With 30 Nittany Lions on National Football League rosters, Penn State is well represented in the professional ranks. Each week throughout the year, www.GoPSUsports.com, will provide updates on the exploits of these former Nittany Lion greats. Highlights from week four of the 2010 season include the first career NFL starts for Deon Butler and Andrew Quarless and Paul Posluszny’s standout performance in his return to the Bills’ line-up.
Anthony Adams (1999-02), DT, Chicago Bears
New York Giants 17, Chicago Bears 3
Adams started at nose tackle for Chicago and made one tackle in the Sunday night loss to the Giants.
Jay Alford (2003-06), DT, Oakland Raiders
Houston Texans 31, Oakland Raiders 24
Alford saw playing time as a back-up defensive tackle for the Raiders in a week four loss to the Texans but did not register a stop.
Navorro Bowman (2007-09), LB, San Francisco 49ers
Atlanta Falcons 16, San Francisco 49ers 14
Bowman made one tackle on defense and two on special teams in San Francisco’s loss to Atlanta.
Levi Brown (2003-06), OT, Arizona Cardinals
San Diego Chargers 41, Arizona Cardinals 10
Brown started his 45th consecutive regular season game at right tackle, but the Cardinals offense continued its struggles in a loss at San Diego.
Deon Butler (2005-08), WR, Seattle Seahawks
St. Louis Rams 20, Seattle Seahawks 3
Butler made his first career NFL start, catching two passes for 20 yards in a road loss to St. Louis.
Kerry Collins (1992-94), QB, Tennessee Titans
Denver Broncos 26, Tennessee Titans 20
The longest active NFL tenured Nittany Lion, in his 17th professional season, Collins served as the No. 2 quarterback for the Titans but did not see any action on Sunday versus Denver.
Dan Connor (2004-07), LB, Carolina Panthers
New Orleans Saints 16, Carolina Panthers 14
Connor started his fourth straight game at middle linebacker for the Panthers, totaling five tackles, four of them unassisted, and one pass defensed.
John Gilmore (1999-01), TE, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
BYE
Robbie Gould (2001-04), K, Chicago Bears
New York Giants 17, Chicago Bears 3
Gould converted on his lone field goal attempt of the night, connecting on a 40-yarder in the fourth quarter.
Tamba Hali (2002-05), DE, Kansas City Chiefs
BYE
Hali is off to the best start of his NFL career, totaling a team-high 3.5 sacks for the league’s lone remaining undefeated team.
Josh Hull (2006-09), LB, St. Louis Rams
St. Louis Rams 20, Seattle Seahawks 3
Hull tore his anterior cruciate ligament during practice on Sept. 15. He was placed on injured reserve and will miss the rest of his rookie season.
Bryant Johnson (1999-02), WR, Detroit Lions
Green Bay Packers 28, Detroit Lions 26
Johnson started his second consecutive game for the Lions and pulled in three catches for 23 yards.
Ed Johnson (2003-04, 2006), DT, Carolina Panthers
New Orleans Saints 16, Carolina Panthers 14
Johnson started at left defensive tackle, recording one stop and a pass defensed.
Jimmy Kennedy (1999-02), DT, Minnesota Vikings
BYE
Justin King (2005-07), CB, St. Louis Rams
St. Louis Rams 20, Seattle Seahawks 3
Playing as an extra defensive back, King tied for the team lead with six tackles, all solos.
Sean Lee (2005-07, 2009), LB, Dallas Cowboys
BYE
Aaron Maybin (2007-08), DE, Buffalo Bills
New York Jets 38, Buffalo Bills 14
Maybin saw time on the field against the Jets but did not record a tackle.
Kareem McKenzie (1997-00), OT, New York Giants
New York Giants 17, Chicago Bears 3
McKenzie, the Giants’ starting right tackle, was key in a rebound win in primetime on Sunday night, helping the New York offense pile up 372 total yards against Chicago’s vaunted defense.
Jordan Norwood (2005-08), WR, Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns 23, Cincinnati Bengals 20
Norwood is a member of the Cleveland Browns’ practice squad.
Jared Odrick (2006-09), DT, Miami Dolphins
New England Patriots 41, Miami Dolphins 14
Odrick fractured his fibula after earning his first NFL start in week one. He did not practice this week and was inactive for Miami’s Monday Night Football showdown with division rival New England.
Rich Ohrnberger (2006-08), OG, New England Patriots
New England Patriots 41, Miami Dolphins 14
Ohrnberger was activated to New England’s 53-man roster from the practice squad on Sept. 29. He did not dress, however, for the Patriots’ Monday Night Football battle with division rival Miami.
Paul Posluszny (2003-06), LB, Buffalo Bills
New York Jets 38, Buffalo Bills 14
Posluszny returned from a minor knee injury to start his second game of the season for the Bills, recording 12 tackles, including eight solo, in a Buffalo loss.
Andrew Quarless (2006-09), TE, Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers 28, Detroit Lions 26
Quarless made his first career NFL start, serving as part of Green Bay’s two tight end set, but did not have a reception.
Michael Robinson (2002-05), RB, Seattle Seahawks
St. Louis Rams 20, Seattle Seahawks 3
Robinson started his first game for the Seahawks, carrying once for three yards and catching one pass for four yards.
Bryan Scott (1999-02), S, Buffalo Bills
New York Jets 38, Buffalo Bills 14
Scott saw action for the Bills as a reserve defensive back, recording two tackles.
Tim Shaw (2002, 2004-06), LB, Tennessee Titans
Denver Broncos 26, Tennessee Titans 20
Shaw saw action on special teams and registered one total tackle in Tennessee’s loss to Denver.
A.Q. Shipley (2005-08), C, Philadelphia Eagles
Washington Redskins 17, Philadelphia Eagles 12
Shipley joined the Eagles in the 2010 offseason and spent the entire training camp and preseason with the team before signing to the practice squad.
Mickey Shuler (2007-09), TE, Miami Dolphins
New England Patriots 41, Miami Dolphins 14
After being waived by the Minnesota Vikings, Shuler was signed by Miami to its active roster on Sept. 24. He saw action in his first game in a Dolphins uniform this week on Monday Night Football versus the Patriots but did not have a catch.
Cameron Wake (2000, 2002-04), LB, Miami Dolphins
New England Patriots 41, Miami Dolphins 14
Wake was active for the Dolphins defense against the Patriots, totaling five tackles (four solos), one sack for a loss of six yards, and three quarterback hits.
Derrick Williams (2005-08), WR, Detroit Lions
Green Bay Packers 28, Detroit Lions 26
Williams played in Detroit’s narrow loss to Green Bay but did not have a catch.