Buckeyes Litter NFL Divisional Round

With six teams eliminated from the NFL playoffs to cut the field down to eight, 14 former Ohio State players are still in the hunt for a Super Bowl. 

That’s not counting Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, who spent three seasons in Columbus and earned a degree before transferring and starting two seasons at LSU, winning a Heisman Trophy and national championship.

Only two of the remaining eight squads, the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs, don’t feature former Buckeyes on their rosters. Each of the 14 has yet to win a championship in their respective NFL careers.

Cast among the list of former Buckeyes on rosters are 10 with significant roles for their respective teams. Bengals defensive end Sam Hubbard made the most waves in the wildcard round, returning a goal line fumble 98 yards for a touchdown, setting an NFL record for longest fumble return in a playoff game. It put Cincinnati up 24-17, the final score of the contest. Hubbard also collected four tackles. Defensive backs Vonn Bell and Eli Apple join punter Drue Chrisman as the other former scarlet and gray wearers now in orange and black.

Dallas Cowboys safety Malik Hooker has been having a resurgent year after injuries slowed his trajectory in his first few seasons, piling up six tackles in his squad’s win last week at Tampa Bay. His teammate and fellow former Ohio State player Ezekiel Elliott carried the ball 13 times for 27 yards in the 31-14 victory as wide receiver Noah Brown caught two passes for 18 yards.

No former Buckeye has had a bigger season than San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa, a strong candidate for NFL Defensive Player of the Year with a league-high 18.5 sacks in 2022. He tacked on 51 total tackles and 19 tackles for loss. He continued making such an impact in the 49ers’ wildcard win over the Seattle Seahawks, recording five tackles, one tackle for loss and a fumble recovery.

The other remaining former Ohio State players include Jacksonville Jaguars defensive tackle DaVon Hamilton and tight end Luke Farrell, New York Giants offensive guard Wyatt Davis and tight end Nick Vannett, Philadelphia Eagles running back Trey Sermon and Dallas Cowboys defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins.Buckeyes Litter NFL Divisional Round