UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - A total of 35 Penn State football alumni are populating the rosters of 22 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.
The regular season concluded with Saquon Barkley making his final case for Rookie of the Year, once again etching his name in the record books by breaking the NFL rookie receptions record for a running back and surpassing 2,000 yards from scrimmage for the year to become just the third rookie in NFL history to do so. Second-year receiver Chris Godwin also concluded his season on a high note, totaling two touchdowns and more than 100 yards receiving.
Six Penn Staters on active rosters will advance to the playoffs: Adrian Amos and Allen Robinson II (Bears), Jordan Lucas (Chiefs), Sean Lee (Cowboys), Stefen Wisniewski (Eagles) and Chris Hogan (Patriots).
Marcus Allen (2014-17) S, Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers 16, Bengals 13
Allen played in his second career game and recorded his first career solo tackle on his lone defensive snap. He also saw action on special teams.
Adrian Amos (2011-14) FS, Chicago Bears
Bears 24, Vikings 10
Amos made five tackles and broke up a fourth-down pass in the fourth quarter for the playoff-bound Bears.
Troy Apke (2014-17) S, Washington Redskins
Eagles 24, Redskins 0
Apke is on injured reserve.
Saquon Barkley (2015-17) RB, New York Giants
Cowboys 36, Giants 35
Barkley rushed for 109 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries and caught four passes for 33 yards, tying the NFL rookie record for 100-plus scrimmage-yard games with 13 and becoming just the third rookie to surpass 2,000 scrimmage yards for the season, joining Eric Dickerson and Edgerrin James. Barkley also totaled 91 receptions for the season, setting an NFL rookie running back record. He led the NFL with 2,028 scrimmage yards and was second with 1,307 rushing yards.
Brandon Bell (2013-16) LB, Cincinnati Bengals
Steelers 16, Bengals 13
Bell saw extensive action on special teams and assisted on a tackle on a kickoff.
Saeed Blacknall (2014-17) WR, Oakland Raiders
Chiefs 35, Raiders 3
Blacknall is on the Raiders practice squad.
Jason Cabinda (2014-17) LB, Oakland Raiders
Chiefs 35, Raiders 3
Cabinda assisted on a tackle, seeing action on defense and special teams.
Chris Campbell (2014-17) CB, New Orleans Saints
Panthers 33, Saints 14
Campbell is on the Saints practice squad.
Curtis Cothran (2013-17) DT, Minnesota Vikings
Bears 24, Vikings 10
Cothran is on the Vikings practice squad.
Jack Crawford (2008-11) DL, Atlanta Falcons
Falcons 34, Buccaneers 32
Crawford started at defensive tackle and assisted on a tackle.
Mike Gesicki (2014-17) TE, Miami Dolphins
Bills 42, Dolphins 17
Gesicki made his seventh start of the season and had one catch for 18 yards. He concluded his rookie campaign with 22 catches for 202 yards.
Garry Gilliam (2010-12) OL, San Francisco 49ers
Rams 48, 49ers 32
Gilliam saw limited action on offense and special teams.
Chris Godwin (2014-16) WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Falcons 34, Buccaneers 32
Godwin made his fifth start of the season. He and teammate Mike Evans became the first pair to tally 100 receiving yards and two touchdowns in the same game in franchise history. Godwin finished with a season-high 114 yards on six catches with touchdowns of 30 and 19 yards.
Malik Golden (2012-16) S, Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers 16, Bengals 13
Golden is on injured reserve with a knee injury.
Robbie Gould (2001-04) K, San Francisco 49ers
Rams 48, 49ers 32
Gould converted his lone field goal attempt and three extra points. He has converted his last 23 consecutive field goal attempts and finished the year 32-of-33 on field goals to lead the NFL with a 97 percent success rate.
Grant Haley (2014-17) CB, New York Giants
Cowboys 36, Giants 35
Haley made his ninth consecutive start and recorded three tackles.
DaeSean Hamilton (2014-17) WR, Denver Broncos
Chargers 23, Broncos 9
Hamilton started for the fifth time this season and had five catches for 49 yards to finish his rookie season with 30 catches for 243 yards.
Gerald Hodges (2009-12) LB, Arizona Cardinals
Seahawks 27, Cardinals 24
Hodges started and made five tackles in the season finale.
Chris Hogan (men's lacrosse - 2007-10) WR, New England Patriots
Patriots 38, Jets 3
Hogan matched a season high with six receptions on a career-high-tying 11 targets, totaling 64 yards, to lead Patriots receivers for the day. New England clinched a first-round bye in the playoffs with the win.
Mike Hull (2011-14) LB, Miami Dolphins
Bills 42, Dolphins 17
Hull made three tackles on defense and saw extensive action on special teams.
Jesse James (2012-14) TE, Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers 16, Bengals 13
James saw action on offense and special teams and was targeted once.
DaQuan Jones (2010-13) DE, Tennessee Titans
Colts 33, Titans 17
Jones started and made two tackles and had a quarterback hit, but it was not enough to push the Titans into the playoffs.
Austin Johnson (2012-15) DL, Tennessee Titans
Colts 33, Titans 17
Johnson made his ninth start of the season and assisted on a tackle.
Sean Lee (2005-07, 2009) MLB, Dallas Cowboys
Cowboys 36, Giants 35
Lee returned to the field in a limited role and assisted on three tackles, including one of fellow Penn Stater Saquon Barkley.
Jordan Lucas (2012-15) CB, Kansas City Chiefs
Chiefs 35, Raiders 3
Lucas saw action on defense and special teams and made two tackles.
Brendan Mahon (2013-17) OL, Carolina Panthers
Panthers 33, Saints 14
Mahon is on injured reserve.
Carl Nassib (2011-15) DE, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Falcons 34, Buccaneers 32
Nassib sat out the season finale with a shoulder injury. He finished the year with a career-high six sacks.
Allen Robinson (2011-13) WR, Chicago Bears
Bears 24, Vikings 10
Robinson sat out the season finale with a rib injury.
A.Q. Shipley (2005-08) C, Arizona Cardinals
Seahawks 27, Cardinals 24
Shipley is on injured reserve with an ACL injury and out for the season.
Garrett Sickels (2013-16) LB, Los Angeles Rams
Rams 48, 49ers 32
Sickels is on injured reserve.
Donovan Smith (2012-13) T, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Falcons 34, Buccaneers 32
Smith started at left tackle for the Buccaneers and has started all 64 games of his career. He and his fellow linemen yielded just one sack as quarterback Jameis Winston passed for 345 yards.
Nate Stupar (2008-11) LB, New York Giants
Cowboys 36, Giants 35
Stupar saw extensive action on special teams.
Ross Travis (men's basketball - 2011-14) TE, Indianapolis Colts
Colts 33, Titans 17
Travis is on injured reserve with an ACL injury.
Cameron Wake (2000, 02-04) DE, Miami Dolphins
Bills 42, Dolphins 17
Wake made four tackles and had one quarterback hit in the season finale.
Trevor Williams (2012-15) CB, Los Angeles Chargers
Chargers 23, Broncos 9
Williams was placed on injured reserve with a knee injury.
Stefen Wisniewski (2007-10) G/C, Philadelphia Eagles
Eagles 24, Redskins 0
Wisniewski made his 101st career start and helped the Eagles to a shutout win that allowed them clinch a playoff spot.
Anthony Zettel (2012-15) DL, Cleveland Browns
Ravens 26, Browns 24
Zettel saw action on defense and special teams in the season finale.
