UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – A total of 44 Penn State football alumni are populating the rosters of 23 National Football League teams. The Nittany Lions annually rank among the top 20 programs nationally in producing players in the NFL.
With the regular season now wrapped up, Penn State has 19 former players who are a part of 11 NFL playoff organizations.
Playoff teams with Nittany Lions featured are as follows: 49ers (K Robbie Gould, DT Kevin Givens), Chargers (DT Austin Johnson), Dolphins (TE Mike Gesicki, WR DaeSean Hamilton), Bills (OL Ryan Bates, DT DaQuan Jones), Giants (RB Saquon Barkley, DB Cam Brown), Vikings (WR Dan Chisena), Ravens (DE Odafe Oweh, P Jordan Stout), Bengals (TE Nick Bowers), Cowboys (LB Micah Parsons, OL Connor McGovern), Buccaneers (WR Chris Godwin, DE Carl Nassib, OL Donovan Smith), Eagles (RB Miles Sanders).
NFL WILD CARD WEEKEND SCHEDULE
Saturday
Game 1 (4:30 p.m. – FOX): Seattle Seahawks at San Francisco 49ers
Nittany Lions featured: K Robbie Gould (49ers), DT Kevin Givens (49ers)
Game 2 (8:15 p.m. – NBC): Los Angeles Chargers at Jacksonville Jaguars
Nittany Lions featured: DT Austin Johnson (Chargers)
Sunday
Game 1 (1 p.m. – CBS): Miami Dolphins at Buffalo Bills
Nittany Lions featured: TE Mike Gesicki (Dolphins), WR DaeSean Hamilton (Dolphins), DT Daquan Jones (Bills), OL Ryan Bates (Bills)
Game 2 (4:30 p.m. – FOX): New York Giants at Minnesota Vikings
Nittany Lions featured: RB Saquon Barkley (Giants), DB Cam Brown (Giants), WR Dan Chisena (Vikings)
Game 3 (8:15 p.m. – NBC): Baltimore Ravens at Cincinnati Bengals
Nittany Lions featured: DE Odafe Oweh (Ravens), P Jordan Stout (Ravens), TE Nick Bowers (Bengals)
Monday
Game 1 (8:15 p.m. – ABC/ESPN): Dallas Cowboys at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Nittany Lions featured: LB Micah Parsons (Cowboys), OL Connor McGovern (Cowboys), WR Chris Godwin (Buccaneers), DE Carl Nassib (Buccaneers), OL Donovan Smith (Buccaneers)
WEEK 18 RECAP
In week 18 of the 2022 regular season, Chris Godwin recorded 55 yards in the game, a mark good enough to put him over 1,000 yards in a season for the third time in his career. On the defensive side of the ball, Jaquan Brisker's productive rookie season ended with him eclipsing the 100-tackle mark on the year. Additionally, Micah Parsons concluded his season seventh in the league with 13.5 sacks.
Here's how the former Nittany Lion greats fared in the last week of the NFL season.
Marcus Allen (2014-17) LB, Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers 28, Browns 14
- Is on injured reserve.
Adrian Amos (2011-14) S, Green Bay Packers
Lions 20, Packers 16
- Posted six total tackles (5 solo).
- Totaled 102 tackles in the 2022 season, setting a new career high.
Saquon Barkley (2015-17) RB, New York Giants
Eagles 22, Giants 16
- Barkley was inactive.
- Finished fourth in the NFL rushing yardage leaderboard (1,312), fourth in attempts (295), and ninth in touchdowns with ten.
- Had 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 1,312 ground yards is the highest total in his career.
Ryan Bates (2016-18) OL, Buffalo Bills
Bills 35, Patriots 23
- Made his 15th start of the season.
Nick Bowers (2018-19) TE, Cincinnati Bengals
Bengals 27, Ravens 16
- Bowers is on Cincinnati's practice squad.
Jaquan Brisker (2019-21) S, Chicago Bears
Vikings 29, Bears 13
- Totaled ten tackles (5 solo) and defended a pass.
- Posted 104 tackles in his rookie season.
Cam Brown (2016-19) LB, New York Giants
Eagles 22, Giants 16
- Saw action on defense and special teams.
Jason Cabinda (2014-17) FB, Detroit Lions
Lions 20, Packers 16
- Saw action on offense and special teams.
Tariq Castro-Fields (2017-21) CB, Washington Commanders
Commanders 26, Cowboys 6
- Is on injured reserve.
Dan Chisena (2019) WR, Minnesota Vikings
Vikings 29, Bears 13
- Chisena is on Minnesota's practice squad.
Jahan Dotson (2018-21) WR, Washington Commanders
Commanders 26, Cowboys 6
- Made three catches for 72 yards.
- Hauled in 35 passes for 523 yards and seven scores in 12 games played during his rookie campaign.
Arnold Ebiketie (2021) DE, Atlanta Falcons
Falcons 30, Buccaneers 17
- Saw action on defense.
Sam Ficken (2014) K, Detroit Lions
Lions 20, Packers 16
- Ficken is on Detroit's practice squad.
