Kansas State University Athletics
Wildcats in the NFL – Week 15
Dec 22, 2020 | Football
MANHATTAN, Kan. – Each week throughout the 2020 season, k-statesports.com recaps the action for the 13 former Kansas State football players currently in the NFL.
Deante Burton, DB – Dallas Cowboys
Burton, who was signed to the Cowboys' active roster two weeks ago, was placed on injured reserve on Saturday. In four games this season, Burton carded three tackles between 21 defensive snaps and 50 special teams plays. The Cowboys earned a 41-33 victory over San Francisco to improve to 5-9 on the season and move to within one game of the NFC East lead. Dallas hosts Philadelphia on Sunday.
B.J. Finney, OL – Cincinnati Bengals
Finney was inactive for Cincinnati's 27-17 Monday-night home win over Pittsburgh. The victory pushed the Bengals' record to 3-10-1 on the season prior to traveling to face Houston on Sunday.
Elijah Lee, LB – Cleveland Browns
Lee saw action on 11 special teams plays and made the tackle on the opening kickoff in Cleveland's 20-6 win at the New York Giants on Sunday night. It was Lee's sixth game with the Browns as he began his season with the Lions. Cleveland improved to 10-4 on the year and is just one game shy of the AFC North lead. The Browns travel to face the New York Jets on Sunday.
Tyler Lockett, WR – Seattle Seahawks
Lockett, who started his 69th-career game, came away with four receptions for 34 yards in Seattle's 20-15 win at Washington. A native of Tulsa, Oklahoma, Lockett has 85 receptions for 920 yards and eight touchdowns this season. He is tied for eighth in the NFL in touchdown catches and is tied for 10th in touchdown receptions. The 10-4 Seahawks, who clinched a playoff berth with the win, hold a one-game lead in the NFC West prior to hosting the second-place Los Angeles Rams on Sunday.
Cornelius Lucas, OL – Washington Football Team
Lucas carded his sixth start of the season and was in for all 80 offensive snaps in Washington's 20-15 home loss to Seattle. A sixth-year veteran, Lucas has played in 12 games for the Football Team, which fell to 6-8 on the year but still leads the NFC East by one game. Washington hosts Carolina on Sunday.
Matt McCrane, K – Cleveland Browns
McCrane is on the Browns' practice, a place he has resided since signing with the organization in Week 3. Cleveland earned a 20-6 Sunday-night win at the New York Giants to improve to 10-4 and move to within one game of the AFC North lead. The Browns travel to face the New York Jets on Sunday.
Byron Pringle, WR – Kansas City Chiefs
Pringle came off injured reserve on Saturday and made a tackle on punt coverage among his 26 special teams plays – and he was also in for six offensive snaps – in Kansas City's 32-29 win at New Orleans. In 11 games this season, Pringle has nine receptions for 108 yards to go along with seven kickoff returns for 247 yards (35.3-yard average) and a touchdown. He is one of only four players in the league with a kickoff-return score this season. The Chiefs kept hold of the No. 1 seed in the AFC as they improved to 13-1 on the season, and they host Atlanta on Sunday.
D.J. Reed Jr., DB – Seattle Seahawks
Reed made his sixth start of the season – and third in as many games – as he filled up the stat sheet in Seattle's 20-15 win at Washington. The third-year pro made six tackles, had one interception and defended three passes, while he returned three punts for 19 yards. The interception was his second of the season and his three passes defended were a career high. Seattle improved its record to 10-4 to hold a one-game lead in the NFC West. The Seahawks host the second-place Los Angeles Rams on Sunday.
Dalton Risner, OL – Denver Broncos
Risner, who is close to wrapping up his second season in the NFL, stared his 30th-career game and was in for all 64 offensive snaps in Denver's 48-19 home loss to Buffalo on Saturday. A product of Wiggins, Colorado, Risner has seen time on 1,870 of the Broncos' 1,940 offensive snaps (96.4%) since he began his career last year. Denver, which is now 5-9 this season, travels to face the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday.
