UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - A total of 42 Penn State alums are populating the rosters of 23 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.
Leading the highlight reels, a pair of former Nittany Lion teammates had career-long gains, as Miles Sanders (Eagles) had a 74-yard touchdown run in his return to his native Pittsburgh and Mike Gesicki (Dolphins) had a 70-yard reception in a big win over the 49ers. Allen Robinson (Bears) had 10 catches for 90 yards in a one-point win over the Buccaneers, and now ranks sixth in the league in receiving yards.
Troy Apke (Washington) led Penn State alums in tackles for the week with five, while DaQuan Jones and Jack Crawford both made stops for the Titans in a win over the Bills in a historic Tuesday night game.
Marcus Allen (2014-17) LB, Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers 38, Eagles 29
Allen was inactive against the Eagles.
Adrian Amos (2011-14) S, Green Bay Packers
Bye Week
Troy Apke (2014-17) S, Washington Football Team
Rams 30, Washington 10
Apke started and had five tackles, including four solo.
Saquon Barkley (2015-17) RB, New York Giants
Cowboys 37, Giants 34
Barkley is out for the season due to a torn ACL.
Ryan Bates (2015-18) OT, Buffalo Bills
Titans 42, Bills 16
Bates saw action on special teams.
Nick Bowers (2015-19) TE, Las Vegas Raiders
Raiders 40, Chiefs 32
Bowers is on the Raiders practice squad.
Cam Brown (2016-19) LB, New York Giants
Cowboys 37, Giants 34
Brown recorded two assisted tackles on kickoff returns.
Jason Cabinda (2014-17) FB, Detroit Lions
Bye Week
Dan Chisena (2015, 18-19) WR, Minnesota Vikings
Seahawks 27, Vikings 26
Chisena saw some action on special teams.
Jack Crawford (2008-11) DT, Tennessee Titans
Titans 42, Bills 16
Crawford made one tackle and a quarterback hit.
Sam Ficken (2011-14) K, New York Jets
Cardinals 30, Jets 10
Ficken converted an extra point and a 26-yard field goal.
Mike Gesicki (2014-17) TE, Miami Dolphins
Dolphins 43, 49ers 17
Gesicki recorded five grabs for 91 yards, including a career-long 70-yard reception.
Mike Gesicki was HYPE 🗣 @mikegesicki @MiamiDolphins pic.twitter.com/UUMBm2tqoP
— The Checkdown (@thecheckdown) October 11, 2020
Blake Gillikin (2016-19) P, New Orleans Saints
Saints 30, Chargers 27
Gillikin is on the injured reserve list due to a back injury.
Kevin Givens (2015-18) DT, San Francisco 49ers
Dolphins 43, 49ers 17
Givens recorded two tackles, including a tackle for loss.
Chris Godwin (2014-16) WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Bears 20, Buccaneers 19
Godwin was inactive against the Bears with an injury.
Robbie Gould (2001-04) K, San Francisco 49ers
Dolphins 43, 49ers 17
Gould successfully converted two extra points and a 37-yard field goal.
Yetur Gross-Matos (2017-19) DE, Carolina Panthers
Panthers 23, Falcons 16
Gross-Matos made an assisted tackle and had one quarterback hit.
Grant Haley (2014-17) CB, New Orleans Saints
Saints 30, Chargers 27
Haley is on the Saints practice squad.
DaeSean Hamilton (2014-17) WR, Denver Broncos
Game Postponed
KJ Hamler (2017-19) WR, Denver Broncos
Game Postponed
Chris Hogan (men's lacrosse - 2007-10) WR, New York Jets
Cardinals 30, Jets 10
Hogan started for the Jets and had three receptions for 20 yards.
Jesse James (2012-14) TE, Detroit Lions
Bye Week
Austin Johnson (2012-15) NT, New York Giants
Cowboys 37, Giants 34
Johnson saw action on defense.
DaQuan Jones (2010-13) DE, Tennessee Titans
Titans 42, Bills 16
Jones started and made two stops.
Sean Lee (2005-07, 2009) OLB, Dallas Cowboys
Cowboys 37, Giants 34
Lee is on injured reserve.
Jordan Lucas (2012-15) SS, Chicago Bears
Bears 20, Buccaneers 19
Lucas has opted out of the 2020 season due to Covid-19.
Connor McGovern (2016-18) OG, Dallas Cowboys
Cowboys 37, Giants 34
McGovern saw limited action on offense and special teams.
Trace McSorley (2014-18) QB, Baltimore Ravens
Ravens 27, Bengals 3
McSorley was inactive against the Bengals.
Carl Nassib (2011-15) DE, Las Vegas Raiders
Raiders 40, Chiefs 32
Nassib saw limited action on defense.
Amani Oruwariye (2014-18) CB, Detroit Lions
Bye Week
John Reid (2015-19) CB, Houston Texans
Texans 30, Jaguars 14
Reid saw limited action on special teams.
Allen Robinson II (2011-13) WR, Chicago Bears
Bears 20, Buccaneers 19
Robinson led the Bears in receiving with 90 yards on 10 receptions. He ranks fifth in the league with 421 receiving yards for the year.
Miles Sanders (2016-18) RB, Philadelphia Eagles
Steelers 38, Eagles 29
Sanders' Pittsburgh homecoming was highlighted by a career-long 74-yard touchdown run in the first quarter. It was the longest run by an Eagles player since 2000. He added a second touchdown in the second quarter.
Pittsburgh native Miles Sanders goes 74 YARDS for the @Eagles touchdown! #FlyEaglesFly @BoobieMilesXXIV
— NFL (@NFL) October 11, 2020
📺: #PHIvsPIT on FOX
📱: NFL app // Yahoo Sports app: https://t.co/BGCKhfX8uY pic.twitter.com/Y3Sl2naxph
Nick Scott (2014-18) S, Los Angeles Rams
Rams 30, Washington 10
Scott saw action on special teams.
A.Q. Shipley (2005-08) C, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Bears 20, Buccaneers 19
Shipley was active, but did not play in Week 5 against the Bears.
Donovan Smith (2012-13) OT, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Bears 20, Buccaneers 19
Smith started and saw every snap on offense.
Ross Travis (men's basketball - 2011-14) TE, New York Jets
Cardinals 30, Jets 10
Travis is on the Jets practice squad.
Trevor Williams (2012-15) CB, Philadelphia Eagles
Steelers 38, Eagles 29
Williams was placed on injured reserve with a rib injury.
Robert Windsor (2015-19) DT, Indianapolis Colts
Browns 32, Colts 23
Windsor is on the Colts practice squad.
Stefen Wisniewski (2007-10) OG, Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers 38, Eagles 29
Wisniewski was placed on the injured reserve list due to a pectoral injury he sustained Week 1.
Anthony Zettel (2012-15) DE, New Orleans Saints
Saints 30, Chargers 27
Zettel is on the Saints practice squad.