OVER THE COURSE of the NFL regular season, which ended on Sunday, 35 Stanford alums were on NFL rosters, 28 saw action, and 21 started at least one game. Four alums made their NFL debuts and 10 are on rosters of playoff teams.
Here is the position breakdown of the 28 who played: six tight ends, six offensive linemen, four defensive backs, three defensive linemen, three receivers, two linebackers, two running backs, one quarterback and one punter.
Through history, 266 Stanford alumni have played in NFL or AFL regular-season games.
Here is a summary of how former Cardinal fared in Week 18 of the NFL season and in the regular season:
New York Giants starting middle linebacker Bobby Okereke had a 12-yard sack among his eight tackles in a 27-10 victory over visiting Philadelphia on Sunday. Okereke filled up the stat sheet with five solo tackles, a tackle for loss, quarterback hurry, and pass defensed in the game. In his first year with the Giants and fifth year in the league, Okereke started all 17 games and had 92 solo tackles among his 149 combined. He was third in the league in solo tackles and ninth in combined tackles. He set career highs in sacks (2.5), tackles for loss (11), and forced fumbles (four), and tied his best in interceptions (two).
Bobby Okereke (right). Photo by Kevin R. Wexler/USA TODAY Network.
New Orleans starting left cornerback Paulson Adebo had seven tackles, including four solo, and broke up a pass in the Saints' 48-17 victory over visiting Atlanta. Adebo played 58 defensive snaps (98 percent) to close out his third season. Adebo played in 15 games, starting all of them, and had career-highs in interceptions (four), combined tackles (76), solo tackles (60), passes defensed (18), forced fumbles (two), and fumble recoveries (two).
New Orleans starting offensive left tackle Andrus Peat played 63 offensive snaps (94 percent) against the Falcons. Peat, in his ninth season, all with the Saints, played 16 games and started 12.
Atlanta tight end Tucker Fisk played eight offensive snaps and 21 on special teams against the Saints. Fisk played six games in his rookie season, starting two, and had one catch for nine yards.
Dalton Schultz. Photo by Marc Lebryk/USA TODAY Sports.
Houston starting tight end Dalton Schultz had five catches for 42 yards in the Texans' 23-19 victory at Indianapolis on Saturday. With the score tied, 17-17, in the fourth quarter, Schultz caught four passes for 37 yards on the winning 12-play, 73-yard touchdown drive. Schultz played 44 offensive snaps (79 percent) as the Texans won the AFC South title. In his first season with Houston, the six-year veteran played in 15 games, starting eight. He caught 59 passes for 635 yards and scored five touchdowns.
Michael Wilson. Photo by Michael Chow/The Republic/USA TODAY Network.
Arizona starting receiver Michael Wilson caught six passes for a career-high 95 yards in the Cardinals' 21-20 loss to visiting Seattle. Wilson caught a 28-yard pass from Kyler Murray on a second-quarter flea flicker had another catch for 21 yards on a final drive that ended with a field-goal miss on the game's final play. Wilson played 58 offensive snaps (83 percent). In his rookie season, Wilson played 13 games and started 12. He caught 38 passes for 565 yards (14.9 yards per catch) and three touchdowns.
Elijah Higgins. Photo by Matt Kartozian/USA TODAY Sports.
Arizona tight end Elijah Higgins had two catches for 32 yards and made a special teams tackle against Seattle. Higgins had a 25-yard reception while playing 27 offensive snaps and 12 on special teams. In his rookie season, Higgins played in 11 games and made two starts, and caught 14 passes for 163 yards with one touchdown.
Seattle tight end Colby Parkinson had three catches for eight yards at Arizona. Parkinson played 43 offensive snaps (78 percent) and five on special teams. In his fourth season, all with the Seahawks, Parkinson played in 17 games and made one start. He tied career-bests in receptions (35) and touchdowns (two).
Kyu Blu Kelly (right). Photo by Geoff Burke/USA TODAY Sports.
Washington cornerback Kyu Blu Kelly had five solo tackles and a tackle for loss in the Commanders' 38-10 loss to visiting Dallas in his second game for his third team of his rookie season. The tackles and TFL were the first of his eight-game career that began in Seattle and traversed through Green Bay.
Minnesota starting defensive tackle Harrison Phillips had six tackles, including two solo, in the Vikings' 30-20 loss at Detroit. Phillips played 48 defensive snaps (84 percent). Phillips, a six-year veteran, started all 17 games in his second season with the Vikings. Phillips set career bests in tackles (92), sacks (3.0), and snaps (839), and was the Vikings' NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee.
Austin Hooper (left). Photo by Stephen R. Sylvanie/USA TODAY Sports.
Las Vegas starting tight end Austin Hooper caught four passes for 39 yards in a 27-14 victory over visiting Denver. Hooper played 57 offensive snaps (86 percent). Hooper, in his first season with the Raiders and eight overall, had 25 catches for 234 yards. He played all 17 games and made nine starts.
Denver offensive right tackle Cameron Fleming made his first start of the season and played all 61 offensive snaps at Las Vegas. The 10-year veteran played in six games.
