UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – A total of 44 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.
Trace McSorley made his first career start in the NFL in a primetime game against the Buccaneers. McSorley went 24-for-45 for 217 yards in his first full game as a starter. Saquon Barkley averaged 6.0 yards per carry as the Giants lost a heartbreaker to the Vikings. Defensively, Adrian Amos posted 11 tackles in Green Bay's win over the Dolphins. Finally, Robbie Gould was perfect as he tacked on 13 more points to his legendary career total in the 49ers big victory over the Commanders.
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
Steelers 13, Raiders 10
- Made two total tackles (1 solo).
Adrian Amos (2011-14) S, Green Bay Packers
Packers 26, Dolphins 20
- Led the team with 11 total tackles (9 solo).
Saquon Barkley (2015-17) RB, New York Giants
Vikings 27, Giants 24
- Ran 14 times for 84 yards and a touchdown, averaging 6.0 yards per carry.
- Made a season-high eight catches for 49 yards.
- Sits at fourth in the NFL rushing yardage leaderboard (1,254). Is third in attempts (283) and ninth in touchdowns with nine.
- Has over 1,000 rushing yards in a season for the third time in his NFL career, and the first time since his 2019 campaign. His 1,254 ground yards are the second highest total in his career.
Ryan Bates (2016-18) OL, Buffalo Bills
Bills 35, Bears 13
- Made his 14th start of the season.
Nick Bowers (2018-19) TE, Cincinnati Bengals
Bengals 22, Patriots 18
- Bowers is on Cincinnati's practice squad.
Jaquan Brisker (2019-21) S, Chicago Bears
Bills 35, Bears 13
- Made seven total tackles (4 solo).
- Added a sack.
Cam Brown (2016-19) LB, New York Giants
Vikings 27, Giants 24
- Saw action on special teams.
Jason Cabinda (2014-17) FB, Detroit Lions
Panthers 37, Lions 23
- Was inactive.
Tariq Castro-Fields (2017-21) CB, Washington Commanders
49ers 37, Commanders 20
- Is on injured reserve.
Dan Chisena (2019) WR, Minnesota Vikings
Vikings 27, Giants 24
- Chisena is on Minnesota's practice squad.
Jahan Dotson (2018-21) WR, Washington Commanders
49ers 37, Commanders 20
- Made six grabs for 76 yards and a touchdown.
Arnold Ebiketie (2021) DE, Atlanta Falcons
Ravens 17, Falcons 9
- Saw action on defense.
Sam Ficken (2014) K, Detroit Lions
Panthers 37, Lions 23
- Ficken is on Detroit's practice squad.
Pat Freiermuth (2018-20) TE, Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers 13, Raiders 10
- Led the team with seven grabs for 66 yards.
- Currently sixth in the NFL in receiving yards, among tight ends, with 696.
Will Fries (2017-20) OL, Indianapolis Colts
Chargers 20, Colts 3
- Made his sixth consecutive start, and seventh overall.
- Played 100 percent of the offensive snaps in the sixth consecutive game.
Mike Gesicki (2014-17) TE, Miami Dolphins
Packers 26, Dolphins 20
- Caught one 24-yard pass.
Blake Gillikin (2016-19) P, New Orleans Saints
Saints 17, Browns 10
- Punted six times for 254 yards, averaging 42.3 yards per punt.
- Had a long punt of 52 yards.
- Dropped two punts inside the 20-yard line.
Kevin Givens (2016-18) DT, San Francisco 49ers
49ers 37, Commanders 20
- Saw action on defense.
Chris Godwin (2014-16) WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Bengals 22, Patriots 18
- Made eight grabs for 63 yards on a team high 10 targets.
Robbie Gould (2016-18) K, San Francisco 49ers
49ers 37, Dolphins 20
- Had a perfect day, connecting on three field goals and four extra points.
- Currently 10th on the NFL's all-time points scored leaderboard with 1,940 points.
