UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Divisional Weekend in the National Football League saw 12 Penn State football alums compete for seven teams. Three Nittany Lions are on teams that advanced to conference championship games.
The Los Angeles Rams (Jesse Luketa) and Seattle Seahawks (Chris Stoll) will battle in the NFC Championship on Sunday at 6:30 p.m.
The New England Patriots (Caedan Wallace) and Denver Broncos meet in the AFC Championship on Sunday at 3 p.m.
Stoll has played the entire 2025-26 season as Seattle’s primary long snapper and appeared on 10 snaps against San Francisco.
In the Chicago Bears’ 20-17 overtime loss, safety Jaquan Brisker collected 14 tackles, including eight solo. He recorded a sack, two pass breakups and one quarterback hit. Offensive lineman Ryan Bates played three snaps on special teams.
San Francisco defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos made two solo stops in the 49ers’ 41-6 setback against Seattle.
Buffalo defensive tackle DaQuan Jones recorded two solo tackles in the Bills’ 33-30 loss against Denver. Offensive lineman Connor McGovern started and played 66 offensive snaps against the Broncos.
Houston safety Jaylen Reed tallied two solo tackles in 53 defensive snaps as the Texans fell 28-16 against New England. Offensive lineman Juice Scruggs played four snaps on special teams.
Here’s how all 12 former Nittany Lions in the NFL Playoffs fared on Wild Card Weekend:
Ryan Bates, OL (2016-18), Chicago Bears
Rams 20, Bears 17
- Second season with Chicago (seventh in the NFL)
Playoffs:
- Appeared on three special teams snaps against Los Angeles.
- Played five snaps on special teams vs. Green Bay.
Regular season:
- Appeared in 16 games in 2025.
Jaquan Brisker, S (2019-21), Chicago Bears
Rams 20, Bears 17
- Fourth season with Chicago (fourth in the NFL)
Playoffs:
- Collected 14 tackles, eight solo.
- Recorded one sack, two pass breakups and one quarterback hit.
- Appeared on all 78 defensive snaps and five on special teams.
- Made a team-high nine tackles, including five solo, vs. Green Bay.
- Played all 71 defensive snaps and six on special teams.
Regular season:
- Started in all 17 games in 2025.
- Collected 93 tackles (52 solo), one tackle for loss, one sack, one interception and eight pass breakups.
- Returned an interception 32 yards against Washington on October 13.
Ji’Ayir Brown, S (2020-22), San Francisco 49ers
Seahawks 41, 49ers 6
- Third season with San Francisco (third in the NFL)
Playoffs:
- Did not play against Seattle due to injury.
- Recorded four tackles, including two solo, vs. Philadelphia.
- Played 31 snaps on defense and one on special teams.
Regular season:
- Played in 17 games and made 12 starts in 2025.
- Tallied 76 tackles (44 solo), two tackles for loss, two interceptions, one forced fumble and six pass breakups.
- Was NFL Defensive Player of the Week in Week 12 after recording five tackles and two interceptions.
Kevin Givens, DT (2016-18), San Francisco 49ers
Seahawks 41, 49ers 6
- Sixth season with San Francisco (sixth in the NFL)
Playoffs:
- Did not see any action against Seattle.
- Did not play against Philadelphia.
Regular season:
- Played in five games in 2025 after returning from injured reserve.
- Recorded two tackles, including one solo.
- Played 116 snaps on defense and four on special teams.
Yetur Gross-Matos, DE (2017-19), San Francisco 49ers
Seahawks 41, 49ers 6
- Second season with San Francisco (sixth in the NFL)
Playoffs
- Secured two solo tackles against Seattle.
- Appeared on 18 defensive snaps and one special teams snap against the Seahawks.
- Played 34 snaps on defense and one on special teams vs. Philadelphia.
Regular season:
- Made eight appearances after returning from injury.
- Tallied eight tackles, three solo, one pass breakup and two quarterback hits.
DaQuan Jones, DT (2010-13), Buffalo Bills
Broncos 33, Bills 30
- Fourth season with Buffalo (12th in the NFL)
Playoffs:
- Registered two solo tackles vs. Denver.
