UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - 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 13 of the NFL season featured an overtime-thriller with recent Penn State stars playing key roles, as Saquon Barkley and Grant Haley of the Giants faced-off against Allen Robinson II and Adrian Amos of the Bears. Barkley turned in yet another 100-yard performance, while Haley made a career-high eight tackles. Robinson caught five passes for 79 yards and Amos was able to stop Barkley on multiple occasions, but the Giants prevailed. Veteran linebacker Nate Stupar also contributed for the Giants on special teams.
Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin and Cardinals linebacker Gerald Hodges were standouts, as well. Godwin posted his second 100-plus yard receiving game of the season and scored a touchdown, while Hodges led the Cardinals in tackles for a second consecutive week.
Additionally, Marcus Allen became the ninth Nittany Lion to make his NFL debut this season.
Marcus Allen (2014-17) S, Pittsburgh Steelers
Chargers 33, Steelers 30
Allen made his NFL debut and assisted on one tackle. He saw action on defense and special teams.
Adrian Amos (2011-14) FS, Chicago Bears
Giants 30, Bears 27
Amos made four tackles, include a tackle for loss, and a pass breakup.
Troy Apke (2014-17) S, Washington Redskins
Eagles 28, Redskins 13
Apke is on injured reserve.
Saquon Barkley (2015-17) RB, New York Giants
Giants 30, Bears 27
Barkley rushed for 125 yards on 24 attempts and caught three passes for 21 yards in an overtime win over the Bears, marking the 11th time in 12 games that he has exceeded 100 yards from scrimmage. His longest run of the game was a 29-yard rush on the first play of overtime, which helped setup the game-winning field goal.
According to Giants.com, Barkley broke the team's rookie record for rushing yards with 954 on the season, topping the previous record of 830 set 82 years ago by Hall of Famer Tuffy Leemans in 1936. Barkley ranks third in the NFL with 1,556 yards from scrimmage behind the Rams' Todd Gurley (1,649) and the Cowboys' Ezekiel Elliot (1,573).
Brandon Bell (2013-16) LB, Cincinnati Bengals
Broncos 24, Bengals 10
Bell was inactive.
Saeed Blacknall (2014-17) WR, Oakland Raiders
Chiefs 40, Raiders 33
Blacknall is on the Raiders practice squad.
Jason Cabinda (2014-17) LB, Oakland Raiders
Chiefs 40, Raiders 33
Cabinda saw action on defense and special teams.
Curtis Cothran (2013-17) DT, Minnesota Vikings
Patriots 24, Vikings 10
Cothran is on the Vikings practice squad.
Jack Crawford (2008-11) DL, Atlanta Falcons
Ravens 26, Falcons 16
Crawford started at defensive tackle and made three tackles.
Mike Gesicki (2014-17) TE, Miami Dolphins
Dolphins 21, Bills 17
Gesicki was held without a catch but drew a crucial pass interference penalty in the fourth quarter to help the Dolphins fend off the Bills on the road.
Garry Gilliam (2010-12) OL, San Francisco 49ers
Seahawks 43, 49ers 16
Gilliam saw action on special teams.
Chris Godwin (2014-16) WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Buccaneers 24, Panthers 17
Godwin started for the first time this season and third time in his career. He caught five passes for 101 yards and a touchdown in a win over the Panthers. It was his second 100-yard game of the season.
Malik Golden (2012-16) S, Pittsburgh Steelers
Chargers 33, Steelers 30
Golden is on injured reserve with a knee injury.
Robbie Gould (2001-04) K, San Francisco 49ers
Seahawks 43, 49ers 16
Gould converted a 45-yard field goal and an extra point.
Grant Haley (2014-17) CB, New York Giants
Giants 30, Bears 27
Haley made his fifth consecutive start and made a career-high eight tackles, all solo, with two behind the line. One of his negative yardage stops came in overtime.
DaeSean Hamilton (2014-17) WR, Denver Broncos
Broncos 24, Bengals 10
Hamilton started and was on the field for 80 percent of the Broncos' offensive snaps, but was not targeted.
Gerald Hodges (2009-12) LB, Arizona Cardinals
Cardinals 20, Packers 17
Hodges started at middle linebacker and led the Cardinals with a career high-tying 13 tackles, including 12 solo stops, in a win over the Packers. It was his second-straight game leading the Cardinals in tackles.
Chris Hogan (men's lacrosse - 2007-10) WR, New England Patriots
Patriots 24, Vikings 10
Hogan made two receptions for 20 yards.
Mike Hull (2011-14) LB, Miami Dolphins
Dolphins 21, Bills 17
Hull saw extensive action on special teams.
Jesse James (2012-14) TE, Pittsburgh Steelers
Chargers 33, Steelers 30
James started at tight end for the sixth time this season and caught one pass for 7 yards.
DaQuan Jones (2010-13) DE, Tennessee Titans
Titans 26, Jets 22
Jones started and made three tackles.
Austin Johnson (2012-15) DL, Tennessee Titans
Titans 26, Jets 22
Johnson made one tackle in limited action on defense and special teams.
Sean Lee (2005-07, 2009) MLB, Dallas Cowboys
Cowboys 13, Saints 10
Lee was not active with a hamstring injury.
Jordan Lucas (2012-15) CB, Kansas City Chiefs
Chiefs 40, Raiders 33
Lucas saw action on special teams.
Brendan Mahon (2013-17) OL, Carolina Panthers
Buccaneers 24, Panthers 17
Mahon was inactive.
Carl Nassib (2011-15) DE, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Buccaneers 24, Panthers 17
Nassib started for the Buccaneers at defensive end for the sixth time in seven weeks and pressured Panthers quarterback Cam Newton with a pair of hits.
Allen Robinson (2011-13) WR, Chicago Bears
Giants 30, Bears 27
Robinson caught five passes for 79 yards in an overtime loss to the Giants. He converted a fourth-and-7 with a 10-yard reception in overtime, but the Bears were unable to get another first down.
A.Q. Shipley (2005-08) C, Arizona Cardinals
Cardinals 20, Packers 17
Shipley is on injured reserve with an ACL injury and out for the season.
Garrett Sickels (2013-16) LB, Los Angeles Rams
Rams 30, Lions 16
Sickels is on injured reserve.
Donovan Smith (2012-13) T, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Cardinals 20, Packers 17
Smith started at left tackle for the Buccaneers and has started all 60 games of his career.
Nate Stupar (2008-11) LB, New York Giants
Giants 30, Bears 27
Stupar saw extensive action on special teams and recorded one tackle.
Ross Travis (men's basketball - 2011-14) TE, Indianapolis Colts
Jaguars 6, Colts 0
Travis is on the injured reserve with an ACL injury.
Cameron Wake (2000, 02-04) DE, Miami Dolphins
Dolphins 21, Bills 17
Wake started and made a pair of tackles, including one for loss.
Trevor Williams (2012-15) CB, Los Angeles Chargers
Chargers 33, Steelers 30
Williams returned to action after missing three games due to injury, but was limited to one snap on defense and 10 on special teams.
Stefen Wisniewski (2007-10) G/C, Philadelphia Eagles
Eagles 28, Redskins 13
Wisniewski saw limited action at guard and on special teams.
Anthony Zettel (2012-15) DL, Cleveland Browns
Texans 29, Browns 13
Zettel made a pair of tackles in limited action.
