Nittany Lions in the NFL: Week 12Nittany Lions in the NFL: Week 12
USA Today

Nittany Lions in the NFL: Week 12

Barkley posts historic 302 total yard, two touchdown performance

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – A total of 46 Penn State Football alumni are populating the rosters of 24 National Football League organizations. The Nittany Lions annually rank among the top 20 programs nationally in producing players in the NFL.

Saquon Barkley rushed 26 times for 255 yards and two touchdowns, while also recording four catches for 47 yards against the Rams on Sunday night. Barkley’s outing set the Eagles’ single-game records in both rushing yards and scrimmage yards, while also reaching the top ten lists in NFL history in both categories. The Pennsylvania native currently leads the NFL in rushing yards, rushing yards per game, and yards per carry (min. 65 carries). He has already eclipsed his career-best mark in rushing yardage with six games still on the Eagles’ 2024 schedule.

Odafe Oweh tallied another sack in a winning effort against the Chargers. Oweh is tied for 10th in the NFL with a career-best 8.0 sacks this season. In his first start of the season, Cardinals linebacker Jesse Luketa tallied a sack in his third consecutive game. Both former Nittany Lion punters, Blake Gillikin and Jordan Stout, rank inside the top ten in the NFL in net punting average thanks to strong performances in Week 12.

Here’s how these former Nittany Lion greats fared in Week 12 of the 2024 NFL season.

Saquon Barkley (2015-17) RB, Philadelphia Eagles

Eagles 37, Rams 20

  • Put together one of the greatest single-game performances by a running back in NFL history on Sunday Night Football against the Rams.
  • Recorded 255 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 26 carries.
  • His outing on the ground set the Eagles’ single-game rushing record and the ninth-highest single-game total in NFL history.
  • Added four catches for 47 yards, bringing his scrimmage yard total to 302, the 12th 300-plus yard outing in league history.
  • Leads the NFL in rushing yards (1,392), rushing yards per game (126.5), yards per carry (6.2, minimum 65 carries), and is tied for fourth in the league in rushing touchdowns with 10.

Ryan Bates (2016-18) OL, Chicago Bears

Vikings 30, Bears 27

  • Was inactive.

Jaquan Brisker (2019-21) S, Chicago Bears

Vikings 30, Bears 27

  • Is on injured reserve.

Cam Brown (2016-19) LB, Miami Dolphins

Dolphins 34, Patriots 15

  • Is on injured reserve.

Ji’Ayir Brown (2020-22) S, San Francisco 49ers

Packers 38, 49ers 10

  • Posted four tackles (3 solo)., and defended a pass.

Tariq Castro-Fields (2017-21) CB, Philadelphia Eagles

Eagles 37, Rams 20

  • Is a member of Philadelphia’s practice squad.

Dan Chisena (2015-19) WR, Carolina Panthers

Chiefs 30, Panthers 27

  • Is a member of Carolina’s practice squad.

Sean Clifford (2017-22) QB, Green Bay Packers

Packers 38, 49ers 10

  • Is a member of Green Bay’s practice squad.

Jahan Dotson (2018-21) WR, Philadelphia Eagles

Eagles 37, Rams 20

  • Caught one pass for four yards.

Arnold Ebiketie (2021) LB, Atlanta Falcons

Falcons bye week

Olumuyiwa Fashanu (2020-23) OL, New York Jets

Jets bye week

Pat Freiermuth (2018-20) TE, Pittsburgh Steelers

Browns 24, Steelers 19

  • Caught four passes for 59 yards. 

Will Fries (2017-20) OL, Indianapolis Colts

Lions 24, Colts 6

  • Is on injured reserve. 

Mike Gesicki (2014-17) TE, Cincinnati Bengals

Bengals bye week

Blake Gillikin (2016-19) P, Arizona Cardinals

Seahawks 16, Cardinals 6

  • Punted six times for 310 yards, a 51.7 yards per punt average.
  • Landed four punts inside the 20-yard line.
  • Is fourth in the NFL in net punting average with a mark of 44.3. 

Kevin Givens (2016-18) DT, San Francisco 49ers

Packers 38, 49ers 10

  • Was inactive.

Chris Godwin (2014-16) WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Buccaneers 30, Giants 7

  • Is on injured reserve.
  • At the time of his season-ending injury, led the NFL in yards after catch with 350, was second in the NFL in receiving yards (576), was tied for third with five receiving touchdowns, and was sixth in yards per game (82.3). 