Pat Freiermuth (2018-20) TE, Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers 28, Browns 14
- Saw two targets.
- Finish sixth in the NFL in receiving yards, among tight ends, with 732.
Will Fries (2017-20) OL, Indianapolis Colts
Texans 32, Colts 31
- Made his eighth consecutive start, and ninth overall.
- Played 100 percent of the offensive snaps in the eighth consecutive game.
Mike Gesicki (2014-17) TE, Miami Dolphins
Dolphins 11, Jets 6
- Caught four passes for 46 yards.
Blake Gillikin (2016-19) P, New Orleans Saints
Panthers 10, Saints 7
- Punted five times for 224 yards, averaging 44.8 yards per punt.
- Had a career-long punt of 68 yards.
- Dropped two punts inside the 20-yard line.
Kevin Givens (2016-18) DT, San Francisco 49ers
49ers 38, Cardinals 13
- Was inactive.
Chris Godwin (2014-16) WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Falcons 30, Buccaneers 17
- Made six grabs for 55 yards and lost a fumble.
- Finished with his third 1,000-plus yard season in his sixth NFL campaign, posting 1,023 yards in 2022.
Robbie Gould (2016-18) K, San Francisco 49ers
49ers 38, Cardinals 13
- Had a perfect day, connecting on one field goal and five extra points.
- Currently 10th on the NFL's all-time points scored leaderboard with 1,961 points.
Yetur Gross-Matos (2017-19) DE, Carolina Panthers
Panthers 10, Saints 7
- Made two solo stops.
Grant Haley (2014-17) S, Los Angeles Rams
Seahawks 19, Rams 16
- Is on injured reserve.
DaeSean Hamilton (2013-17) WR, Miami Dolphins
Dolphins 11, Jets 6
- Is on the Dolphins practice squad.
KJ Hamler (2018-19) WR, Denver Broncos
Broncos 31, Chargers 28
- Is on injured reserve.
Jesse James (2012-14) TE, Cleveland Browns
Steelers 28, Browns 14
- Is on injured reserve.
Austin Johnson (2013-15) DT, Los Angeles Chargers
Broncos 31, Chargers 28
- Is on injured reserve.
DaQuan Jones (2010-13) DL, Buffalo Bills
Bills 35, Patriots 23
- Made a solo tackle for loss.
Jesse Luketa (2018-21) LB, Arizona Cardinals
49ers 38, Cardinals 13
- Saw action on defense and special teams.
Connor McGovern (2016-18) OL, Dallas Cowboys
Commanders 26, Cowboys 6
- Made his 15th start of the season.
- Played 100 percent of the offensive snaps for the sixth time this season.
Trace McSorley (2015-18) QB, Arizona Cardinals
49ers 38, Cardinals 13
- Went 6-for-9 for 29 yards and an interception in relief of starter David Blough.
- Added three carries for 13 yards on the ground.
Michael Menet (2016-20) OL, Green Bay Packers
Lions 20, Packers 16
- Menet is on Green Bay's practice squad.
Carl Nassib (2013-15) DE, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Falcons 30, Buccaneers 17
- Was inactive.
Amani Oruwariye (2015-18) CB, Detroit Lions
Lions 20, Packers 16
- Made three tackles (2 solo).
Odafe Oweh (2019-20) DE, Baltimore Ravens
Bengals 27, Ravens 16
- Recorded a half sack.
Micah Parsons (2018-19) LB, Dallas Cowboys
Commanders 26, Cowboys 6
- Assisted on two tackles and posted a quarterback hit.
- Added a half sack.
- Finished seventh in the NFL with 13.5 sacks.
Allen Robinson II (2011-13) WR, Los Angeles Rams
Seahawks 19, Rams 16
- Is on injured reserve.
Miles Sanders (2016-18) RB, Philadelphia Eagles
Eagles 22, Giants 16
- Carried 11 times for 33 yards.
- Completed his season fifth in the NFL with 1,269 rushing yards.
- Sanders has eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark for the first time in his NFL career.
- Finished eighth in the league with 11 rushing scores.
Nick Scott (2015-18) S, Los Angeles Rams
Seahawks 19, Rams 16
- Is on injured reserve.
Brandon Smith (2019-21) LB, Carolina Panthers
Panthers 10, Saints 7
- Is on injured reserve.
Donovan Smith (2012-14) OT, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Falcons 30, Buccaneers 17
- Was inactive.
Jordan Stout (2019-21) P, Baltimore Ravens
Bengals 27, Ravens 16
- Punted three times for 137 yards, averaging 45.7 yards per punt.
- Dropped one punt inside the 20-yard line.
- Had a long punt of 54 yards.
Derrick Tangelo (2021) DT, Atlanta Falcons
Falcons 30, Buccaneers 17
- Tangelo is on Atlanta's practice squad.
Shaka Toney (2017-20) DE, Washington Commanders
Commanders 26, Cowboys 6
- Assisted on one tackle.
Rasheed Walker (2019-21) OL, Green Bay Packers
Lions 20, Packers 16
- Was inactive.