- Played 51 defensive snaps and eight on special teams.
- Secured a solo tackle vs. Jacksonville
- Played 39 snaps on defense and five on special teams.
Regular season:
- Started in 12 games in 2025.
- Notched 22 tackles, 11 solo, three sacks, one forced fumble, one interception, two pass breakups and eight quarterback hits.
- Had a sack and a forced fumble on November 16 against Tampa Bay.
Jesse Luketa, LB (2018-21), Los Angeles Rams
Rams 20, Bears 17
- First season with Los Angeles (fourth in the NFL)
- On practice squad.
Playoffs:
- Did not play against Carolina or Chicago.
Regular season:
- Did not see game action after signing with the Rams practice squad on November 18.
Connor McGovern, OL (2016-18), Buffalo Bills
Broncos 33, Bills 30
- Third season with Buffalo (seventh in the NFL)
Playoffs:
- Started and played 66 offensive snaps vs. Denver.
- Made the start and played all 63 offensive snaps vs. Jacksonville
Regular season:
- Started 16 games in 2025.
- Played 1,037 of Bills’ 1,132 offensive snaps (98%) this season.
Jaylen Reed, S (2021-24), Houston Texans
Patriots 28, Texans 16
- First season with Houston (first in the NFL)
Playoffs:
- Posted two solo tackles against New England.
- Appeared on 53 defensive snaps.
- Returned from injured reserve against Pittsburgh.
- Made three stops, one solo.
- Played 47 snaps on defense.
Regular season:
- Played in seven games and made one start in 2025 before going on injured reserve.
- Notched 14 tackles, nine solo, and one fumble recovery.
- Secured 12 tackles, nine solo, and a fumble recovery against Buffalo on November 20.
Juice Scruggs, OL (2018-22), Houston Texans
Patriots 28, Texans 16
- Third season with Houston (three in the NFL)
Playoffs:
- Played four snaps on special teams against New England.
- Did not play against Pittsburgh.
Regular season:
- Played in 17 games and made one start in 2025.
- Recorded 351 snaps on offense and 83 on special teams.
Chris Stoll, LS (2017-22), Seattle Seahawks
Seahawks 41, 49ers 6
- Third season with Seattle (third in the NFL)
Playoffs:
- Played 10 snaps on special teams against San Francisco.
- Seahawks secured a bye into the divisional round.
Regular season:
- Appeared in all 17 games in 2025 and made one tackle.
- Played 150 special teams snaps.
Caedan Wallace, OL (2019-23), New England Patriots
Patriots 28, Texans 16
- Second season with New England (second in the NFL)
Playoffs:
- Did not play against Los Angeles or Houston.
Regular season:
- Played in four games in 2025.
- Saw eight offensive snaps and 24 special teams snaps this season.
Former Nittany Lions on NFL teams who concluded their 2025 seasons (regular season stats):
Saquon Barkley, RB (2015-17), Philadelphia Eagles
- Second season with Philadelphia (eighth in the NFL)
Playoffs:
- Rushed for 106 yards on 26 carries vs. San Francisco.
- Added three receptions for 25 yards.
- Had a long run of 29 yards and a 20-yard catch.
- Played 62 offensive snaps.
Regular season:
- Started 16 games in 2025.
- Rushed for 1,140 yards and seven touchdowns on 280 carries.
- Added 37 receptions for 273 yards and two touchdowns.
- Had three 100-yard rushing games and four games with 100+ scrimmage yards.
Abdul Carter, LB (2022-24), New York Giants
- First season with the New York Giants (first in the NFL)
- Played in 17 games and made six starts in 2025.
- Secured 43 tackles (25 solo), seven tackles for loss, four sacks, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and 23 quarterback hits.
- Tallied seven tackles, three tackles for loss, one sack, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery against Washington on December 14.
Tariq Castro-Fields, CB (2017-21) - Philadelphia Eagles
- Second season with Philadelphia (fourth in the NFL)
- On practice squad
Playoffs:
- Did not play against San Francisco.
Regular season:
- Did not see game action after signing with the Eagles practice squad on October 13.