Cincinnati receiver Trenton Irwin caught two passes for 34 yards in the Bengals' 31-14 victory against visiting Cleveland and made a tackle after a Browns' interception. Both of his catches came on a third-quarter touchdown drive that boosted the Bengals' lead to 31-0. Irwin played 26 offensive downs (41 percent) and one on special teams. Irwin set career highs in games (16), starts (five), catches (25), and yards (316) in his fifth season.
Trenton Irwin. Photo by Katie Stratman/USA TODAY Sports.
Miami starting punter Jake Bailey averaged 47.8 yards on five punts in the Dolphins' 21-14 loss to visiting Buffalo on Sunday night. Bailey also was the holder on placekicks. In his first season with the Dolphins and fourth overall, Bailey played all 17 games and averaged 45.7 yards per punt with a long of 66 and a net of 40.7.
New York Jets starting defensive tackle Solomon Thomas broke up a pass and nearly intercepted it in a 17-3 victory in a snowstorm at New England. Thomas played 35 snaps (61 percent) and one on special teams on Sunday. For the season, Thomas, a seven-year veteran, played all 17 games and made three starts. He had 31 tackles, seven tackles for loss, six quarterback hits, and a career-high 5.0 sacks.
Los Angeles Chargers offensive tackle Foster Sarell played 38 offensive snaps and four on special teams in a 13-12 loss to visiting Kansas City. Sarell, in his second year, played in a career-high 17 games.
Pittsburgh offensive guard Nate Herbig played three special teams downs in the Steelers' 17-10 victory at Baltimore on Saturday that enabled Pittsburgh to sneak into the final AFC Wild Card spot. In his first season with the Steelers, the five-year veteran played in all 17 games, and made two starts.
Jacksonville offensive tackle Walker Little played four special teams snaps in the Jaguars' 28-20 loss at Tennessee. In his third season, Little played in 14 games and made a career-high 11 starts.
Houston quarterback Davis Mills did not play Saturday. As a backup to C.J. Stroud, Mills played in six games and completed 18 of 39 passes for 173 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions this season.
Kansas City free safety Justin Reid did not play Sunday. For the season, Reid played 16 games and started all of them. The six-year veteran set career-bests in combined tackles (95), solo tackles (75), sacks (3.0), and quarterback hits (five). He also broke up seven passes, had five tackles for loss, five quarterback hits, one interception, and forced a fumble.
Miami cornerback Ethan Bonner was inactive Sunday. The rookie played in two games, registering a tackle and a pass defensed.
Atlanta center Drew Dalman was inactive Sunday. The third-year veteran started all 14 games he played in. Dalman finished with the No. 2 season blocking (82.3) and run-blocking (90.1) grades by Pro Football Focus for centers who played in 10 or more games.
San Francisco running back Christian McCaffrey was inactive Sunday. McCaffrey became the first Stanford alum to lead the NFL in rushing, gaining 1,459 yards to lead the league from Week 1. McCaffrey also led the league in yards from scrimmage and all-purpose yards (2,023 each), touches (339) and tied for first in touchdowns (21).
Washington defensive end Casey Toohill was inactive Sunday. The four-year veteran played 16 games, starting a career-high eight. Toohill set career-bests in sacks (5.0) and tackles for loss (six), and quarterback hits (seven). Toohill had a career-high 17 solo tackles among his 26 combined.
Philadelphia quarterback Tanner McKee was inactive Sunday. The rookie did not play this season.
Los Angeles Chargers receiver Simi Fehoko was on the practice squad. A third-year player in his first year with the Chargers, Fehoko played in a career-high six games and caught one pass for nine yards, which resulted in a touchdown.
San Francisco linebacker Curtis Robinson was on the practice squad. The three-year veteran played three games and had three solo tackles.
Philadelphia defensive tackle Thomas Booker was on the practice squad. The second-year player did not play this season.
Cincinnati safety Michael Thomas was on the practice squad. Thomas, a 10-year veteran, did not play this season.
Washington receiver Brycen Tremayne was on the practice squad. The rookie did not play this season.
Chicago defensive back Kendall Williamson was on the practice squad. Williamson, a rookie, did not play this season.
Carolina defensive end Henry Anderson was on injured reserve. Anderson, an eight-year veteran, did not play this season.
Tight end Zach Ertz started all seven games he played for Arizona this season, catching 27 passes for 187 yards and a touchdown. Ertz, in his 11th season, was on injured reserve when he was waived on November 30 at his own request.
Running back/receiver Ty Montgomery played 13 games for New England before being released on December 8. He caught five passes for 40 yards and rushed three times for nine yards and had seven tackles on special teams.
Tight end Kaden Smith, a three-year veteran, was on injured reserve and had not played a game this season when the Washington Commanders waived him on October 16.
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The following is the NFL Wild Card Round schedule involving Cardinal alums (all times Pacific):
Saturday
Cleveland at Houston (Davis Mills, Dalton Schultz), 1:30 p.m.
Miami (Jake Bailey, Ethan Bonner) at Kansas City (Justin Reid), 5 p.m.
Sunday
Pittsburgh (Nate Herbig, Blake Martinez) at Buffalo, 10 a.m.
Monday
Philadelphia (Thomas Booker, Tanner McKee) at Tampa Bay, 5:15 p.m.
Bye
San Francisco (Christian McCaffrey, Curtis Robinson).