EAST LANSING, Mich. – Seven former Michigan State Spartans – Bengals linebacker Joe Bachie, Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins, Buccaneers defensive lineman William Gholston, Vikings wide receiver Jalen Nailor, 49ers long snapper Taybor Pepper, Eagles cornerback Josiah Scott and Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III – are preparing for the NFL Playoffs, which start this weekend (Jan. 14-16) with the Super Wild Card round.
A total of 17 former Spartans saw action on active NFL rosters this season.
Super Wild Card Weekend Schedule (games involving former Spartans)
Saturday, Jan. 14
No. 7 Seattle (9-8) at No. 2 San Francisco (13-4), 4:30 p.m. (FOX)
Former Spartans: RB Kenneth Walker III (Seahawks), LS Taybor Pepper (49ers)
Sunday, Jan. 15
No. 6 New York Giants (9-7-1) at No. 3 Minnesota (13-4), 4:30 p.m. (FOX)
Former Spartans: QB Kirk Cousins (Vikings), WR Jalen Nailor (Vikings)
No. 6 Baltimore (10-7) at No. 3 Cincinnati (12-4), 8:15 p.m. (NBC)
Former Spartans: LB Joe Bachie (Bengals)
Monday, Jan. 16
No. 5 Dallas (12-5) at No. 4 Tampa Bay (8-9), 8:15 p.m. (ABC, ESPN)
Former Spartans: DL William Gholston (Bucs)
Bye – NFC
No. 1 Philadelphia Eagles (14-3)
Former Spartans: CB Josiah Scott (Eagles)
Former Spartans on active NFL rosters entering the NFL Playoffs (as of Jan. 9, 2023)
LB Joe Bachie – Cincinnati Bengals (third season)
Played in a total of 10 regular-season games for the AFC North Champion Bengals, primarily on special teams . . . recorded 10 tackles (seven on special teams, three on defense) . . . played in nine games, including two starts at linebacker, for the Bengals during the 2021 season, but did not see action in the team's run to the Super Bowl after suffering an injury . . . has played in 23 games, all with the Bengals, during his three years in the NFL (2020-22).
QB Kirk Cousins – Minnesota Vikings (11th season)
Eleven-year NFL veteran earned his fourth Pro Bowl appearance with another outstanding season for the NFC North Champion Vikings . . . ranked among the NFL leaders in passing attempts (fourth with 643, most in Vikings single-season history), passing completions (fourth with 424, second-most in Vikings single-season history), passing yards (fourth with 4,527) and touchdown passes (fifth with 29) . . . is making his fourth appearance in the NFL Playoffs, his second with Minnesota . . . led the largest comeback in NFL history on Dec. 17 as the Vikings rallied from a 33-0 deficit to defeat the Colts, 39-36; threw for a career-high 460 yards and four TDs in the game . . . has thrown for 37,140 yards (28th in NFL history) and 252 touchdowns (23rd in NFL history) in his NFL career . . . has eight consecutive seasons with at least 25 touchdown passes thrown, becoming the fifth player in NFL history to accomplish this feat in eight straight seasons.
DL William Gholston – Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10th season)
Ten-year NFL veteran is making his third appearance in the NFL Playoffs for the NFC South Champion Buccaneers . . . was on the Super Bowl LV Champion team with Tampa Bay . . . played in all 17 games, including nine starts . . . is Tampa Bay's nominee for the NFL's Walter Payton Man of the Year Award, whichis considered the league's most prestigious honor . . . has 49 tackles this season . . . has played in 153 career regular-season games, including 87 starts, totaling 401 tackles (58 for loss), 77 quarterback hits, 19.5 sacks, 12 passes defensed, two forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries and four blocked kicks . . . his 153 games played are ninth-most in Buccaneers history.
WR Jalen Nailor – Minnesota Vikings (rookie season)
Sixth-round draft pick appeared in 15 regular-season games for the NFL North Champion Vikings . . . caught nine passes for 179 yards and one touchdown . . . played 56 snaps on offense and 216 on special teams . . . had three receptions for 89 yards, including his first career touchdown, at Green Bay in Week 17 . . . had a season-high four catches for 62 yards against the Bears in Week 18.
LS Taybor Pepper – San Francisco 49ers (fifth season)
Starting long snapper will be making his second consecutive playoff appearance with the 49ers . . . five-year NFL veteran is in his third season with the 49ers.