Dan Chisena, WR (2015-19) - Carolina Panthers
- First season with Carolina (fifth in the NFL)
- On practice squad.
Playoffs:
- Did not play against Los Angeles.
Regular season:
- Played in one game in 2025, seeing four snaps on offense and nine on special teams.
Sean Clifford, QB (2017-22) - Cincinnati Bengals
- First season with Cincinnati (third in the NFL)
- Did not see game action after signing with the Bengals practice squad on September 16.
Jahan Dotson, WR (2018-21), Philadelphia Eagles
- Second season with Philadelphia (fourth in the NFL)
Playoffs:
- Had one target vs. San Francisco
- Played 38 offensive snaps.
Regular season:
- Played in 17 games and made 10 starts in 2025.
- Caught 18 passes for 262 yards and one touchdown with a long reception of 51 yards.
- Added five punt returns for 48 yards.
- Had a 40-yard touchdown grab against the New York Giants on October 26.
Arnold Ebiketie, LB (2021), Atlanta Falcons
- Fourth season with Atlanta (fourth in the NFL)
- Made 17 appearances and three starts in 2025.
- Tallied 36 tackles (17 solo), five tackles for loss, two sacks, one pass breakup and six quarterback hits.
- Had four tackles, including a sack, against Indianapolis on November 9.
Olumuyiwa Fashanu, OL (2020-23), New York Jets
- Second season with the New York Jets (second in the NFL)
- Started all 17 games at tackle this season
- Played 1,040 of Jets’ 1,048 offensive snaps (99%) this season.
- In 1,040 offensive snaps, was only called for one holding penalty.
Pat Freiermuth, TE (2018-20), Pittsburgh Steelers
- Fifth season with Pittsburgh (fifth in the NFL)
Playoffs:
- Caught one pass for 18 yards vs. Houston.
- Played 39 offensive snaps and two on special teams.
Regular season:
- Made 17 appearances and eight starts in 2025.
- Caught 41 passes for 486 yards and four touchdowns with a long reception of 68 yards.
- Had a season-high 111 receiving yards and two touchdowns on five catches against Cincinnati in Week 7.
Will Fries, OL (2017-20), Minnesota Vikings
- First season with Minnesota (fifth in the NFL)
- Started all 17 games this season
- Played 989 of Vikings’ 1,001 offensive snaps (99%) this season.
- In 989 offensive snaps, had zero holding penalties.
Mike Gesicki, TE (2014-17), Cincinnati Bengals
- Second season with Cincinnati (seventh in the NFL)
- Played in 13 games and made two starts in 2025.
- Recorded 28 receptions for 307 yards and two touchdowns.
- Had a season-high 86 yards and a touchdown on six receptions against Buffalo on December 7.
Blake Gillikin, P (2016-19), Arizona Cardinals
- Third season with Arizona (sixth in the NFL)
- Played in five games in 2025 before going on injured reserve on October 11.
- Averaged an NFL-best 51.7 yards on 22 punts (1,138 punt yards).
- Had a long punt of 63 yards and landed eight inside the 20.
Chris Godwin, WR (2014-16), Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Ninth season with Tampa Bay (ninth in the NFL)
- Played in nine games and made six starts in 2025 after returning from injured reserve.
- Caught 33 passes for 360 yards and two touchdowns.
- Had seven catches for 108 yards and a touchdown against Miami.
Daequan Hardy, CB (2019-23), Pittsburgh Steelers
- First season with Pittsburgh (second in the NFL)
- On practice squad
Playoffs:
- Did not play against Houston.
Regular season:
- Did not see game action after signing with Steelers practice squad on November 4.
Adisa Isaac, DE (2019-23), Baltimore Ravens
- Second season with Baltimore (second in the NFL)
- Spent entire 2025 season on injured reserve.
Coziah Izzard, DT (2020-24), New Orleans Saints
- First season with New Orleans (first in the NFL)
- Did not see game action after signing with Saints practice squad on November 5.
Austin Johnson, DT (2013-15), Jacksonville Jaguars
- First season with Jacksonville (ninth in the NFL)
Playoffs:
- Recorded a solo tackle vs. Buffalo.
