Penn State Alumni in the 2024 NFL Conference Championship Games
The field has narrowed to four teams in the 2024 NFL Playoffs. The AFC and NFC Championship games take place this weekend, and the Penn State Nittany Lions are represented on each remaining team. We’ll preview the matchups and how each player left in the playoffs performed during the divisional round.
NFC Championship Game
Kevin Givens: DT San Francisco 49ers
Kevin Givens played 14 defensive snaps for the 49ers in the team’s win over the Green Bay Packers but he did not record an official stat. Aside from his snaps on defense, Givens had a handful more on special teams.
Givens may be called on more this weekend against the Detroit Lions’ relentless ground game. It will be a battle of two stout defenses that need to control the line of scrimmage.
Ji’Ayir Brown: Saf San Francisco 49ers
Ji’Ayir Brown was a full participant at practice in the days leading up to the team’s showdown against Green Bay last weekend. Yet the former Penn State ball-hawking safety didn’t see the field for the defense, nor did he factor in on special teams.
Brown isn’t on the team’s injury report this week, so if he wasn’t 100% last week, he should be game-ready for Sunday.
Jason Cabinda: FB Detroit Lions
The Lions leaned on the ground game against Tampa Bay, so Jason Cabinda saw 11 snaps last weekend, one short of his season high. Cabinda was a lead blocker for rookie Jamhyr Gibbs on the game-sealing touchdown in the fourth quarter.
The former Penn State middle linebacker is also a core special Tetams player for Detroit, who has at least 15 special teams snaps in every game he’s played this year.
AFC Championship Game
Donovan Smith: LT Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City offense ran up and down the field on the depleted Bills defense on the way to a 27-24 win. However, the Bills defensive line, which was the healthiest unit on the field, got run over by the Chiefs. Donovan Smith had one of his best days blocking for the run game this season.
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On top of that, he only allowed two pressures and no QB hits on Patrick Mahomes, according to PFF. Smith will face off against another former Penn State Nittany Lion this weekend.
Odafe Oweh: EDGE Baltimore Ravens
It wasn’t a loud day on the stat sheet for former Penn State edge rusher Odafe Oweh. He managed just two hurries on 16 pass-rushing snaps against the Houston Texans last week. However, Oweh was solid in run defense, and the Ravens made the Texan’s offense on-dimensional in the win.
He’ll square off against Smith this coming weekend for the right to move on to the Super Bowl.
Jordan Stout: P Baltimore Ravens
It was an oversight that Jordan Stout (and all the special teams) were left off last weekend’s preview. Stout had a rough day punting in the cold, rainy, windy Baltimore weather. He averaged 42.3 yards per attempt, but his net average was an alarming 25.5 yards/att thanks to a 67-yard TD return.
The Ravens host the Chiefs this weekend, and right now, the weather from last weekend will make a repeat appearance. Giving Mahomes and his offense a short field would be bad for the Ravens.
Dan Chisena: ST Baltimore Ravens
Former Penn State track athlete and gunner Dan Chisena tallied a special team tackle for the Ravens in the win over the Texans. Chisena spent the end of the 2023 season with the Arizona Cardinals before Baltimore picked up him after the regular season.
