California Golden Bears Athletics
12/20/2015 12:00 AM | Football
BERKELEY – Head coach Ron Rivera led Carolina to a dramatic 38-35 win over the New York Giants on Sunday as the Panthers improved to 14-0 and have now posted a start that is tied for the fourth-best in NFL history to highlight the performances of former Cal football players in Week 15 of the NFL season that ended with a Detroit win over New Orleans on Monday Night Football
Seven other former Cal players – C.J. Anderson (Denver), Brian de la Puente (Washington), DeSean Jackson (Washington), Marvin Jones (Cincinnati), Aaron Rodgers (Green Bay), Richard Rodgers (Green Bay) and Nick Sundberg (Washington) – are on rosters of teams that won Sunday and are in sole possession of first-place in their respective divisions through Week 15 of the NFL season, with Jones and both Rodgers clinching playoff spots with their Sunday victories.
Jackson had a huge game in Washington's 35-25 win over Buffalo with a season-high-tying six receptions for a season-high and game-high 153 yards receiving including a 77-yard touchdown catch that was his 15th career touchdown catch of 60 or more yards.
A complete list of the 27 former Cal players currently on active NFL rosters plus Rivera and his fellow former Golden Bear player and assistant secondary coach Richard Rodgers Sr., are listed below along with links to their NFL.com bios, notes on their performances in Week 12 of the 2015 NFL campaign, season notes and stats. Cal began the 2015 season ranked fourth among Pac-12 schools and tied for 16th nationally for most active players on NFL rosters.
CalBears.com along with the Cal football Twitter (@CalFootball), Instagram (Cal_Football) and Snapchat (CalFootball) social media accounts are providing coverage of former Cal players in the NFL throughout the 2015 season. Fans can join in the conversation using the hashtags #CalInTheNFL, #GoBears and #CalFamily.
- Lorenzo Alexander (LB) – Oakland Raiders (6-8) – Recorded a season-high three tackles in a 30-20 home loss to NFC North leader Green Bay … Season: 14 games; 6 tackles; 0 punt returns, 8 yards
- Keenan Allen (WR) – San Diego Chargers (4-10) – Did not play in a 30-14 home win over Miami due to a season-ending injury suffered in a Week 8 loss at Baltimore ... Season: 8 games/8 starts; 67 receptions (#T25 NFL), 725 yards; 3 punt returns, 5 yards; 1 tackle
- Tyson Alualu (DE) – Jacksonville Jaguars (5-9) – Recorded one pass defended and one quarterback hit in a 23-17 home loss to Atlanta ... Season: 13 games/10 starts; 21 tackles, 2.0 sacks, career-high 2 passes defended, 1 fumble recovery; 1 rush, 0 yards; 2 receptions, 19 yards
- C.J. Anderson (RB) – Denver Broncos (10-4) – Rushed four times for 14 yards and added one reception for six yards in a 34-27 loss at Pittsburgh … Season: 13 games/6 starts; 128 rushes, 552 yards, 3 TD; 23 receptions, 180 yards; 5 tackles
- Bryan Anger (P) – Jacksonville Jaguars (5-9) – Punted six times for a 42.3 average and a 38.8 net average with a long punt of 60 yards to mark the 13th time in 14 games in 2015 he has had a punt of at least 50 yards in a 23-17 home loss to Atlanta … Season: 14 games; 72 punts (#10 NFL), 3299 yards (#10 NFL), 2776 net yards (#13 NFL), 63 long (#T21 NFL), 45.8 average (#T15 NFL), 39.6 net average (#25 NFL), 21 inside 20 (#T19 NFL); 2 tackles
- Deandre Coleman (DT) – Miami Dolphins (5-9) – Recorded the first three tackles on his NFL career in his third career NFL game in a 30-14 loss at San Diego … Season: 2 games, 3 tackles
- Chris Conte (DB) – Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-8) – Recorded four tackles in a 31-23 road loss at St. Louis on Thursday Night Football ... Season: 14 games/13 starts; 79 tackles, 6 passes defended, 2 interceptions (-4 return yards), 2 forced fumbles (#T30 NFL)