- Played 15 snaps on defense and four on special teams.
Regular season:
- Made 14 appearances in 2025.
- Recorded 12 tackles, four solo, one tackle for loss, one forced fumble, one pass breakup and one quarterback hit.
- Had a sack and a forced fumble on November 30 against Tennessee.
Theo Johnson, TE (2020-23), New York Giants
- Second season with the New York Giants (second in the NFL)
- Started in 15 games in 2025.
- Recorded 45 receptions for 528 yards and five touchdowns with a long reception of 25 yards.
- Caught two touchdown passes against New Orleans on October 5.
Jalen Kimber, CB (2024) - Cincinnati Bengals
- First season with Cincinnati (first in the NFL)
- Did not see game action after signing with the Bengals practice squad on December 2.
Kalen King, CB (2021-23), Arizona Cardinals
- First season with Arizona (second in the NFL)
- Signed from Carolina Panthers practice squad on December 23
- Played in one game in 2025.
Kobe King, LB (2021-24), New York Jets
- First season with New York (first in the NFL)
- Made 14 appearances in 2025, including five with Minnesota and nine with the Jets.
- Recorded 10 tackles, including five solo.
PJ Mustipher, DT (2018-22), Arizona Cardinals
- Second season with Arizona (second in the NFL)
- Played in 15 games in 2025.
- Made 32 tackles, 11 solo, one tackle for loss and one pass breakup.
- Had a season-high seven tackles against the Los Angeles Rams on December 7.
Hunter Nourzad, OL (2022-23), Kansas City Chiefs
- Second season with Kansas City (second in the NFL)
- Made 11 appearances and one start in 2025.
- Played 92 offensive snaps and 43 special teams snaps this season.
Amani Oruwariye, CB (2015-18), Baltimore Ravens
- First season with Baltimore (sixth in the NFL)
- Played in one game in 2025, recording one tackle.
Odafe Oweh, LB (2019-20), Los Angeles Chargers
Patriots 16, Chargers 3
- First season with the Los Angeles Chargers (fifth in the NFL)
Playoffs:
- Recorded four tackles, all solo, vs. New England.
- Notched three sacks and two forced fumbles.
- Added three quarterback hits.
- Played 25 defensive snaps and five special teams snaps.
Regular season:
- Made 17 appearances and four starts in 2025, including five appearances (two starts) for Baltimore and 12 appearances (two starts) for Los Angeles.
- Collected 38 tackles, 20 solo, nine tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks and 18 quarterback hits.
- Recorded four tackles, three tackles for loss and two sacks against Kansas City on December 14.
Micah Parsons, DL (2018-19), Green Bay Packers
- First season with Green Bay (fifth in the NFL)
- On injured reserve.
- Selected to the Pro Bowl for the fifth time in his career.
Regular season:
- Played in 14 games and made 13 starts in 2025 before a season-ending injury.
- Recorded 41 tackles, 19 solo, 12 tackles for loss, 12.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, one pass breakup and 26 quarterback hits.
- Had five tackles, four tackles for loss, three sacks and five quarterback hits against Arizona on October 19.
Joey Porter Jr., CB (2019-22), Pittsburgh Steelers
- Third season with Pittsburgh (third in the NFL)
Playoffs:
- Recorded two tackles and two pass breakups vs. Houston.
- Played all 68 defensive snaps and one on special teams.
Regular season:
- Started in 14 games in 2025.
- Recorded 52 tackles, 35 solo, one sack, one interception and 13 pass breakups.
- Had eight tackles, one sack and an interception against Indianapolis on November 2.
Chop Robinson, LB (2022-23), Miami Dolphins
- Second season with Miami (second in the NFL)
- Played in 15 games and started three in 2025.
- Tallied 21 tackles, 10 solo, four tackles for loss, four sacks, one forced fumble, one pass breakup and seven quarterback hits.
- Had five tackles and 1.5 sacks against New Orleans on November 30.
Miles Sanders, RB (2016-18), Dallas Cowboys
- First season with Dallas (seventh in the NFL)
- Played in four games before a season-ending injury.
