UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - A total of 32 Penn State football alumni are populating the rosters of 20 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.
Sean Lee of the Cowboys and Saquon Barkley and Grant Haley of the Giants all wore the Nittany Lion logo on the gridiron again, as the NFL honored the 150th anniversary of the first college football game on Monday Night Football with college logo helmet stickers. The veteran Lee did not let up on the recent alums on the other side of the ball, as half of his 12 tackles on the night came at Barkley's expense.
A trio of former Nittany Lions set career bests in Week 9, led by Mike Gesicki, who did so in catches (6) and yards (95) to help the Dolphins to their first win since Week 14 of the 2018 season. Additionally, Sam Ficken converted on a career-long 52-yard field goal for the Jets in the loss to the Dolphins and Troy Apke started his second-straight game at safety for the Redskins and made a career-high seven tackles.
Marcus Allen (2014-17) S, Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers 26, Colts 24
Allen is on the Steelers practice squad.
Adrian Amos (2011-14) FS, Green Bay Packers
Chargers 26, Packers 11
Amos started at safety and recorded seven tackles, all solo stops, against the Chargers.
Troy Apke (2014-17) S, Washington Redskins
Bills 24, Redskins 9
Apke started at safety and recorded seven tackles, six of which were solo stops, and a tackle for loss against the Bills.
Saquon Barkley (2015-17) RB, New York Giants
Cowboys 37, Giants 18
Barkley rushed for 28 yards on 14 carries and caught six passes for 67 yards on Monday Night Football.
Ryan Bates (2015-18) OL, Buffalo Bills
Bills 24, Redskins 9
Playing in his second career game, Bates saw time on special teams in a win over the Redskins.
Jason Cabinda (2014-17) LB, Detroit Lions
Raiders 31, Lions 24
Cabinda is on the Lions practice squad.
Jack Crawford (2008-11) DL, Atlanta Falcons
Bye Week
Sam Ficken (2011-14) K, New York Jets
Dolphins 26, Jets 18
Ficken made three out of four field goal attempts, including a career-long 52-yard field goal, and converted on his only extra point attempt against the Dolphins.
Mike Gesicki (2014-17) TE, Miami Dolphins
Dolphins 26, Jets 18
Gesicki recorded six receptions for 95 yards – both career highs – in a win over the Jets, the Dolphins' first win of the season.
Kevin Givens (2015-18) DL, San Francisco 49ers
49ers 28, Cardinals 25
Givens is on the 49ers practice squad.
Chris Godwin (2014-16) WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Seahawks 40, Buccaneers 34
Godwin started at wide receiver, recording seven receptions for 61 yards, and rushed once for 8 yards against the Seahawks. Godwin is currently fifth in the league in receiving yards with 766.
Robbie Gould (2001-04) K, San Francisco 49ers
49ers 28, Cardinals 25
Gould converted on all four extra point attempts in a win over the Cardinals.
Grant Haley (2014-17) CB, New York Giants
Cowboys 37, Giants 18
Haley was active, but did not play.
DaeSean Hamilton (2014-17) WR, Denver Broncos
Broncos 24, Browns 19
Hamilton started at wide receiver helping the Broncos to a win over the Browns.
Chris Hogan (men's lacrosse - 2007-10) WR, Carolina Panthers
Panthers 30, Titans 20
Hogan in on injured reserve.
Mike Hull (2011-14) LB, Miami Dolphins
Dolphins 26, Jets 18
Hull is on injured reserve.
Jesse James (2012-14) TE, Detroit Lions
Raiders 31, Lions 24
James started at tight end and recorded one reception for 3 yards against the Raiders.
DaQuan Jones (2010-13) DE, Tennessee Titans
Panthers 30, Titans 20
Jones started on defense and recorded six combined tackles and a pass deflected against the Panthers.
Austin Johnson (2012-15) DL, Tennessee Titans
Panthers 30, Titans 20
Johnson saw action on both defense and special teams to record four combined tackles against the Panthers.
Sean Lee (2005-07, 2009) MLB, Dallas Cowboys
Cowboys 37, Giants 18
Lee earned the start and tied for the team lead in tackles with 12, including nine solo stops. Half of his stops came at the expense of Saquon Barkley, including five solo tackles, of which one was for a 7-yard loss. The 12 tackles were the most by Lee since 2017.
Jordan Lucas (2012-15) CB, Kansas City Chiefs
Chiefs 26, Vikings 23
Lucas saw time on defense and recorded a tackle on special teams in a win over the Vikings.
Connor McGovern (2016-18) OL, Dallas Cowboys
Cowboys 37, Giants 18
McGovern is on injured reserve.
Trace McSorley (2014-18) QB, Baltimore Ravens
Ravens 37, Patriots 20
McSorley was not active against the Patriots.
Shareef Miller (2015-18) DE, Philadelphia Eagles
Eagles 22, Bears 14
Miller was not active against the Bears.
Carl Nassib (2011-15) DE, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Seahawks 40, Buccaneers 34
Nassib started on defense but left the game late in the first quarter with an injury.
Amani Oruwariye (2014-18) CB, Detroit Lions
Raiders 31, Lions 24
Oruwariye was not active against the Raiders.
Allen Robinson (2011-13) WR, Chicago Bears
Eagles 22, Bears 14
Robinson started at wide receiver recording one reception for 6 yards against the Eagles.
Miles Sanders (2016-18) RB, Philadelphia Eagles
Eagles 22, Bears 14
Sanders rushed 10 times for 42 yards and caught three receptions for 31 yards in a win over the Bears.
Nick Scott (2014-18) S, Los Angeles Rams
Bye Week
A.Q. Shipley (2005-08) C, Arizona Cardinals
49ers 28, Cardinals 25
Shipley started at center against the 49ers.
Donovan Smith (2012-13) T, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Seahawks 40, Buccaneers 34
Smith started at left tackle against the Seahawks, marking his 72nd consecutive start.
Cameron Wake (2000, 02-04) OLB, Tennessee Titans
Panthers 30, Titans 20
Wake saw time on defense against the Panthers.
Stefen Wisniewski (2007-10) C/G, Kansas City Chiefs
Chiefs 26, Vikings 23
Wisniewski saw time on special teams in a win over the Vikings.