- Brian de la Puente (OL) – Washington Redskins (7-7) – Played off the bench but did record any stats other than participation in a 35-25 win over Buffalo that combined with losses by the New York Giants and Philadelphia moved Washington into sole possession of first-place in the NFC East … Season: 3 games
- Justin Forsett (RB) – Baltimore Ravens (4-10) – Did not play in a 34-14 home loss to Kansas City due to a season-ending broken arm suffered in the first quarter of a Week 11 home victory over St. Louis ... Season: 10 games/10 starts; 151 rushes (#26 NFL), 641 yards (#T22 NFL), 2 TD; 31 receptions, 153 yards
- DeSean Jackson (WR) – Washington Redskins (7-7) – Had a season-high-tying six receptions for a season-high and game-high 153 yards receiving including a 77-yard touchdown catch that was the game's longest play, his season-long reception and marked the 15th time in his career he has a touchdown catch of 60 or more yards in a 35-25 win over Buffalo that combined with losses by the New York Giants and Philadelphia moved Washington into sole possession of first-place in the NFC East … Highlights ... Postgame Press Conference ... Postgame Interview 1 Postgame Interview 2 … Season: 8 games/8 starts; 26 receptions, 488 yards, 4 TD; 1 kickoff return, 8 yards; 2 punt return, -5 yards, 1 tackle
- Marvin Jones (WR) – Cincinnati Bengals (11-3) – Had a team-high-tying four receptions for a game-high 89 yards and passed his career high for receiving yards in a 24-14 road win at San Francisco that clinched a playoff spot ... Season: 14 games/11 starts; 57 receptions, 745 yards, 4 TD; 5 rushes, 33 yards; 4 tackles
- Cameron Jordan (DE) – New Orleans Saints (5-9) – Recorded three tackles and his ninth sack of the season for a seven-yard loss with one tackle for loss and one quarterback hit in a 35-27 home loss to Detroit … Season: 14 games/14 starts; 40 tackles, 9.0 sacks (#T12 NFL), 5 passes defended, 1 forced fumble
- Mychal Kendricks (LB) – Philadelphia Eagles (6-8) – Recorded a season-high, team-high and game-high-tying 11 tackles in a 40-17 home loss to Arizona … Season: 11 games/11 starts; 73 tackles, 3.0 sacks, 1 pass defended, 1 forced fumble
- L.P. Ladouceur (LS) – Dallas Cowboys (4-10) – Played off the bench and extended his streak of consecutive games played to 171 dating back to the final 13 contests of the 2005 season but did not record any stats other than participation in a 19-16 home loss to the New York Jets on Saturday … Season: 14 games, 2 tackles
- Marshawn Lynch (RB) – Seattle Seahawks (9-5) – Not active due to injury for the fifth straight game in a 30-13 home win over Cleveland that was the team's season-best fifth victory in a row and clinched a playoff spot for the Seahawks … Season: 7 games/6 starts; 111 rushes, 417 yards, 3 TD; 13 receptions, 80 yards; 1 tackle
- Alex Mack (C) – Cleveland Browns (3-11) – Started but did record any stats other than participation in a 30-13 loss at Seattle … Season: 14 games/14 starts, 1 fumble recovery
- Chris McCain (LB) – Miami Dolphins (5-9) – Played off the bench but did not record any stats other than participation in a 30-14 loss at San Diego … Season: 8 games, 2 tackles, 1.0 sack, 1 forced fumble
- Brandon Mebane (DT) – Seattle Seahawks (9-5) – Recorded three tackles for the second straight contest while adding a season-high 1.0 sack (-8 yards), one tackle for loss and one quarterback hit in a 30-13 home win over Cleveland that was the team's season-best fifth victory in a row and clinched a playoff spot for the Seahawks ... Season: 13 games/13 starts; 19 tackles, 1.5 sacks
- Ron Rivera (Head Coach) – Carolina Panthers (14-0) – Coached the only unbeaten team in the NFL to a 38-35 road win at the New York Giants to improve to 14-0 and tie for the fourth-best start in NFL history and maintain on opportunity to become only the second unbeaten team in NFL history joining the 1972 Miami Dolphins despite losing a 35-7 lead before coming back to win on a 43-yard field goal by Graham Gano on the game's final play … Postgame Press Conference ... Postgame Locker Room