Yetur Gross-Matos (2017-19) DE, San Francisco 49ers

Packers 38, 49ers 10

  • Posted four tackles (3 solo).
  • Added a quarterback hit.

KJ Hamler (2017-2019) WR, Buffalo Bills

Bills bye week

  • Is a member of Buffalo’s practice squad.

Daequan Hardy (2019-23) CB, Buffalo Bills

Bills bye week

  • Is a member of Buffalo’s practice squad.

Adisa Isaac (2019-23) LB, Baltimore Ravens

Ravens 30, Chargers 23

  • Saw action on defense and special teams.

Curtis Jacobs (2020-23) LB, New England Patriots

Dolphins 34, Patriots 15

  • Is on injured reserve.

Austin Johnson (2013-15) DT, Buffalo Bills

Bills bye week

Theo Johnson (2020-23) TE, New York Giants

Buccaneers 30, Giants 7

  • Hauled in three passes for 39 yards.

DaQuan Jones (2010-13) DL, Buffalo Bills

Bills bye week

Kalen King (2021-23) CB, Green Bay Packers

Packers 38, 49ers 10

  • Is a member of Green Bay’s practice squad.

Jesse Luketa (2018-21) LB, Arizona Cardinals

Seahawks 16, Cardinals 6

  • Made three solo tackles, including a sack, in his first start of the season.

Connor McGovern (2016-18) OL, Buffalo Bills

Bills bye week

PJ Mustipher (2018-22) DL, Arizona Cardinals.

Seahawks 16, Cardinals 6

  • Is a member of Arizona’s practice squad.

Hunter Nourzad (2022-23) OL, Kansas City Chiefs

Chiefs 30, Panthers 27

  • Saw action on special teams.

Amani Oruwariye (2015-18) CB, Dallas Cowboys

Cowboys 34, Commanders 26

  • Is on injured reserve.

Odafe Oweh (2019-20) LB, Baltimore Ravens

Ravens 30, Chargers 23

  • Recorded his eighth sack of the season.
  • Is tied for tenth in the NFL with a career-best 8.0 sacks.

Micah Parsons (2018-19) LB, Dallas Cowboys

Cowboys 34, Commanders 26

  • Posted a season-high eight tackles (4 solo), including two sacks.
  • Recorded three quarterback hits.

Joey Porter Jr. (2019-22) CB, Pittsburgh Steelers

Browns 24, Steelers 19

  • Posted six tackles (5 solo).

Chop Robinson (2022-23) LB, Miami Dolphins

Dolphins 34, Patriots 15

  • Totaled four tackles (2 solo), including 1.5 sacks.
  • Defended two passes and recorded three quarterback hits.

Allen Robinson II (2011-13) WR, Detroit Lions

Lions 24, Colts 6

  • Saw action on offense.

Miles Sanders (2016-18) RB, Carolina Panthers

Chiefs 30, Panthers 27

  • Is on injured reserve.

Nick Scott (2015-18) S, Carolina Panthers

Chiefs 30, Panthers 27

  • Is on injured reserve.

Juice Scruggs (2018-22) OL, Houston Texans

Titans 32, Texans 27

  • Made his 11th season start and played 100 percent of Houston’s offensive snaps.

Chris Stoll (2017-22) LS, Seattle Seahawks

Seahawks 16, Cardinals 6

  • Serves as Seattle’s primary long snapper.

Jordan Stout (2019-21) P, Baltimore Ravens

Ravens 30, Chargers 23

  • Punted three times for 163 yards, a 54.3 yards per punt average.
  • Dropped one punt inside the 20-yard line and recorded a long punt of 62 yards.
  • Is tenth in the NFL in net punting average with a 42.8 mark.

Brenton Strange (2019-22) TE, Jacksonville Jaguars

Jaguars bye week

Mitchell Tinsley (2022) WR, Washington Commanders

Cowboys 34, Commanders 26

  • Is a member of Washington’s practice squad.

Rasheed Walker (2019-21) OL, Green Bay Packers

Packers 38, 49ers 10

  • Made his 11th start of the season for the Packers.
  • Has played every offensive snap this season for Green Bay.

Caedan Wallace (2019-23) OL, New England Patriots

Dolphins 34, Patriots 15

  • Is on injured reserve.

Parker Washington (2020-22) WR, Jacksonville Jaguars

Jaguars bye week

The 2024 Penn State football season is presented by PSECU.