Kansas State University Athletics
Wildcats in the NFL – Week 16
Dec 27, 2016 | Football
MANHATTAN, Kan. – Each week throughout the 2016 season, k-statesports.com will recap the action for the 10 former Kansas State football players currently in the NFL.
Randall Evans, CB – San Diego Chargers
Evans, who entered the league as a draft pick by Philadelphia last season, was signed to San Diego’s practice squad on December 7. The Chargers lost a Cleveland, 20-17, to fall to 5-10 and host Kansas City on Sunday to close out the 2016 season.
B.J. Finney, OL – Pittsburgh Steelers
An undrafted rookie free agent in 2015 who spent last year on the practice squad, Finney played in Pittsburgh’s 31-27 victory over Baltimore. Winners of six in a row, the Steelers captured the AFC North title with the win that pushed their record to 10-5. Pittsburgh concludes the regular season against Cleveland on Sunday.
Glenn Gronkowski, FB – New England Patriots
Gronkowski, who entered the league as an undrafted rookie free agent with Buffalo, is in his third tour of duty on New England’s practice squad this year. The Patriots defeated the New York Jets, 41-3. New England, which is 13-2 on the year, finishes the regular season at Miami on Sunday.
Emmanuel Lamur, LB – Minnesota Vikings
Lamur, a fifth-year linebacker, recorded a special teams tackle among his 23 special teams plays in Minnesota’s 38-25 loss at Green Bay. A first-year player for the Vikings who spent his first four NFL seasons in Cincinnati, Lamur has 161 career tackles, a half sack, 10 passes defended and two interceptions in his career. Minnesota, which is now 7-8 on the year, hosts Chicago on Sunday.
Tyler Lockett, WR/Returner – Seattle Seahawks
Lockett totaled 73 all-purpose yards in Seattle’s 34-31 home loss to Arizona, but the second-year pro suffered a broken leg and will miss the remainder of the season. A nominee for the 2016 Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award, Lockett totaled two catches for 38 yards, returned two punts for seven yards and a kickoff for 28 yards against the Cardinals. He ended his season with 41 receptions for 597 yards and a touchdown to go along with an 8.4-yard punt return average and a 26.3-yard kickoff return average, the latter ranking fourth in the NFL. Seattle, which had already clinched the NFC West title, fell to 9-5-1 on the year and closes out the regular season at San Francisco.
Cornelius Lucas, OL – Detroit Lions
A third-year offensive lineman, Lucas was inactive for Detroit’s 42-21 loss at Dallas. Lucas, an undrafted rookie free agent signee in 2014, has played in 34 career games with six starts. The Lions fell to 9-6 on the year and host Green Bay in a winner-take-all matchup for the NFC North title on Sunday.
Jordy Nelson, WR – Green Bay Packers
A ninth-year pro, Nelson picked up his fifth 100-yard game of the year and 15th his career as he went for 164 yards and two touchdowns on six catches in a 38-25 win over Detroit. On injured reserve for the entire 2015 season, Nelson has 91 receptions for 1,191 yards – the fourth 1,000-yard season of his career – and 14 touchdowns during the 2016 campaign. His 14 receiving scores lead the NFL, while he became the first Packer receiver ever to record 13 or more touchdowns in three different seasons. Additionally, Nelson and Aaron Rodgers hooked up for their 57th and 58th touchdown, the most by a quarter-receiver duo in Green Bay history. The Riley, Kansas, product moved into fourth place in Green Bay history in career catches (491) and sole possession of third place in touchdowns (63), while he remained fifth in yards (7,300). After sitting at 4-6 through Week 11, the Packers have won five-straight games and are now 9-6 on the year. Green Bay will play in a de facto NFC North Division championship game Sunday night at Detroit.
Terence Newman, CB – Minnesota Vikings
Newman, a 14th-year veteran who is with his second season with Minnesota, started and tallied three tackles – including one for a loss – in the Vikings’ 38-25 loss at Green Bay. The Salina, Kansas, product, who is a nominee for the NFL’s 2016 Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award, played in his 204th career game and made his 197th career start. He now has 841 tackles in his career to go along with two sacks, 167 passes defended and 41 interceptions. His 41 picks rank second among active players. Sitting at 7-8 on the year, Minnesota closes out its 2016 campaign against Chicago.
Darren Sproles, RB/Returner – Philadelphia Eagles
A 12th-year veteran, Sproles rushed seven times for 40 yards – including a 25-yard score – and caught two passes for 23 yards in Philadelphia’s 24-19 victory over the New York Giants. In 14 games this season, the 2016 Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award finalist has accounted for 406 yards and two touchdowns on the ground to go along with 423 receiving yards and two touchdowns in addition to a 13.2-yard punt return average. The 6-9 Eagles close out the 2016 season by hosting Dallas on Sunday.
Cody Whitehair, OL - Chicago Bears
Whitehair, a second-round pick in this year’s draft, started at center for a 15th time this year and played on all 69 offensive snaps in Chicago’s 41-21 home loss to Washington. The 3-12 Bears finish their season at Minnesota on Sunday.
