Week 2 of the NFL's regular season started off with a Thursday night Green Bay Packers win over the Washington Commanders. Though Micah Parsons logged his second win with his new team, not all former Penn State football players have promising reports for their second regular season game.
Ahead of Sunday's slate, five former Nittany Lions — Joey Porter Jr., Yetur Gross-Matos, Blake Gillikin, Kevin Winston Jr., and Chris Godwin Jr. — were listed in their teams' injury reports either with positive updates or unfortunate news of being sidelined.
Joey Porter Jr. OUT for Pittsburgh Steelers v. Seattle Seahawks
Against the Jets in Week 1, cornerback Porter Jr. experienced hamstring tightness. While head coach Mike Tomlin was hopeful for Porter Jr.'s availability against the Seahawks, the former Nittany Lions did not practice at all Wednesday through Friday. Porter Jr. was officially ruled out for the Week 2 matchup against Seattle.
Yetur Gross-Matos AVAILABLE for San Francisco 49ers v. New Orleans Saints
Defensive lineman Gross-Matos is available for Sunday's game against the Saints. Gross-Matos was dealing with a knee injury that limited his Week 1 snaps to just 16. He did not practice on Wednesday, but was limited on Thursday and trending in the right direction to play in Week 2.
Blake Gillikin QUESTIONABLE for Arizona Cardinals v. Carolina Panthers
Punter Gillikin is questionable to play against the Panthers on Sunday. He was limited in practice Wednesday through Friday with a back injury. According to Arizona team reporter Zach Gershman, Gillikin is trending towards playing.
Kevin Winston Jr. DOUBTFUL for Tennessee Titans v. Los Angeles Rams
Safety Winston Jr. is doubtful to play against the Rams on Sunday. He was listed as doubtful against the Broncos in Week 1 as well with a hamstring injury. Winston Jr. was active in training camp for Tennessee after recovering from a partial ACL tear he sustained as a Nittany Lion in 2024 that ended his collegiate career.
Chris Godwin Jr. OUT for Tampa Bay v. Houston Texans
Wide receiver Godwin Jr. will not play against the Texans on Sunday. He recently underwent a second surgery on his foot to "tighten up hardware," according to Ian Rapoport ahead of the Buccaneers' Week 1 game against the Seahawks. Godwin Jr. is hopeful to return for Week 5, but his return may be prolonged ntil Week 6 or 7.