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.
Ten Nittany Lions are members of teams that have advanced to the divisional round of the NFL playoffs. Six of the eight teams remaining feature Penn State alumni.
Divisional round teams with Nittany Lions on their rosters include: 49ers (K Robbie Gould, DT Kevin Givens), Bills (OL Ryan Bates, DT DaQuan Jones), Giants (RB Saquon Barkley, DB Cam Brown), Bengals (TE Nick Bowers), Cowboys (LB Micah Parsons, OL Connor McGovern), Eagles (RB Miles Sanders).
NFL DIVISIONAL ROUND SCHEDULE
Saturday
Game 1 (4:30 p.m. – NBC): Jacksonville Jaguars at Kansas City Chiefs
Game 2 (8:15 p.m. – FOX): New York Giants at Philadelphia Eagles
Nittany Lions featured: RB Saquon Barkley (Giants), DB Cam Brown (Giants), RB Miles Sanders (Eagles)
Sunday
Game 1 (3 p.m. – CBS): Cincinnati Bengals at Buffalo Bills
Nittany Lions featured: TE Nick Bowers (Bengals), DT Daquan Jones (Bills), OL Ryan Bates (Bills)
Game 2 (6:30 p.m. – FOX): Dallas Cowboys at San Francisco 49ers
Nittany Lions featured: LB Micah Parsons (Cowboys) OL Connor McGovern (Cowboys), K Robbie Gould, (49ers), DT Kevin Givens (49ers)
WILD CARD RECAP
Many Nittany Lions saw their first playoff action during the wild card round of the NFL playoffs. Saquon Barkley racked up 109 scrimmage yards and found the end zone twice against the Vikings in his first taste of postseason play. Elsewhere, Mike Gesicki caught a touchdown in his first playoff game. Defensively, Micah Parsons provided a huge spark and stuffed the stat sheet in the Cowboys dominant victory over the Buccaneers. On special teams, veteran Robbie Gould posted 15 points in a perfect outing.
Here's how the former Nittany Lion greats fared in over Wild Card Weekend.
Saquon Barkley (2015-17) RB, New York Giants
Giants 31, Vikings 24
- Carried the ball nine times for 53 yards and two touchdowns in his first career playoff game.
- Added five catches for 56 yards to eclipse the 100-scrimmage-yard mark.
Ryan Bates (2016-18) OL, Buffalo Bills
Bills 34, Dolphins 31
- Started and played all 74 of the offensive snaps, his third-highest total of the season.
Nick Bowers (2018-19) TE, Cincinnati Bengals
Bengals 24, Ravens 17
- Bowers is on Cincinnati's practice squad.
Cam Brown (2016-19) LB, New York Giants
Giants 31, Vikings 24
- Saw action on special teams.
Dan Chisena (2019) WR, Minnesota Vikings
Giants 31, Vikings 24
- Chisena is on Minnesota's practice squad.
Mike Gesicki (2014-17) TE, Miami Dolphins
Bills 34, Dolphins 31
- Caught two passes for 15 yards and a score in his first career playoff game.
Kevin Givens (2016-18) DT, San Francisco 49ers
49ers 41, Seahawks 23
- Posted a solo tackle.
Chris Godwin (2014-16) WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Cowboys 31, Buccaneers 14
- Led the team with 10 catches for 85 yards on 13 targets.
Robbie Gould (2016-18) K, San Francisco 49ers
49ers 41, Seahawks 23
- Racked up 15 points in a flawless day, including four field goals and three extra points.
DaeSean Hamilton (2013-17) WR, Miami Dolphins
Bills 34, Dolphins 31
- Is on the Dolphins practice squad.
Austin Johnson (2013-15) DT, Los Angeles Chargers
Jaguars 31, Chargers 30
- Is on injured reserve.
DaQuan Jones (2010-13) DL, Buffalo Bills
Bills 34, Dolphins 31
- Assisted on a tackle.
- Added a quarterback hit.
Connor McGovern (2016-18) OL, Dallas Cowboys
Cowboys 31, Buccaneers 14
- Played 59 percent of the offensive snaps in the win.
Carl Nassib (2013-15) DE, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Cowboys 31, Buccaneers 14
- Made two solo tackles, including a tackle for loss.
Odafe Oweh (2019-20) DE, Baltimore Ravens
Bengals 24, Ravens 17
- Posted two solo tackles, including a sack, in his first career playoff game.
Micah Parsons (2018-19) LB, Dallas Cowboys
Cowboys 31, Buccaneers 14
- Totaled three solo tackles.
- His line included a sack, two tackles for loss, two passes defended, and two quarterback hits.
Miles Sanders (2016-18) RB, Philadelphia Eagles
Eagles first round bye
Donovan Smith (2012-14) OT, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Cowboys 31, Buccaneers 14
- Started and played all 82 offensive snaps in the game.
Jordan Stout (2019-21) P, Baltimore Ravens
Bengals 24, Ravens 17
- Punted three times for 142 yards, averaging 47.3 yards per punt.
- Dropped two punts inside the 20-yard line.
- Had a long punt of 53 yards.