A total of 34 Penn State football alumni are populating the rosters of 21 National Football League teams. The Nittany Lions are perennially a top-20 program in producing players in the NFL. Each week throughout the year, GoPSUsports.com provides updates on the exploits of these former Nittany Lion greats.
Week 14 of the NFL season featured yet another standout performance from Saquon Barkley. Barkley ran for 170 yards, second highest total among running backs this week, and had an exciting 78-yard touchdown in a rout of the Redskins. With his performance, he surpassed 1,000 rushing yards on the season to become the first Giant rookie to accomplish the feat.
Fellow rookie DaeSean Hamilton put together the best game of his career despite falling to the 49ers and fellow Penn State football alumni Robbie Gould and Garry Gilliam. Hamilton had his first touchdown catch and grabbed seven receptions in the loss.
In addition to Barkley and Hamilton, Allen Robinson and Carl Nassib had productive days. Robinson led the Bears in all major receiving stats in a win over the now 11-2 Rams. Nassib had a strip-sack on MVP candidate Drew Brees.
Marcus Allen (2014-17) S, Pittsburgh Steelers
Raiders 24, Steelers 21
Allen was listed as inactive.
Adrian Amos (2011-14) FS, Chicago Bears
Bears 16, Rams 6
Amos started and recorded two tackles.
Troy Apke (2014-17) S, Washington Redskins
Giants 40, Redskins 16
Apke is on injured reserve.
Saquon Barkley (2015-17) RB, New York Giants
Giants 40, Redskins 16
Barkley compiled 170 yards on 14 carries, highlighted by a 78-yard touchdown run, while also catching four passes for 27 yards. It was his 13th touchdown of the season, setting a Giants rookie record. Barkley has four rushing touchdowns of 50 or more yards this season. The Giants had just three total 50-plus rushing scores from 2008-17.
Barkley has 1,124 rushing yards on the season, which is third behind the Ram's Todd Gurley (1,203 yards) and the Cowboys' Ezekiel Elliott (1,262 yards). Barkley also has 1,753 yards from scrimmage, which trails Elliott (1,764 yards) by just 11 yards. Barkley is the first Giants rookie to reach the 1,000-yard mark on the ground.
Brandon Bell (2013-16) LB, Cincinnati Bengals
Chargers 26, Bengals 21
Bell saw action on special teams.
Saeed Blacknall (2014-17) WR, Oakland Raiders
Raiders 24, Steelers 21
Blacknall is on the Raiders practice squad.
Jason Cabinda (2014-17) LB, Oakland Raiders
Raiders 24, Steelers 21
Cabinda made his third start of the season and made a pair of tackles.
Curtis Cothran (2013-17) DT, Minnesota Vikings
Seahawks 21, Vikings 7
Cothran is on the Vikings practice squad.
Jack Crawford (2008-11) DL, Atlanta Falcons
Packers 34, Falcons 20
Crawford started at defensive tackle and made three tackles with one tackle for loss and a hit on the quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
Mike Gesicki (2014-17) TE, Miami Dolphins
Dolphins 34, Patriots 33
Gesicki started at tight end for the fifth time this season and was targeted once.
Garry Gilliam (2010-12) OL, San Francisco 49ers
49ers 20, Broncos 14
Gilliam saw action on special teams and offense.
Chris Godwin (2014-16) WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Saints 28, Buccaneers 14
Godwin made his second start of the season but was limited to one catch for 13 yards.
Malik Golden (2012-16) S, Pittsburgh Steelers
Raiders 24, Steelers 21
Golden is on injured reserve with a knee injury.
Robbie Gould (2001-04) K, San Francisco 49ers
49ers 20, Broncos 14
Gould hit field goals from 20 and 40 yards and also converted two extra points.
Grant Haley (2014-17) CB, New York Giants
Giants 40, Redskins 16
Haley made his sixth consecutive start and recorded five total tackles.
DaeSean Hamilton (2014-17) WR, Denver Broncos
49ers 20, Broncos 14
Hamilton started for the second time this season and had seven receptions for 47 yards, which were all career highs. He also caught a 1-yard touchdown reception in the fourth quarter for his first career touchdown.
Gerald Hodges (2009-12) LB, Arizona Cardinals
Lions 17, Cardinals 3
Hodges started at middle linebacker and recorded five total tackles with one tackle for a loss.
Chris Hogan (men's lacrosse - 2007-10) WR, New England Patriots
Dolphins 34, Patriots 33
Hogan was targeted once in a last-second loss to the Dolphins.
Mike Hull (2011-14) LB, Miami Dolphins
Dolphins 34, Patriots 33
Hull assisted on a tackle on a kickoff in extensive action on special teams.
Jesse James (2012-14) TE, Pittsburgh Steelers
Raiders 24, Steelers 21
James started at tight end for the seventh time this season and caught two passes for 28 yards.
DaQuan Jones (2010-13) DE, Tennessee Titans
Titans 30, Jaguars 9
Jones started and made one tackle.
Austin Johnson (2012-15) DL, Tennessee Titans
Titans 30, Jaguars 9
Johnson made two tackles in action on defense and special teams.
Sean Lee (2005-07, 2009) MLB, Dallas Cowboys
Cowboys 29, Eagles 23
Lee was not active with a hamstring injury.
Jordan Lucas (2012-15) CB, Kansas City Chiefs
Chiefs 27, Ravens 24
Lucas saw action on special teams.
Brendan Mahon (2013-17) OL, Carolina Panthers
Browns 26, Panthers 20
Mahon was placed on injured reserve due to a concussion sustained in practice leading up to the Browns game.
Carl Nassib (2011-15) DE, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Saints 28, Buccaneers 14
Nassib started for the Buccaneers at defensive end for the seventh time in eight weeks and was productive with three tackles and a strip-sack of Drew Brees in Bucs territory that setup a field goal.
Allen Robinson (2011-13) WR, Chicago Bears
Bears 16, Rams 6
Robinson led the Bears with five catches and 42 yards. He had an 8-yard reception in the third quarter to the Rams' 2-yard line, leading to a crucial Bears touchdown two plays later.
A.Q. Shipley (2005-08) C, Arizona Cardinals
Lions 17, Cardinals 3
Shipley is on injured reserve with an ACL injury and out for the season.
Garrett Sickels (2013-16) LB, Los Angeles Rams
Bears 16, Rams 6
Sickels is on injured reserve.
Donovan Smith (2012-13) T, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Saints 28, Buccaneers 14
Smith started at left tackle for the Buccaneers and has started all 61 games of his career.
Nate Stupar (2008-11) LB, New York Giants
Giants 40, Redskins 16
Stupar saw action on special teams and recorded one tackle.
Ross Travis (men's basketball - 2011-14) TE, Indianapolis Colts
Colts 24, Texans 21
Travis is on injured reserve with an ACL injury.
Cameron Wake (2000, 02-04) DE, Miami Dolphins
Dolphins 34, Patriots 33
Wake started and assisted on a pair of tackles and defended one pass.
Trevor Williams (2012-15) CB, Los Angeles Chargers
Chargers 26, Bengals 21
Williams was inactive for the fourth time in five weeks with a lingering knee injury.
Stefen Wisniewski (2007-10) G/C, Philadelphia Eagles
Cowboys 29, Eagles 23
Wisniewski saw action at guard and on special teams.
Anthony Zettel (2012-15) DL, Cleveland Browns
Browns 26, Panthers 20
Zettel saw limited action on defense and special teams in a win over the Panthers.