CB Josiah Scott – Philadelphia Eagles (third season)
Third-year cornerback played in 16 regular-season games, including four starts for the NFC East Champion Eagles . . . had a career-high two interceptions and eight passes defended . . . recorded a career-high 26 tackles and played a career-high 390 snaps on defense . . . will be making his second career NFL playoff appearance (2021 with Eagles).
RB Kenneth Walker III – Seattle Seahawks (rookie season)
Second-round draft pick played in 15 regular-season games, including 11 starts . . . ranked 12th in the NFL and first among rookies with 1,050 rushing yards (4.6 avg.; 70 ypg) . . . became just the second rookie in Seahawks history to rush for 1,000 yards (Curt Warner, 1983) . . . totaled 1,215 yards from scrimmage, becoming the third Seattle rookie with more than 1,000 scrimmage yards in a season . . . had nine rushing touchdowns, tied for 10th in the NFL . . . had 10 rushes for 20-plus yards, tied for second in the NFL . . . his 70.0 rushing yards per game ranked ninth in the NFL . . . had 27 receptions for 165 yards . . . tied Thomas Rawls for second place for the most 100-yard rushing games by a rookie in franchise history with five (career-high 167 rushing yards vs. Chargers in Week 7; 109 vs. Cardinals in Week 9; 107 vs. Chiefs in Week 16; 133 vs. Jets in Week 17; 114 vs. Rams in Week 18) . . . named NFL Offensive Rookie of the Month for October . . . closed the regular season with three consecutive 100-yard rushing games.
Additional former Spartans in the NFL in 2022:
C Brian Allen – Los Angeles Rams (fourth season)
Battled injuries throughout the season but still started in all seven games he played in during the 2022 regular season . . . won a Super Bowl ring with the Rams last season . . . has played in 45 career games, including 32 starts.
OT AJ Arcuri – Los Angeles Rams (rookie season)
Seventh-round draft pick played in the final eight games of the regular season, including a starting assignment vs. Kansas City in Week 12 . . . played a total of 70 snaps on offense and saw action on 33 plays on special teams.
OT Jack Conklin – Cleveland Browns (seventh season)
Two-time first-team All-Pro tackle just finished his seventh season in the NFL, his third with the Browns . . . started all 14 games he played in during the 2022 regular season . . . signed a four-year, $60 million extension with the Browns in December.
LB Andrew Dowell – New Orleans Saints (third season)
Completed his third season in the NFL by playing in all 17 games with the Saints . . . forced two fumbles and recorded seven tackles . . . led the Saints with 377 plays on special teams.
TE Connor Heyward – Pittsburgh Steelers (rookie season)
Caught 12 passes for 151 yards and one touchdown for the Steelers in playing all 17 regular-season games . . . also saw extensive action on special teams units with 283 plays overall on special teams. Rookie Connor Heyward played in all 17 regular-season games for the Steelers during the 2022 season. QB Brian Hoyer – New England Patriots (14th season)
Fourteen-year NFL veteran started against Green Bay in Week 4 in his only appearance of the season . . . has played in 76 career games, including 40 starts.
DT Naquan Jones – Tennessee Titans (second season)
Second-year player appeared in 11 games for the Titans, including a starting assignment against the Chargers in Week 15 . . . recorded 16 tackles and one sack . . . has played in 24 games, including six starts, his first two seasons in the NFL with Tennessee.
CB Justin Layne – New York Giants/Chicago Bears (fourth season)
Began preseason camp with the Steelers before getting signed by the New York Giants in late August . . . appeared in seven games with the Giants (Week 2, Weeks 4-8, Week 10) . . . also played in two games with the Bears (Weeks 12-13) . . . spent his first three seasons in the NFL (2019-21) with the Steelers . . . has played in 52 career NFL games.
TE Matt Sokol – New England Patriots (second season)
Played in three games (Week 5, Weeks 17-18) for the Patriots . . . played 24 snaps on offense and 10 on special teams . . . also played in two games with the Los Angeles Chargers during the 2020 season.
WR Cody White – Pittsburgh Steelers (second season)
Played in Week 12 against the Colts in his only appearance of the season . . . played in 15 games in 2021 for the Steelers.