Yetur Gross-Matos (2017-19) DE, Carolina Panthers
Panthers 27, Lions 23
- Totaled five tackles (2 solo).
- Added a quarterback hit and recovered a fumble.
Grant Haley (2014-17) S, Los Angeles Rams
Rams 51, Broncos 14
- Is on injured reserve.
DaeSean Hamilton (2013-17) WR, Miami Dolphins
Packers 26, Dolphins 20
- Is on the Dolphins practice squad.
KJ Hamler (2018-19) WR, Denver Broncos
Rams 51, Broncos 14
- Is on injured reserve.
Jesse James (2012-14) TE, Cleveland Browns
Saints 17, Browns 10
- Is on injured reserve.
Austin Johnson (2013-15) DT, Los Angeles Chargers
Chargers 20, Colts 3
- Is on injured reserve.
DaQuan Jones (2010-13) DL, Buffalo Bills
Bills 35, Bears 13
- Made three solo tackles.
- Added a quarterback hit.
Jesse Luketa (2018-21) LB, Arizona Cardinals
Buccaneers 19, Cardinals 16
- Was inactive.
Connor McGovern (2016-18) OL, Dallas Cowboys
Cowboys 40, Eagles 34
- Made his 13th start of the season.
- Played 100 percent of the offensive snaps for the fifth time this season.
Trace McSorley (2015-18) QB, Arizona Cardinals
Buccaneers 19, Cardinals 16
- Made his first career start.
- Went 24-for-45 for 217 yards and an interception.
- Added seven carries for 14 yards.
Carl Nassib (2013-15) DE, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Buccaneers 19, Cardinals 16
- Was inactive.
Amani Oruwariye (2015-18) CB, Detroit Lions
Panthers 37, Lions 23
- Saw action on special teams.
Odafe Oweh (2019-20) DE, Baltimore Ravens
Ravens 17, Falcons 9
- Made three solo tackles.
Micah Parsons (2018-19) LB, Dallas Cowboys
Cowboys 40, Eagles 34
- Made three tackles (2 solo).
- Fifth in the NFL with 13.0 sacks.
John Reid (2015-19) CB, Tennessee Titans
Texans 19, Titans 14
- Was inactive.
Allen Robinson II (2011-13) WR, Los Angeles Rams
Rams 51, Broncos 14
- Is on injured reserve.
Miles Sanders (2016-18) RB, Philadelphia Eagles
Cowboys 40, Eagles 34
- Carried 21 times for 65 yards.
- Added one reception for six yards.
- Is currently fifth in the NFL with 1,175 rushing yards.
- Sanders has eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark for the first time in his NFL career.
- Tied for fifth in the league with 11 rushing scores.
Nick Scott (2015-18) S, Los Angeles Rams
Rams 51, Broncos 14
- Assisted on two tackles.
Brandon Smith (2019-21) LB, Carolina Panthers
Panthers 37, Lions 23
- Is on injured reserve.
Donovan Smith (2012-14) OT, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Buccaneers 19, Cardinals 16
- Was inactive.
Jordan Stout (2019-21) P, Baltimore Ravens
Ravens 17, Falcons 9
- Punted three times for 115 yards.
- Dropped one punt inside the 20-yard line.
- Had a long punt of 41 yards.
Derrick Tangelo (2021) DT, Atlanta Falcons
Ravens 17, Falcons 9
- Tangelo is on Atlanta's practice squad.
Shaka Toney (2017-20) DE, Washington Commanders
49ers 37, Commanders 20
- Saw action on special teams.
Rasheed Walker (2019-21) OL, Green Bay Packers
Packers 26, Dolphins 20
- Was inactive.
No. 11/9/7 Penn State will play in the Rose Bowl Game in Pasadena, California against No. 8/7/10 Utah on Jan. 2, 2023. The game will kick off at 5 p.m. and will be televised on ESPN.
The 2022 Penn State football season is presented by PSECU.