UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – A total of 47 Penn State Football alumni are populating the rosters of 25 National Football League organizations. The Nittany Lions annually rank among the top 20 programs nationally in producing players in the NFL.
Saquon Barkley continued his dominant first season as a Philadelphia Eagle by adding 124 rushing yards to tally onto his NFL-leading total Sunday. In just 13 games, Barkley has amassed 1,623 rushing yards, becoming the new single season rushing yards leader for the Eagles, surpassing LeSean McCoy’s previous top mark of 1,607 yards in 2013. Still with four games remaining, Barkley is 377 yards away from becoming the ninth player in NFL history to record 2,000 rushing yards in a season.
49ers pass rusher Yetur Gross-Matos dominated the Bears with three sacks on Sunday. It was the first three-sack game of his professional career. Odafe Oweh is still among the league leaders in sacks, currently tied for 14th in the NFL with a career-best 8.0 sacks this season. Blake Gillikin continues to be among the league leaders in punting, ranking inside the top ten in both net punting average with a mark of 44.3 and gross average punt yards with a mark of 49.7.
Here’s how these former Nittany Lion greats fared in Week 14 of the 2024 NFL season.
Saquon Barkley (2015-17) RB, Philadelphia Eagles
Eagles 22, Panthers 16
- Recorded 124 rushing yards on 20 carries.
- His 124 rushing yards against the Panthers gave him 1,623 on the season, Philadelphia’s new top mark in franchise history.
- Leads the NFL in rushing yards (1,623), rushing yards per game (124.8), is second in yards per carry (6.1, minimum 100 carries), and is tied for fifth in the league in rushing touchdowns with 11.
Ryan Bates (2016-18) OL, Chicago Bears
49ers 38, Bears 13
- Was inactive.
Jaquan Brisker (2019-21) S, Chicago Bears
49ers 38, Bears 13
- Is on injured reserve.
Cam Brown (2016-19) LB, Miami Dolphins
Dolphins 32, Jets 26
- Is on injured reserve.
Ji’Ayir Brown (2020-22) S, San Francisco 49ers
49ers 38, Bears 13
- Posted a solo tackle.
Tariq Castro-Fields (2017-21) CB, Philadelphia Eagles
Eagles 22, Panthers 16
- Is a member of Philadelphia’s practice squad.
Dan Chisena (2015-19) WR, Carolina Panthers
Eagles 22, Panthers 16
- Saw action on offense and special teams.
Sean Clifford (2017-22) QB, Green Bay Packers
Lions 34, Packers 31
- Is a member of Green Bay’s practice squad.
Jahan Dotson (2018-21) WR, Philadelphia Eagles
Eagles 22, Panthers 16
- Caught one pass for five yards.
Arnold Ebiketie (2021) LB, Atlanta Falcons
Vikings 42, Falcons 21
- Posted his fourth sack of the season.
Olumuyiwa Fashanu (2020-23) OL, New York Jets
Dolphins 32, Jets 16
- Made his fifth start for the Jets.
Pat Freiermuth (2018-20) TE, Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers 27, Browns 14
- Caught three passes for 48 yards and a touchdown.
Will Fries (2017-20) OL, Indianapolis Colts
Colts bye week
Mike Gesicki (2014-17) TE, Cincinnati Bengals
Bengals 27, Cowboys 20
- Caught three passes for 24 yards.
Blake Gillikin (2016-19) P, Arizona Cardinals
Seahawks 30, Cardinals 18
- Punted one time for 63 yards.
- Ranks third in the NFL in net punting average with a mark of 44.3.
- Is ninth in the NFL in punting average with a mark of 49.7.
Kevin Givens (2016-18) DT, San Francisco 49ers
49ers 38, Bears 13
- Is on injured reserve.
Chris Godwin (2014-16) WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Buccaneers 28, Raiders 13
- 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
49ers 38, Bears 13
- Dominated the line of scrimmage with three sacks against the bears.
- It was the first three-sack game of his career.
KJ Hamler (2017-2019) WR, Buffalo Bills
Rams 44, Bills 42
- Is a member of Buffalo’s practice squad.
Daequan Hardy (2019-23) CB, Buffalo Bills
Rams 44, Bills 42
- Is a member of Buffalo’s practice squad.
Adisa Isaac (2019-23) LB, Baltimore Ravens
Ravens bye week
Curtis Jacobs (2020-23) LB, New England Patriots
Patriots bye week
- Is on injured reserve.
Austin Johnson (2013-15) DT, Buffalo Bills
Rams 44, Bills 42
- Posted three tackles (2 solo).
Theo Johnson (2020-23) TE, New York Giants
Saints 14, Giants 11
- Is on injured reserve.
DaQuan Jones (2010-13) DL, Buffalo Bills
Rams 44, Bills 42
- Made four tackles (1 solo), including a tackle for loss.
Kalen King (2021-23) CB, Green Bay Packers
Lions 34, Packers 31
- Is a member of Green Bay’s practice squad.
Jesse Luketa (2018-21) LB, Arizona Cardinals
Seahawks 30, Cardinals 18
- Made three tackles (1 solo).
Connor McGovern (2016-18) OL, Buffalo Bills
Rams 44, Bills 42
- Made his 13th start on Buffalo’s offensive line.
PJ Mustipher (2018-22) DL, Arizona Cardinals.
Seahawks 30, Cardinals 18
- Is a member of Arizona’s practice squad.
Hunter Nourzad (2022-23) OL, Kansas City Chiefs
Chiefs 19, Chargers 17
- Saw action on special teams.
Amani Oruwariye (2015-18) CB, Dallas Cowboys
Bengals 27, Cowboys 20
- Returned from injured reserve, saw action on special teams.
Odafe Oweh (2019-20) LB, Baltimore Ravens
Ravens bye week
- Is tied for 14th in the NFL with a career-high 8.0 sacks.
Micah Parsons (2018-19) LB, Dallas Cowboys
Bengals 27, Cowboys 20
- Recorded two quarterback hits.
Joey Porter Jr. (2019-22) CB, Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers 27, Browns 14
- Posted six tackles (5 solo).
Chop Robinson (2022-23) LB, Miami Dolphins
Dolphins 32, Jets 26
- Tallied one solo tackle.
- Defended a pass.
Allen Robinson II (2011-13) WR, Detroit Lions
Lions 34, Packers 31
- Saw action on offense.
Miles Sanders (2016-18) RB, Carolina Panthers
Eagles 22, Panthers 16
- Is on injured reserve.
Nick Scott (2015-18) S, Carolina Panthers
Lions 34, Panthers 31
- Is on injured reserve.
Juice Scruggs (2018-22) OL, Houston Texans
Texans bye week
Brandon Smith (2019-21) LB, Las Vegas Raiders
Buccaneers 28, Raiders 13
- Is a member of Las Vegas’ practice squad.
Chris Stoll (2017-22) LS, Seattle Seahawks
Seahawks 30, Cardinals 18
- Serves as Seattle’s primary long snapper.
Jordan Stout (2019-21) P, Baltimore Ravens
Ravens bye week
Brenton Strange (2019-22) TE, Jacksonville Jaguars
Jaguars 10, Titans 6
- Caught a 21-yard pass.
Mitchell Tinsley (2022) WR, Washington Commanders
Commanders bye week
Rasheed Walker (2019-21) OL, Green Bay Packers
Lions 34, Packers 31
- Made his 13th 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
Patriots bye week
- Is on injured reserve.
Parker Washington (2020-22) WR, Jacksonville Jaguars
Jaguars 10, Titans 6
- Caught two passes for 15 yards.
The 2024 Penn State football season is presented by PSECU.