Duke Shelley, DB – Chicago Bears
Shelley made his first-career start and tallied seven tackles in Chicago's 33-27 win at Minnesota. Shelley was in for a career-high 66 defensive snaps in addition to 10 special teams plays. The Bears improved to 7-7 on the year to remain in the hunt for one of the three NFC Wild Card spots. The Bears travel to Jacksonville on Sunday.
Reggie Walker, LB - Arizona Cardinals
Walker is on the Cardinals' practice squad but has been elevated to the active roster and played twice this season. Arizona defeated Philadelphia, 33-26, on Sunday to improve to 8-6 on the year and hold the final NFC Wild Card spot with two games remaining. The Cardinals host San Francisco on Saturday.
Cody Whitehair, OL – Chicago Bears
Whitehair made his third start in as many weeks after a mid-season injury, and he was in for all 64 offensive snaps in Chicago's 33-27 win at Minnesota. Whitehair, who was also placed on the COVID-19/Reserve list earlier this season, has played on 81% of the Bears' offensive snaps in 2020. Evening its record at 7-7 and remaining in the hunt for one of three Wild Card spots in the NFC, Chicago travels to Jacksonville on Sunday.
Jordan Willis, DE – San Francisco 49ers
Willis came away with a tackle and a quarterback hurry in San Francisco's 41-33 loss at Dallas. In eight games this season split between the New York Jets and the 49ers, Willis has 12 tackles and 2.5 sacks. The 49ers, who are now 5-9 this year, face the Cardinals in Arizona on Saturday afternoon.
Deante Burton, DB – Dallas Cowboys
Burton, who was signed to the Cowboys' active roster two weeks ago, was placed on injured reserve on Saturday. In four games this season, Burton carded three tackles between 21 defensive snaps and 50 special teams plays. The Cowboys earned a 41-33 victory over San Francisco to improve to 5-9 on the season and move to within one game of the NFC East lead. Dallas hosts Philadelphia on Sunday.
B.J. Finney, OL – Cincinnati Bengals
Finney was inactive for Cincinnati's 27-17 Monday-night home win over Pittsburgh. The victory pushed the Bengals' record to 3-10-1 on the season prior to traveling to face Houston on Sunday.
Elijah Lee, LB – Cleveland Browns
Lee saw action on 11 special teams plays and made the tackle on the opening kickoff in Cleveland's 20-6 win at the New York Giants on Sunday night. It was Lee's sixth game with the Browns as he began his season with the Lions. Cleveland improved to 10-4 on the year and is just one game shy of the AFC North lead. The Browns travel to face the New York Jets on Sunday.
Tyler Lockett, WR – Seattle Seahawks
Lockett, who started his 69th-career game, came away with four receptions for 34 yards in Seattle's 20-15 win at Washington. A native of Tulsa, Oklahoma, Lockett has 85 receptions for 920 yards and eight touchdowns this season. He is tied for eighth in the NFL in touchdown catches and is tied for 10th in touchdown receptions. The 10-4 Seahawks, who clinched a playoff berth with the win, hold a one-game lead in the NFC West prior to hosting the second-place Los Angeles Rams on Sunday.
Cornelius Lucas, OL – Washington Football Team
Lucas carded his sixth start of the season and was in for all 80 offensive snaps in Washington's 20-15 home loss to Seattle. A sixth-year veteran, Lucas has played in 12 games for the Football Team, which fell to 6-8 on the year but still leads the NFC East by one game. Washington hosts Carolina on Sunday.
Matt McCrane, K – Cleveland Browns
McCrane is on the Browns' practice, a place he has resided since signing with the organization in Week 3. Cleveland earned a 20-6 Sunday-night win at the New York Giants to improve to 10-4 and move to within one game of the AFC North lead. The Browns travel to face the New York Jets on Sunday.
