UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – A total of 39 Penn State alums are populating the rosters of 24 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.
Defensive performances stood out with Penn State alums during Week 15. Adrian Amos defended three passes, recorded a sack and had seven tackles in the Packers 24-16 victory over the Panthers. Defensive end Carl Nassib also made two tackles for loss and defended a pass for the Raiders in their Thursday night contest vs. the Chargers.
Wide receiver Allen Robinson II continues to have a stellar year for the Chicago Bears, as he is seventh in the NFL with 90 receptions and ninth with 1,110 yards. Also offensively, Miles Sanders has 810 yards on the ground is averaging 5.4 yards per rush.
Entering Week 16, 28 Penn State alums are on rosters of teams that are still alive in the playoff race.
Marcus Allen (2014-17) LB, Pittsburgh Steelers
Bengals 27, Steelers 17
Allen started his second consecutive game and made six tackles.
Adrian Amos (2011-14) S, Green Bay Packers
Packers 24, Panthers 16
Amos made seven tackles, one sack and defended three passes.
Troy Apke (2014-17) S, Washington Football Team
Seahawks 20, Football Team 15
Apke assisted on two tackles on special teams.
Saquon Barkley (2015-17) RB, New York Giants
Browns 20, Giants 6
Barkley is out for the season due to a torn ACL.
Ryan Bates (2015-18) OT, Buffalo Bills
Bills 48, Broncos 19
Bates saw four snaps at center and eight snaps on special teams.
Brothers 🤞@52batesryan @Kj_hamler #MadeInHappyValley#WeAre pic.twitter.com/l6SmPLZxAW
— Penn State Football (@PennStateFball) December 21, 2020
Nick Bowers (2015-19) TE, Las Vegas Raiders
Chargers 30, Raiders 27
Bowers is on the Raiders practice squad.
Cam Brown (2016-19) LB, New York Giants
Browns 20, Giants 6
Brown saw 15 snaps on special teams.
Jason Cabinda (2014-17) FB, Detroit Lions
Titans 46, Lions 25
Cabinda saw 16 total snaps of action.
Dan Chisena (2015, 18-19) WR, Minnesota Vikings
Bears 33, Vikings 27
Chisena saw 16 plays on special teams.
Jack Crawford (2008-11) DT, Tennessee Titans
Titans 46, Lions 25
Crawford started, had two QB hurries and a solo tackle.
Sam Ficken (2011-14) K, New York Jets
Jets 23, Rams 20
Ficken returned from injured reserve and made field goals from 39, 25 and 21 yards out.
Mike Gesicki (2014-17) TE, Miami Dolphins
Dolphins 22, Patriots 12
Gesicki was inactive.
Blake Gillikin (2016-19) P, New Orleans Saints
Chiefs 32, Saints 29
Gillikin is on the injured reserve list.
Kevin Givens (2015-18) DT, San Francisco 49ers
Cowboys 41, 49ers 33
Givens made two tackles.
Chris Godwin (2014-16) WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Buccaneers 31, Falcons 27
Godwin started, made four receptions for 36 yards and hauled in a four-yard touchdown.
LET'S GO @CGtwelve_ 🙌
— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) December 20, 2020
📺: #TBvsATL on FOX pic.twitter.com/q2XzqQTkSX
Robbie Gould (2001-04) K, San Francisco 49ers
Cowboys 41, 49ers 33
Gould made field goals from 41 and 33 yards out. He became the 11th kicker in NFL history to reach 400 career field goals.
Thanks to my teammates, coaches, and staff for helping be a part of career field goal #400
— Robbie Gould (@RobbieGould09) December 20, 2020
Pretty unique to get 300 and 400 in SF! pic.twitter.com/dGlFOuNz6G
Yetur Gross-Matos (2017-19) DE, Carolina Panthers
Packers 24, Panthers 16
Gross-Matos stared and made a solo tackle.
Grant Haley (2014-17) CB, New Orleans Saints
Chiefs 32, Saints 29
Haley is on the Saints practice squad.
DaeSean Hamilton (2014-17) WR, Denver Broncos
Bills 48, Broncos 19
Hamilton saw 11 snaps at wide receiver.
KJ Hamler (2017-19) WR, Denver Broncos
Bills 48, Broncos 19
Hamler made a four-yard reception.
Jesse James (2012-14) TE, Detroit Lions
Titans 46, Lions 25
James made an 11-yard reception.
Austin Johnson (2012-15) NT, New York Giants
Browns 20, Giants 6
Johnson made three tackles and a tackle for loss.
DaQuan Jones (2010-13) DE, Tennessee Titans
Titans 46, Lions 25
Jones had three solo tackles and forced a fumble.
Sean Lee (2005-07, 2009) OLB, Dallas Cowboys
Cowboys 41, 49ers 33
Lee made three tackles.
Jordan Lucas (2012-15) SS, Chicago Bears
Bears 33, Vikings 27
Lucas opted out of the 2020 season due to Covid-19.
Connor McGovern (2016-18) OG, Dallas Cowboys
Cowboys 41, 49ers 33
McGovern started at right guard for the Cowboys.
Trace McSorley (2014-18) QB, Baltimore Ravens
Ravens 40, Jaguars 14
McSorley is on injured reserve.
Carl Nassib (2011-15) DE, Las Vegas Raiders
Chargers 30, Raiders 27
Nassib made five tackles, two tackles for loss and defended a pass.
Amani Oruwariye (2014-18) CB, Detroit Lions
Titans 46, Lions 25
Oruwariye stared and made five solo tackles.
John Reid (2015-19) CB, Houston Texans
Colts 27, Texans 20
Reid was inactive.
Allen Robinson II (2011-13) WR, Chicago Bears
Bears 33, Vikings 27
Robinson made four receptions for 83 yards.
Miles Sanders (2016-18) RB, Philadelphia Eagles
Cardinals 33, Eagles 26
Sanders had 17 carries for 64 yards and added a 26-yard reception.
Nick Scott (2014-18) S, Los Angeles Rams
Jets 23. Rams 20
Scott was inactive.
A.Q. Shipley (2005-08) C, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Buccaneers 31, Falcons 27
Shipley is out for the season with an inury.
Donovan Smith (2012-13) OT, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Buccaneers 31, Falcons 27
Smith was inactive.
Ross Travis (men's basketball - 2011-14) TE, New York Jets
Jets 23, Rams 20
Travis was inactive.
Robert Windsor (2015-19) DT, Indianapolis Colts
Colts 27, Texans 20
Windsor is on the Colts practice squad.
Stefen Wisniewski (2007-10) OG, Kansas City Chiefs
Chiefs 32, Saints 29
Wisniewski started at right guard, played 100 percent of the offensive snaps for the Chiefs and helped pave way to Kansas City totaling 411 yards of offense in the win.
Make it rain, @stefenwiz61 🙌 pic.twitter.com/cBhRuCjGnB
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) December 21, 2020
Anthony Zettel (2012-15) DE, New Orleans Saints
Chiefs 32, Saints 29
Zettel is on the Saints practice squad.