellott Was Waived
The Las Vegas Raiders took a flyer on Mellott in the sixth round of the 2025 Draft. It made sense on paper. He was "Prospect X"—the anonymous small-school star everyone was whispering about before the draft. But here's what most people get wrong about the nfl cuts tommy mellott junior bergen situation: the Raiders didn't cut him because he couldn't play. They cut him because they didn't know what he was yet.
Mellott was a quarterback at Montana State. A damn good one. He had 33 wins and was the 2024 Walter Payton Award winner. But the NFL saw a 5-foot-11, 200-pounder with a 4.39-second 40-yard dash and said, "Cool, you're a wide receiver now."
🔗 Read more: Caitlin Clark GPA Iowa: The Truth About Her Tippie College Grades
That’s a massive ask.
During the 2025 preseason, Mellott caught two passes for exactly one yard. One. Yard. It wasn't enough. The Raiders waived him on August 26, 2025. It felt like the "Touchdown Tommy" era ended before the first kickoff, but the New Orleans Saints swooped in a week later to put him on their practice squad. They saw a "Taysom Hill lite" potential in him. Unfortunately, that didn't stick either; the Saints released him from the practice squad on October 7, 2025.
Junior Bergen and the 49ers Numbers Game
While Mellott was trying to learn how to run routes in Vegas, Junior Bergen was trying to find a lane in San Francisco. The 49ers grabbed Bergen with the 252nd pick—the "Mr. Irrelevant" neighborhood—specifically for his feet. The guy holds the FCS record with eight career punt return touchdowns.
Kyle Shanahan doesn't care about your college stats, though. He cares about if you can beat a gunner on a Tuesday in practice.
💡 You might also like: Barry Sanders Shoes Nike: What Most People Get Wrong
Bergen’s preseason was... fine. He looked shifty. He showed the 4.52 speed that worked so well in Missoula. But the 49ers wide receiver room was crowded, even with the injuries they were dealing with at the time. When the August 26 deadline hit, Bergen was on the list of NFL cuts.
The silver lining? Unlike Mellott, Bergen actually cleared waivers and stayed in the building. He signed back with the 49ers practice squad the very next day. He's been the ultimate "break glass in case of emergency" guy for San Francisco's special teams throughout the 2025-2026 cycle.
The Reality of the "Montana to NFL" Pipeline
It’s easy to look at these cuts and think the Big Sky talent doesn't translate. That’s a mistake. The issue isn't talent; it's the specific roles these guys were asked to fill.
- Mellott was a dual-threat QB trying to become a WR/Utility man.
- Bergen was a pure return specialist trying to prove he could also play slot in a pro-style offense.
The NFL is increasingly looking for "positionless" players, but if you don't have a "home" position where you're elite, you're always the first person the GM looks at when they need to shave the roster down to 53.
📖 Related: Arizona Cardinals Depth Chart: Why the Roster Flip is More Than Just Kyler Murray
What’s Next for Mellott and Bergen?
So, where are we now in early 2026?
Mellott is currently a free agent, reportedly working out and staying in "quarterback shape" while still being open to the receiver transition. There's been talk of him looking at the UFL or even a potential return to a training camp in 2026 with a team that actually wants to develop him as a gadget QB rather than a standard wideout.
Bergen, on the other hand, remains a "Niner." Being on the practice squad for a team that just finished a deep playoff run is basically an extended internship in the best offense in football. Don't be surprised if he's back in camp this summer with a much better shot at the 53-man roster, especially with the NFL's revised kickoff rules making returners more valuable than ever.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Aspiring Pro Scouts:
- Watch the Practice Squad Tracker: For guys like Bergen, the practice squad isn't a "fail." It's a developmental year. Keep an eye on "Future/Reserve" contracts signed in late January and February.
- The "Position Switch" Tax: If a player is switching positions (like Mellott), give them two full offseasons before writing them off. The learning curve for NFL defensive coverages is steep.
- Special Teams is the Door: Bergen’s path is through the return game. If he can't become a top-10 returner in the league, his NFL shelf life will be short.
The story of the nfl cuts tommy mellott junior bergen isn't over. It’s just moved from the bright lights of the stadium to the lonely film rooms where careers are actually built.