Byron Pringle, WR – Kansas City Chiefs
Pringle came off injured reserve on Saturday and made a tackle on punt coverage among his 26 special teams plays – and he was also in for six offensive snaps – in Kansas City's 32-29 win at New Orleans. In 11 games this season, Pringle has nine receptions for 108 yards to go along with seven kickoff returns for 247 yards (35.3-yard average) and a touchdown. He is one of only four players in the league with a kickoff-return score this season. The Chiefs kept hold of the No. 1 seed in the AFC as they improved to 13-1 on the season, and they host Atlanta on Sunday.
Mike Remmers has been downgraded to OUT for Sunday's game.
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) December 19, 2020
Deandre Baker, Emmanuel Smith, and Stefen Wisniewski have been activated from the practice squad.
Byron Pringle has been activated from injured reserve.
Almost that time 😁 pic.twitter.com/vOIobn50Bc
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) December 20, 2020
D.J. Reed Jr., DB – Seattle Seahawks
Reed made his sixth start of the season – and third in as many games – as he filled up the stat sheet in Seattle's 20-15 win at Washington. The third-year pro made six tackles, had one interception and defended three passes, while he returned three punts for 19 yards. The interception was his second of the season and his three passes defended were a career high. Seattle improved its record to 10-4 to hold a one-game lead in the NFC West. The Seahawks host the second-place Los Angeles Rams on Sunday.
The 2️⃣nd interception of the day belongs to @D7_Reed!
— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) December 20, 2020
📺: #SEAvsWAS on FOX pic.twitter.com/94WlNi8mwa
Dalton Risner, OL – Denver Broncos
Risner, who is close to wrapping up his second season in the NFL, stared his 30th-career game and was in for all 64 offensive snaps in Denver's 48-19 home loss to Buffalo on Saturday. A product of Wiggins, Colorado, Risner has seen time on 1,870 of the Broncos' 1,940 offensive snaps (96.4%) since he began his career last year. Denver, which is now 5-9 this season, travels to face the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday.
Duke Shelley, DB – Chicago Bears
Shelley made his first-career start and tallied seven tackles in Chicago's 33-27 win at Minnesota. Shelley was in for a career-high 66 defensive snaps in addition to 10 special teams plays. The Bears improved to 7-7 on the year to remain in the hunt for one of the three NFC Wild Card spots. The Bears travel to Jacksonville on Sunday.
Reggie Walker, LB - Arizona Cardinals
Walker is on the Cardinals' practice squad but has been elevated to the active roster and played twice this season. Arizona defeated Philadelphia, 33-26, on Sunday to improve to 8-6 on the year and hold the final NFC Wild Card spot with two games remaining. The Cardinals host San Francisco on Saturday.
Cody Whitehair, OL – Chicago Bears
Whitehair made his third start in as many weeks after a mid-season injury, and he was in for all 64 offensive snaps in Chicago's 33-27 win at Minnesota. Whitehair, who was also placed on the COVID-19/Reserve list earlier this season, has played on 81% of the Bears' offensive snaps in 2020. Evening its record at 7-7 and remaining in the hunt for one of three Wild Card spots in the NFC, Chicago travels to Jacksonville on Sunday.
David Montgomery goes untouched for a 14 yard touchdown... but my 👀 go directly to the LG, Cody Whitehair. He's got my favorite block of the weekend and a dominating 🥞 block. Check it out @ChicagoBears pic.twitter.com/CJUF4hTQWI
— Geoff Schwartz (@geoffschwartz) December 21, 2020
Jordan Willis, DE – San Francisco 49ers
Willis came away with a tackle and a quarterback hurry in San Francisco's 41-33 loss at Dallas. In eight games this season split between the New York Jets and the 49ers, Willis has 12 tackles and 2.5 sacks. The 49ers, who are now 5-9 this year, face the Cardinals in Arizona on Saturday afternoon.
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