- Rushed for 112 yards and one touchdown on 20 carries.
- Added eight receptions for 30 yards.
- Had a season-high 53 rushing yards on four carries against Philadelphia on September 4.
Nick Scott, S (2015-18), Carolina Panthers
- Second season with Carolina (seventh in the NFL).
Playoffs:
- Tallied nine tackles, including four solo, against the Los Angeles Rams.
- Played all 76 defensive snaps.
Regular season:
- Started all 17 games in 2025.
- Recorded 111 tackles, 64 solo, one interception, one fumble recovery and two pass breakups.
- Had nine tackles and an interception against the Los Angeles Rams on November 30.
Jordan Stout, P (2019-21), Baltimore Ravens
- Fourth season with Baltimore (fourth in the NFL)
- Selected to the Pro Bowl for the first time in his career.
- Played in all 17 games.
- Averaged 50.1 yards on 53 punts (2,657 total yards), ranking fifth in the league in punt average.
- Had a long punt of 74 yards and landed 24 inside the 20.
Brenton Strange, TE (2019-22), Jacksonville Jaguars
- Third season with Jacksonville (third in the NFL)
Playoffs:
- Caught two passes, on five targets, for nine yards vs. Buffalo.
- Played 49 snaps on offense.
Regular season:
- Started in 12 games in 2025. Missed five games due to injury.
- Caught 46 passes for 540 yards and three touchdowns.
- Had a season-high 93 yards on five catches against Arizona on November 23.
Mitchell Tinsley, WR (2022), Cincinnati Bengals
- First season with Cincinnati (third in the NFL)
- Made 17 appearances and four starts in 2025.
- Recorded eight catches for 116 yards and two touchdowns.
- Added a 10-yard punt return.
- Had two catches for 29 yards and a touchdown against New England on November 23.
Rasheed Walker, OL (2019-21), Green Bay Packers
- Fifth season with Green Bay (fifth in the NFL)
Playoffs:
- Made the start against Chicago, playing all 71 offensive snaps and six on special teams.
Regular season:
- Appeared in 17 games and made 16 starts in 2025.
- Played 988 offensive snaps (94% of Green Bay’s offensive snaps) and 76 special teams snaps this season.
Tyler Warren, TE (2020-24), Indianapolis Colts
- First season with Indianapolis (first in the NFL)
- Appeared in 17 games and made 12 starts in 2025.
- Caught 76 passes for 817 yards and four touchdowns.
- Added six carries for 8 yards and a touchdown.
- Tied for sixth-most receptions among NFL tight ends, while ranking fifth in receiving yards.
- Had a season-best eight catches for 99 yards against Atlanta on November 9.
Parker Washington, WR (2020-22), Jacksonville Jaguars
- Third season with Jacksonville (third in the NFL)
Playoffs:
- Hauled in seven receptions for 107 yards and a touchdown against Buffalo.
- Had a 6-yard touchdown grab early in the fourth quarter.
- Made catches of 34 and 31 yards.
- Had two rushes for two yards.
- Played 40 snaps on offense and three on special teams.
Regular season:
- Appeared in 16 games and made seven starts in 2025.
- Recorded 58 catches for 847 yards and five touchdowns with a long reception of 63 yards.
- Added 25 punt returns for 341 yards and two touchdowns and three kickoff returns for 75 yards.
- Tied for NFL lead with two punt return touchdowns.
- Had six catches for a season-high 145 yards and one touchdown against Denver on December 21.
Kevin Winston Jr., S (2022-24), Tennessee Titans
- First season with Tennessee (first in the NFL)
- Played in 10 games and made six starts in 2025.
- Recorded 34 tackles, 21 solo, four tackles for loss, one sack, two pass breakups and four quarterback hits.
Sal Wormley, OL (2019-24), Jacksonville Jaguars
- First season with Jacksonville (first in the NFL)
- On practice squad
Playoffs:
- Did not play against Buffalo.
Regular season:
- Did not see game action after signing with the Jaguars practice squad.
The 2025 Penn State football season is presented by PSECU.