Sept. 13, 2017
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - A total of 28 Penn State football alumni are populating the active rosters of 20 National Football League teams. The Nittany Lions annually are among the top 20 programs nationally in producing players in the NFL. Each week throughout the year, GoPSUsports.com has provided updates on the exploits of these former Nittany Lion greats.
A total of 20 Nittany Lions saw action during the first week of NFL action in 2017. Jesse James' Penn State tight end record for touchdowns is under assault, but James is still finding the end zone, as the current Steeler crossed the goal line twice in a narrow win over the Browns for one of the top offensive performances by a Penn State alum in the opening week. Defensive standouts included Anthony Zettel's three-tackle and one-sack performance for the Lions in his first career start, while Sean Lee helped anchor the Cowboys' defense in a season-opening win over the Giants with seven tackles. Injuries unfortunately factored into Week 1, as Jaguars wide receiver Allen Robinson suffered a season-ending knee injury.
Adrian Amos (2011-14) FS, Chicago Bears
Falcons 23, Bears 17
Amos saw action on special teams in the loss to the Falcons.
Brandon Bell (2013-16) LB, Cincinnati Bengals
Ravens 20, Bengals 0
Bell is on the Bengals practice squad.
Navorro Bowman (2007-09) LB, San Francisco 49ers
Panthers 23, 49ers 3
Bowman started the game for the 49ers and had three tackles and two assists.
Kyle Carter (2012-15) TE, Minnesota Vikings
Vikings 29, Saints 19
Carter is on the Vikings practice squad.
Jack Crawford (2008-11) DE, Atlanta Falcons
Falcons 23, Bears 17
Crawford played nearly half of the Falcons' defensive snaps and had a pair of quarterback hits.
Garry Gilliam (2010-12) T, San Francisco 49ers
Panthers 23, 49ers 3
Gilliam saw action on special teams in his debut to the 49ers.
Chris Godwin (2014-16) WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Buccaneers vs. Dolphins game was rescheduled to Week 11 due to Hurricane Irma.
Robbie Gould (2001-04) K, San Francisco 49ers
Panthers 23, 49ers 3
Gould converted a 44-yard field goal, his only attempt on the day, in his first game with the 49ers.
Christian Hackenberg (2013-15) QB, New York Jets
Bills 21, Jets 12
Hackenberg was active but did not play.
Tamba Hali (2002-05) LB, Kansas City Chiefs
Chiefs 42, Patriots 27
Hali is on the physically-unable-to-perform (PUP) list.
Jordan Hill (2009-12) DT, Detroit Lions
Lions 35, Cardinals 23
Hill is on injured reserve.
Chris Hogan (men's lacrosse - 2007-10) WR, New England Patriots
Chiefs 42, Patriots 27
Hogan started and made one catch for eight yards and had three rushes for 17 yards in a loss to the Chiefs. Hogan had a 13-yard run to put the Patriots in field goal range and take a 10-7 lead in the second quarter.
Mike Hull (2011-14) LB, Miami Dolphins
The Buccaneers vs. Dolphins game was rescheduled to Week 11 due to Hurricane Irma.
Jesse James (2012-14) TE, Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers 21, Browns 18
James made six catches for 41 yards and two touchdowns in a season-opening victory over the Browns. It was James' first game with multiple touchdowns and is the sixth-highest yardage total of his NFL career.
DaQuan Jones (2010-13) DE, Tennessee Titans
Raiders 26, Titans 16
Jones started for the Titans and had one tackle and two assists on the day. Jones played more than half of the defensive snaps in the game.
Austin Johnson (2012-15) DT, Tennessee Titans
Raiders 26, Titans 16
Johnson had assisted on a tackle in a loss to the Raiders, playing on a quarter of the team's defensive snaps.
Sean Lee (2005-07, 2009) MLB, Dallas Cowboys
Cowboys 19, Giants 3
Lee started for the Cowboys and had seven tackles, including one for a loss. He forced a fourth down on a 3rd-and-short in the second quarter, forcing the Giants to punt.
Jordan Lucas (2012-15) CB, Miami Dolphins
The Buccaneers vs. Dolphins game was rescheduled to Week 11 due to Hurricane Irma.
Carl Nassib (2011-15) DE, Cleveland Browns
Steelers 21, Browns 18
Nassib started at defensive end for the Browns and sacked Ben Roethlisberger on the second play of the second half.
Paul Posluszny (2003-06) LB, Jacksonville Jaguars
Jaguars 29, Texans 7
Posluszny started the game for the Jaguars and had one tackle for a loss and one assist.
Allen Robinson (2011-13) WR, Jacksonville Jaguars
Jaguars 29, Houston 7
Robinson made one catch for 17 yards before an ACL injury to his left knee. Robinson is out for the rest of the season.
Evan Schwan (2013-16) DE, New York Giants
Cowboys 19, Giants 3
Schwan is on injured reserve with a broken foot.
A.Q. Shipley (2005-08) C, Arizona Cardinals
Lions 35, Cardinals 23
Shipley started at center and anchored an offensive line that yielded just one sack in a loss to the Lions.
Donovan Smith (2012-13) OT, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Buccaneers vs. Dolphins game was rescheduled to Week 11 due to Hurricane Irma.
Nate Stupar (2008-11) LB, New Orleans Saints
Vikings 29, Saints 19
Stupar did not see action due to a hamstring injury.
Ross Travis (men's basketball - 2011-14) TE, Kansas City Chiefs
Chiefs 42, Patriots 27
Travis started at tight end for the Chiefs.
Cameron Wake (2000, 02-04) DE, Miami Dolphins
The Buccaneers vs. Dolphins game was rescheduled to Week 11 due to Hurricane Irma.
Trevor Williams (2012-15) CB, Los Angeles Chargers
Broncos 24, Chargers 21
Williams recorded one solo tackle and assisted on another in a loss on Monday Night Football.
Stefen Wisniewski (2007-10) G/C, Philadelphia Eagles
Eagles 30, Redskins 17
Wisniewski saw action on special teams in a win over the Redskins.
Anthony Zettel, 2012-2015, DL, Detroit Lions
Lions 35, Cardinals 23
Zettel made his first career start for the Lions and had three tackles, two of them for a loss including a 5-yard sack.