UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – A total of 40 Penn State alums are populating the rosters of 25 National Football League teams. The Nittany Lions are perennially a top-20 program in producing players in the NFL.
As the NFC and AFC Championships take place this weekend, six former Nittany Lions continue their quest to compete for the Super Bowl LV title. Penn State football players dot all four rosters of the teams still alive in the playoffs. Penn State is one of three schools to have one or more alumni on an active roster for each conference championship team.
Among the Nittany Lions on NFL Playoff rosters are: safety Adrian Amos (Packers), offensive tackle Ryan Bates (Bills), wide receiver Chris Godwin (Buccaneers), offensive tackle Donovan Smith (Buccaneers), and offensive guard Stefen Wisniewski (Chiefs). Additionally, center A.Q. Shipley (Buccaneers) is on injured reserve.
NFL PLAYOFFS CHAMPIONSHIP WEEKEND SCHEDULE
Sunday
Game 1 (3:05 p.m. – FOX): Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Green Bay Packers
Nittany Lions featured: Adrian Amos (Packers), Chris Godwin (Buccaneers), A.Q. Shipley (Buccaneers Injured Reserve) and Donovan Smith (Buccaneers)
Game 2 (6:40 p.m. – CBS): Buffalo Bills at Kansas City Chiefs
Nittany Lions featured: Ryan Bates (Bills) and Stefen Wisniewski (Chiefs)
On 49 different occasions, Penn State has been represented in the Super Bowl. Last season, the Nittany Lions had a league-high five alumni on the 53-man rosters of the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers. The five alumni in the Super Bowl are the most for the Nittany Lions since Super Bowl XXXV (2001). Former Penn State offensive lineman Stefen Wisniewski and defensive back Jordan Lucas earned the victory in last year's game. Forty-one Nittany Lions have claimed 60 Super Bowl rings (including non-Penn State football players).
