Penn State in the NFL: Week 18
The regular season has finally ended, and for some Penn Staters in the pros, it was a last chance to shine.
Let’s take a look at some of the best performances from the weekend.
Jaquan Brisker, Safety, Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears may have secured the number one overall pick on Sunday but Brisker did everything in his power to change that.
Brisker finished with 10 tackles and a pass deflection in a loss against the Minnesota Vikings.
The safety finishes his rookie season with an impressive 104 total tackles, four sacks and an interception as he looks to be a building block in a bright future for the Bears.
Chris Godwin, Wide Receiver, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were already locked into the NFC’s number four seed in the playoffs but Godwin still produced despite some starters being rested.
Godwin led the team in receptions and receiving yards with six catches for 55 yards in a loss against the Atlanta Falcons.
Despite missing two games this season, Godwin had one of the best seasons of his career with 104 receptions for 1,023 receiving yards and three touchdowns.
Micah Parsons, Linebacker, Dallas Stars
The Dallas Cowboys will be playing the Buccaneers in the Wild Card round after locking up the No. 5 seed in the NFC and Parsons has been a massive part of their success.
Parsons came away with two tackles and a half sack in a loss against the Washington Commanders.
In his second year, Parsons had another outstanding season with 65 tackles, a career-high 13.5 sacks and three forced fumbles.
Mike Gesicki, Tight End, Miami Dolphins
Offense didn’t come easy for the Miami Dolphins this past weekend but Gesicki helped the ‘Fins do just enough to beat the New York Jets.
In that must-win game, Gesicki led the team in receiving yards with 46 on four receptions to help get the Dolphins into the playoffs.
Those totals were Gesicki’s highest since week six against the Minnesota Vikings where he recorded six catches for 69 yards.
Gesicki finished the season with 32 receptions for 362 yards and five touchdowns.
Jahan Dotson, Wide Receiver, Washington Commanders
Closing things out with a rookie, Dotson finished his first season in the league with a win over the Cowboys.
Dotson came away with three receptions for 72 yards in the win which included a 30-yard catch.
Even after missing five games on the season, Dotson finished with 35 receptions for 523 receiving yards and seven scores.
Logan Bourandas is a senior majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email lxb5412@psu.edu.
