UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - A total of 40 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.
Nittany Lion alums were not kind to opposing quarterbacks in Week 10 with a pair of interceptions and a sack. Defensive end Carl Nassib (Raiders) dropped back in coverage for his first career pick against Denver, while Adrian Amos (Packers) made his first interception of the season and sixth of his career against Jacksonville. DaQuan Jones (Titans) made his second sack of the season, bringing down Philip Rivers.
Joining fellow D-line alums with a standout effort was Yetur Gross-Matos (Panthers) with a career-high five tackles, however his efforts were not enough to overcome those of a trio of Penn Staters on the Buccaneers. A.Q. Shipley made his first start of the season at center, and he and Donovan Smith cleared the way for the Bucs to total 541 yards of offense, including 92 yards on six catches for wide receiver Chris Godwin.
Marcus Allen (2014-17) LB, Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers 36, Bengals 10
Allen recorded an assisted tackle.
Adrian Amos (2011-14) S, Green Bay Packers
Packers 24, Jaguars 20
Amos recorded two solo tackles and intercepted a pass for a gain of 23 yards.
.@_SmashAmos31 with the INT!#JAXvsGB | #GoPackGo
— Green Bay Packers (@packers) November 15, 2020
📺 FOX
📱 https://t.co/2UxGSiVlvn pic.twitter.com/3ZITD3aWah
Troy Apke (2014-17) S, Washington Football Team
Lions 30, Washington 27
Apke recorded one solo tackle.
Saquon Barkley (2015-17) RB, New York Giants
Giants 27, Eagles 17
Barkley is out for the season due to a torn ACL.
Ryan Bates (2015-18) OT, Buffalo Bills
Cardinals 32, Bills 30
Bates saw action on special teams.
Nick Bowers (2015-19) TE, Las Vegas Raiders
Raiders 37, Broncos 12
Bowers is on the Raiders practice squad.
Cam Brown (2016-19) LB, New York Giants
Giants 27, Eagles 17
Brown recorded a quarterback hit and saw extensive action on special teams.
Jason Cabinda (2014-17) FB, Detroit Lions
Lions 30, Washington 27
Cabinda saw action at fullback and on special teams.
Dan Chisena (2015, 18-19) WR, Minnesota Vikings
Vikings 19, Bears 13
Chisena recorded a solo tackle on a kick return.
Jack Crawford (2008-11) DT, Tennessee Titans
Colts 34, Titans 17
Crawford made five tackles, including two solo stops and a quarterback hit.
Sam Ficken (2011-14) K, New York Jets
Bye Week
Mike Gesicki (2014-17) TE, Miami Dolphins
Dolphins 29, Chargers 21
Gesicki recorded two receptions for 40 yards.
Blake Gillikin (2016-19) P, New Orleans Saints
Saints 27, 49ers 13
Gillikin is on the injured reserve list.
Kevin Givens (2015-18) DT, San Francisco 49ers
Saints 27, 49ers 13
Givens saw action on defense and special teams.
Chris Godwin (2014-16) WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Buccaneers 46, Panthers 23
Godwin recorded six grabs for 92 yards.
Robbie Gould (2001-04) K, San Francisco 49ers
Saints 27, 49ers 13
Gould went 2-for-2 on 32-and-40 yard field goals, respectively, and went 1-for-1 on extra points.
Yetur Gross-Matos (2017-19) DE, Carolina Panthers
Buccaneers 46, Panthers 23
Gross-Matos started on defense and recorded a career-high five tackles, including one for a loss.
Grant Haley (2014-17) CB, New Orleans Saints
Saints 27, 49ers 13
Haley is on the Saints practice squad.
DaeSean Hamilton (2014-17) WR, Denver Broncos
Raiders 37, Broncos 12
Hamilton scored a touchdown and recorded four grabs for 33 yards.
KJ Hamler (2017-19) WR, Denver Broncos
Raiders 37, Broncos 12
Hamler recorded four grabs for 50 yards and has been the Broncos most targeted receiver the past two weeks.
Chris Hogan (men's lacrosse - 2007-10) WR, New York Jets
Bye Week
Jesse James (2012-14) TE, Detroit Lions
Lions 30, Washington 27
James started on offense and had two grabs for 9 yards.
Austin Johnson (2012-15) NT, New York Giants
Giants 27, Eagles 17
Johnson recorded two assisted tackles.
DaQuan Jones (2010-13) DE, Tennessee Titans
Colts 34, Titans 17
Jones had a big day on defense with five tackles, including four solo stops and a sack resulting in a loss of 11 yards for the Colts.
Sean Lee (2005-07, 2009) OLB, Dallas Cowboys
Bye Week
Jordan Lucas (2012-15) SS, Chicago Bears
Vikings 19, Bears 13
Lucas opted out of the 2020 season due to Covid-19.
Connor McGovern (2016-18) OG, Dallas Cowboys
Bye Week
Trace McSorley (2014-18) QB, Baltimore Ravens
Patriots 23, Ravens 17
McSorley was not active against the Ravens.
Carl Nassib (2011-15) DE, Las Vegas Raiders
Raiders 37, Broncos 12
Nassib recorded his first career interception in the fourth quarter for a Raiders gain of 23 yards.
Carl Nassib with the big man theft 🚨 @Raiders
— The Checkdown (@thecheckdown) November 15, 2020
📺 #DENvsLV on CBS pic.twitter.com/r13TMkRfEO
Amani Oruwariye (2014-18) CB, Detroit Lions
Lions 30, Washington 27
Oruwariye started on defense and recorded three solo tackles, one assisted, and broke up a pass.
John Reid (2015-19) CB, Houston Texans
Browns 10, Texans 7
Reid saw limited action on special teams.
Allen Robinson II (2011-13) WR, Chicago Bears
Vikings 19, Bears 13
Robinson led his team in receptions with six receptions for 43 yards. Robinson ranks eighth in the NFL with 755 receiving yards and sixth with 63 catches.
Miles Sanders (2016-18) RB, Philadelphia Eagles
Giants 27, Eagles 17
Sanders had 15 rushes for 85 yards and two receptions for 10 yards in his first game back from an injury.
Nick Scott (2014-18) S, Los Angeles Rams
Rams 23, Seahawks 16
Scott recorded two solo tackles on defense and saw extensive action on special teams.
A.Q. Shipley (2005-08) C, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Buccaneers 46, Panthers 23
Shipley started for the first time this season and helped the Bucs offense to rack up 544 net yards of offense, including a franchise-record 98-yard touchdown run.
Donovan Smith (2012-13) OT, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Buccaneers 46, Panthers 23
Smith started helped clear the way for the Bucs offense to rack up 544 net yards of offense, including a franchise-record 98-yard touchdown run.
Ross Travis (men's basketball - 2011-14) TE, New York Jets
Bye Week
Robert Windsor (2015-19) DT, Indianapolis Colts
Colts 34, Titans 17
Windsor is on the Colts practice squad.
Anthony Zettel (2012-15) DE, New Orleans Saints
Saints 27, 49ers 13
Zettel is on the Saints practice squad.