- Aaron Rodgers (QB) – Green Bay Packers (10-4) – Completed 22-of-39 passes for 204 yards and one touchdown and rushed one time for a one-yard loss in a 30-20 win at Oakland that clinched a playoff spot and kept the Packers in sole possession of first place by one game over Minnesota in the NFC North ... 30-Yard TD Pass To Cobb ... Postgame Press Conference ... Season: 14 games/14 starts, 304-of-500 (60.8%, #12 NFL completions, #8 NFL attempts), 3379 yards (#16 NFL), 29 TD (#T7 NFL), 6 INT, 95.2 QB rating (#20 NFL); 52 rushes, 313 yards, 1 TD
- Richard Rodgers (TE) – Green Bay Packers (10-4) – Caught one pass for seven yards and had one tackle in a 30-20 win at Oakland that clinched a playoff spot and kept the Packers in sole possession of first place by one game over Minnesota in the NFC North ... Season: 14 games/11 starts; 50 receptions, 449 yards, 7 TD (#T13 NFL); 1 rush, 11 yards
- Richard Rodgers Sr. (Assistant Defensive Backs Coach) – Carolina Panthers (14-0) – A member of the coaching staff for the only unbeaten team in the NFL after a 38-35 road win at the New York Giants to improve to 14-0 and tie for the fourth-best start in NFL history and maintain on opportunity to become only the second unbeaten team in NFL history joining the 1972 Miami Dolphins despite losing a 35-7 lead before coming back to win on a 43-yard field goal by Graham Gano on the game's final play
- Jeremy Ross (WR/RET) – Oakland Raiders (6-8) – Returned two punts for a loss of three yards in a 30-20 home loss to NFC North leader Green Bay … Season: 9 games; 725 all-purpose yards; 9 receptions, 88 yards; 1 rush, 2 yards; 17 kick returns, 432 yards; 22 punt returns, 205 yards; Oakland: 4 games, 323 all-purpose yards; 10 kick returns, 227 yards; 12 punt returns, 96 yards
- Mitchell Schwartz (OT) – Cleveland Browns (3-11) – Started his 62nd consecutive NFL regular-season game (all contests possible over the last four seasons since entering the league in 2012) but did record any stats other than participation in a 30-13 loss at Seattle … Season: 14 games/14 starts, 2 fumble recoveries
- Brian Schwenke (C) – Tennessee Titans (3-11) – Did not play in a 33-16 loss at New England due to a season-ending injury suffered in a Week 6 loss to Miami ... Season: 5 games/5 starts
- Craig Stevens (TE) – Tennessee Titans (3-11) – Recorded one reception for five yards in a 33-16 loss at New England … Season: 14 games/10 starts; 11 receptions, 113 yards, career-high-tying 2 TD
- Nick Sundberg (LS) – Washington Redskins (7-7) – Played off the bench but did record any stats other than participation in a 35-25 win over Buffalo that combined with losses by the New York Giants and Philadelphia moved Washington into sole possession of first-place in the NFC East … Season: 14 games, 3 tackles
- Shane Vereen (RB) – New York Giants (6-8) – Contributed 72 all-purpose yards on a game-high and season-high-tying eight receptions for 43 yards and one touchdown in a 38-35 home loss to unbeaten Carolina as the Giants rallied from a 35-7 deficit to tie the game before the Panthers' Graham Gano kicked a 43-yard field goal on the game's final play … 8-Yard TD Reception ... Season: 14 games; 754 all-purpose yards; 56 rushes, 245 yards; 51 receptions, 402 yards, career-high 3 TD; career-high 7 kick returns (1 onside kick recovery), career-high 179 yards; career-high-tying 1 tackle
- Steve Williams (CB) – San Diego Chargers (4-10) – Did not play in a 30-14 home win over Miami … Season: 12 games/2 starts; 13 tackles, 4 passes defended, 1 interception
Wednesday, October 21
Friday, October 16
Tuesday, October 13
Tuesday, October 06
