Lions in the League: How Former Penn State Stars Performed in Week 1
Tagged under: News, Non-PIAA, Penn State, Pennsylvania Colleges
Mason Eddinger | September 10, 2025
Welcome to a new series of mine: “Lions in the League”. Weekly, we will dive into three Penn State football alumni’s NFL production in the prior week. The first installment features the center of off-season drama, a rookie, and last year’s Offensive Player of the Year.
Micah Parsons (’21) 1 tackle, 1 sack
The former “Stix City” member had dominated the headlines this NFL offseason. The saga between Micah Parsons and Cowboys owner Jerry Jones resulted in Parsons getting moved from Dallas to Green Bay. Through Parsons’s first four seasons, he has recorded 12 sacks in each season. The only other player to do that, you may ask? Reggie White. Like White, Parsons’ move to Green Bay was met with fanfare and excitement. In Micah’s first game in Lambeau Field, he was on a snap count of around 15-20. In actuality, Parsons played 30 snaps. Although he recorded just one tackle, he made sure it was a memorable one. After Lions QB Jared Goff scrambled outside the pocket, Parsons emerged as a hungry lion chasing down a helpless gazelle. NFL and Penn State fans alike should be excited to see what impact Parsons has on the cheeseheads going forward.
Welcome to Green Bay, Micah Parsons 🤩
DETvsGB on CBS/Paramount+https://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/rijPUZ6ELm
— NFL (@NFL) September 7, 2025
Saquon Barkley (’18) 18 carries 60 yards, 1TDÂ
If Saquon wasn’t already a hometown hero in Pennsylvania, his move to the Philadelphia Eagles in 2024 only added to his fandom in the Keystone State. In that first season, it couldn’t have gone any better. Some may argue that 2024 Saquon Barkley was the best any RB has looked in league history. Barkley capped off his historic 2,000-yard season with a ring on his finger, as the Eagles were able to get over the Mahomes hump and best the Chiefs. Fast forward to 2025, and there was some concern entering his 2nd season in Philly. Among the nine RBs to produce a 2,000-yard season, none of them have eclipsed 1,500 yards the following year. How deeply you want to read into the stat is up to you, but Saquon got off to a solid start in the Eagles’ Thursday Night win. Although he just rushed for 60 yards, Barkley was still a massive advantage for the Eagles’ offense. As Barkley gets older and defenses adjust, Penn State fans shouldn’t expect their former Nittany Lion star to go for another 2,000 yards this year, but Barkley should remain as one of the league’s premier backs.
Tyler Warren (’25)Â 7 rec 76 yardsÂ
It should come as no surprise to Penn State fans that Tyler Warren looks the part. The 2024 Mackey winner was the 2nd of 2 Nittany Lions to get drafted, behind #3 overall pick Abdul Carter. In an era where NFL organizations are putting a premium on receiving Tight Ends, Warren seemed to fit in well in the Colts’ offense. Among all Tight Ends, Warren was 3rd in the league in receiving yards in week 1. For Indianapolis, Warren’s presence helped their new QB, Daniel Jones, tremendously. For what has been a lackluster career, Daniel Jones had a resurgence on Sunday. The addition of Tyler Warren certainly seemed to benefit the veteran QB. Although not the first Tight End taken in this past NFL Draft, he had as good a start as anyone in the NFL at his position, not just rookies. Warren’s involvement in this Colts offense speaks volumes to his skill set. Warren led the Colts in receiving yards, catches, and targets in his NFL debut. If Warren can continue his elite production, he could be in for one of the best rookie Tight End seasons ever.
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