UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – A total of 43 Penn State football alumni are populating the rosters of 24 National Football League teams. The Nittany Lions annually rank among the top 20 programs nationally in producing players in the NFL.
The Dallas Cowboys, with the help of two sacks from All-Pro linebacker Micah Parsons, blew out the Minnesota Vikings 40-3 in the Cowboys' return from the bye week. Parsons' efforts place him third in the NFL with ten sacks on the year. Jaquan Brisker also had a fantastic day on defense as he posted a career-high 11 tackles against the Lions. Offensively, Pat Freiermuth hauled in a career high eight catches for 79 yards against the Bengals on Sunday afternoon.
Each week throughout the year, GoPSUSports.com provides updates on the exploits of these former Nittany Lion greats.
Marcus Allen (2014-17) LB, Pittsburgh Steelers
Bengals 37, Steelers 30
- Totaled three tackles (2 solo).
Adrian Amos (2011-14) S, Green Bay Packers
Titans 27, Packers 17
- Amassed 10 total tackles (6 solo).
Troy Apke (2014-17) S, Washington Commanders
Commanders 23, Texans 10
- Apke is on Washington's practice squad.
Saquon Barkley (2015-17) RB, New York Giants
Lions 31, Giants 18
- Carried the ball 15 times for 22 yards.
- Added two catches for 13 yards.
- Sits at second in the NFL rushing yardage leaderboard (953). Remains second in attempts (213). Tied for ninth in touchdowns with six.
Ryan Bates (2016-18) OL, Buffalo Bills
Bills 31, Browns 23
- Made his tenth start.
Nick Bowers (2018-19) TE, Cincinnati Bengals
Bengals 37, Steelers 30
- Bowers is on Cincinnati's practice squad.
Jaquan Brisker (2019-21) S, Chicago Bears
Falcons 27, Bears 24
- Led the Bears with a career high 11 total tackles (7 solo), including a tackle for loss.
- Tied for sixth in the NFL, among defensive backs, in total tackles with 73.
Cam Brown (2016-19) LB, New York Giants
Lions 31, Giants 18
- Assisted on one tackle.
Jason Cabinda (2014-17) FB, Detroit Lions
Lions 31, Giants 18
- Saw two targets in the passing game.
Tariq Castro-Fields (2017-21) CB, Washington Commanders
Commanders 23, Texans 10
- Is on injured reserve.
Dan Chisena (2019) WR, Minnesota Vikings
Cowboys 40, Vikings 3
- Chisena is on Minnesota's practice squad.
Jahan Dotson (2018-21) WR, Washington Commanders
Commanders 23, Texans 10
- Caught one pass for 13 yards.
- Added one carry for three yards.
Arnold Ebiketie (2021) DE, Atlanta Falcons
Falcons 27, Bears 24
- Posted a career high 6 total tackles (5 solo), including two tackles for loss and a sack.
Sam Ficken (2014) K, Detroit Lions
Lions 31, Giants 18
- Ficken is on Detroit's practice squad.
Pat Freiermuth (2018-20) TE, Pittsburgh Steelers
Bengals 37, Steelers 30
- Made a career high eight grabs for 79 yards.
Will Fries (2017-20) OL, Indianapolis Colts
Eagles 17, Colts 16
- Made his third start and played 100 percent of the offensive snaps for the second consecutive week.
Mike Gesicki (2014-17) TE, Miami Dolphins
Dolphins bye week
Blake Gillikin (2016-19) P, New Orleans Saints
Saints 27, Rams 20
- Punted five times for 239 yards (47.8 average).
- Landed three of the five punts inside the 20-yard line.
- His longest punt was a 55-yarder.
Kevin Givens (2016-18) DT, San Francisco 49ers
49ers 38, Cardinals 10
- Made two tackles for loss, including a sack.
Chris Godwin (2014-16) WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Buccaneers bye week
Robbie Gould (2016-18) K, San Francisco 49ers
49ers 38, Cardinals 10
- Made his only field goal attempt, a 39-yarder.
- Connected on five extra points.
- Currently at 11th on the NFL's all-time points scored leaderboard with 1,889 points.
Yetur Gross-Matos (2017-19) DE, Carolina Panthers
Ravens 13, Panthers 3
- Totaled three tackles (2 solo).
- Added a sack.
Grant Haley (2014-17) S, Los Angeles Rams
Saints 27, Rams 20
- Is on injured reserve.
KJ Hamler (2018-19) WR, Denver Broncos
Raiders 22, Broncos 16
- Was inactive.
Jesse James (2012-14) TE, Cleveland Browns
Bills 31, Browns 23
- Is on injured reserve.
Austin Johnson (2013-15) DT, Los Angeles Chargers
Chiefs 30, Chargers 27
- Is on injured reserve.
DaQuan Jones (2010-13) DL, Buffalo Bills
Bills 31, Browns 23
- Picked up three tackles (2 solo).
- Added a quarterback hit.
Jesse Luketa (2018-21) LB, Arizona Cardinals
49ers 38, Cardinals 10
- Was inactive.
Connor McGovern (2016-18) OL, Dallas Cowboys
Cowboys 40, Vikings 3
- Made his eighth start of the season.
Trace McSorley (2015-18) QB, Arizona Cardinals
49ers 38, Cardinals 10
- Went 6/10 for 59 yards and one interception.
- Added one carry for six yards.
Carl Nassib (2013-15) DE, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Buccaneers bye week
Amani Oruwariye (2015-18) CB, Detroit Lions
Lions 31, Giants 18
- Made two solo tackles.
Odafe Oweh (2019-20) DE, Baltimore Ravens
Ravens 13, Panthers 3
- Assisted on one tackle.
- Added a quarterback hit.
Micah Parsons (2018-19) LB, Dallas Cowboys
Cowboys 40, Vikings 3
- Totaled four solo tackles, including two sacks.
- Added five quarterback hits.
- Sits third in the NFL with 10.0 sacks.
Allen Robinson II (2011-13) WR, Los Angeles Rams
Saints 27, Rams 20
- Caught four passes for 47 yards and a touchdown.
Miles Sanders (2016-18) RB, Philadelphia Eagles
Eagles 17, Colts 16
- Rushed 13 times for 47 yards.
- Caught one pass for one yard.
- Sitting at ninth in the NFL with 757 rushing yards.
Nick Scott (2015-18) S, Los Angeles Rams
Saints 27, Rams 20
- Totaled five tackles (2 solo).
Brandon Smith (2019-21) LB, Carolina Panthers
Ravens 13, Panthers 3
- Picked up three tackles (2 solo).
Donovan Smith (2012-14) OT, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Buccaneers bye week
Jordan Stout (2019-21) P, Baltimore Ravens
Ravens 13, Panthers 3
- Punted seven times for 251 yards.
- Dropped four of the seven punts inside the 20-yard line.
- Long punt was 52 yards.
Derrick Tangelo (2021) DT, Atlanta Falcons
Falcons 27, Bears 24
- Tangelo is on Atlanta's practice squad.
Shaka Toney (2017-20) DE, Washington Commanders
Commanders 23, Texans 10
- Saw action on special teams.
Rasheed Walker (2019-21) OL, Green Bay Packers
Titans 27, Packers 17
- Walker was inactive.
No. 11/11/11 Penn State returns home to Beaver Stadium where it will face the Spartans of Michigan State in its final regular season contest of the season on Senior Day. The battle for the Land-Grant Trophy will kick off at 4 p.m. and will be televised on FS1.
The 2022 Penn State football season is presented by PSECU.