Pro Bears Week 1
BERKELEY – Cal was the only school with two starting quarterbacks that finished their collegiate careers at the school to win games in Week 1 of the 2020 NFL season that ended Monday night. Aaron Rodgers led Green Bay to a 43-34 victory at Minnesota while Jared Goff and the Los Angeles Rams knocked off Dallas, 20-17, in the first game at Sofi Stadium in Inglewood. Both victories came on Sunday.
Other top achievements from former Cal players in Week 1 of the 2020 NFL season included Ron Rivera's first victory in his first contest as the head coach of the Washington Football Team, the NFL debuts of 2020 rookies Ashtyn Davis and Jaylinn Hawkins, the 100th career start for Tyson Alualu and the first career start for Devante Downs.
A total of 28 former Cal football student-athletes who finished their collegiate careers with the Golden Bears are currently affiliated with NFL teams including 19 on active 53-man NFL rosters, one on injured reserve, three on practice squads and five that are coaching in the league. Additional notes and a complete list of all 28 players is below with their names linked to their Pro Football Reference, NFL.com or team profiles.
Visit Cal's social media channels for frequent updates throughout the 2020 NFL campaign on former Golden Bears affiliated with NFL teams and CalBears.com for a weekly #ProBears wrap-up.
Active Rosters (19) – Name, Position, Team (Record, Conference Place, Division Place), Experience
Keenan Allen, WR, Los Angeles Chargers (1-0, #6 AFC, T-1st AFC West), 8th Season
– Contributed four receptions for 37 yards in a 16-13 Week 1 win at Cincinnati
– 3x Pro Bowl (2017, 2018, 2019), First-Team All-Pro (2019 Pro Football Weekly), Second-Team All-Pro (2017 and 2018 Pro Football Focus)
– Comeback Player of the Year (2017 AP and PFWA), All-Rookie Team (2013 PFWA)
Week 2 – vs. Kansas City (1-0), Sun., Sept. 20, 1:25 pm, CBS
Tyson Alualu, DE, Pittsburgh (1-0, #8 AFC, T-1st AFC North), 11th Season
– Contributed four tackles, two tackles for loss and one quarterback hit while making his 100th career start in a 26-16 Week 1 at the New York Giants
– Selected to NFL All-Rookie Team (2010) after being taken with No. 10 overall pick of the first round of 2010 NFL Draft by Jacksonville
Week 2 – vs. Denver (0-1), Sun., Sept. 20, 10:00 am, CBS
Stephen Anderson, TE, Los Angeles Chargers (1-0, #6 AFC, T-1st AFC West), 4th Season
– Played but did not record any statistics other than participation in a 16-13 Week 1 win at Cincinnati
– A member of New England's practice squad in 2018 before he was promoted to the 53-man roster for the NFL Playoffs and earned a Super Bowl ring when the Patriots won Super Bowl LIII
Week 2 – vs. Kansas City (1-0), Sun., Sept. 20, 1:25 pm, CBS
Bryan Anger, P, Houston (0-1, #13 AFC, T-3rd AFC South), 10th Season
– Punted three times for a 41.0 average and also had a 41.0 net along with two punts inside the Chiefs' 20-yard line in a 34-20 loss at Kansas City in a Week 1 Thursday night game that opened the NFL season
– Led NFL with a career-high 47.5 yards per punt average in 2014
Week 2 – vs. Baltimore (1-0), Sun., Sept. 20, 1:25 pm, CBS
Ashtyn Davis, S, New York Jets (0-1, #12 AFC, T-3rd AFC East), 1st Season
– Made his NFL debut by returning one kickoff for 16 yards and added one special teams tackle in a 27-17 Week 1 loss at Buffalo
– One of two Cal rookies on 2020 NFL rosters and the Golden Bears' highest pick in 2020 NFL Draft (New York Jets, 3rd round, No. 68 overall)
Week 2 – vs. San Francisco (0-1), Sun., Sept. 20, 10:00 am, FOX
Devante Downs, LB, New York Giants (0-1, #9 NFC, T-2nd NFC East), 3rd Season
– Made his first career start and had his first career fumble recovery in a 26-16 Week 1 home loss to Pittsburgh on the first of two Monday Night Football games
Week 2 – at Chicago (0-1), Sun., Sept. 20, 10:00 am, CBS
Jared Goff, QB, Los Angeles Rams (1-0, #7 NFC, T-1st, NFC West), 5th Season
– Completed 20-of-31 passes for 275 yards with no touchdowns and one interception for a 79.4 quarterback rating in a 20-17 Week 1 win over Dallas in the first game at SoFi Stadium
– 2x Pro Bowl (2017, 2018)
– Led NFL in pass attempts (626) and was second in pass completions (394) in 2019
– Helped Rams to NFC title and Super Bowl LIII following 2018 season
Week 2 – at Philadelphia (0-1), Sun., Sept. 20, 10:00 am, FOX
Jaylinn Hawkins, S, Atlanta (0-1, #14 NFC, T-2nd NFC South), 1st Season
– Made his NFL debut with one special teams tackle in a 38-25 Week 1 home loss to Seattle
– One of two Cal rookies on 2020 NFL rosters after being selected in the fourth round (134th overall) of the 2020 NFL Draft by Atlanta
Week 2 – at Dallas (0-1), Sun., Sept. 20, 10:00 am, FOX
DeSean Jackson, WR, Philadelphia (0-1, #16 NFC, T-2nd NFC East), 13th Season
– Had two receptions for 46 yards and one tackle in the 150th start of his career in a 27-17 Week 1 loss at Washington
– 3x Pro Bowl (2009, 2010, 2013), All-Rookie Team (2008), First-Team All-Pro (2009 Pro Football Writers and Sporting News WR), Second-Team All-Pro (2009 Associated Press KR)
– Leads all active NFL players with career 17.4 yards per reception average and his paced the NFL four times (2010, 2014, 2016, 2018)
Week 2 – vs. Los Angeles Rams (1-0), Sun., Sept. 20, 10:00 am, FOX
Marvin Jones Jr., WR, Detroit (0-1, #13 NFC, T-3rd NFC North, #X, #X), 9th Season
– Had four receptions for 55 yards in a 27-23 Week 1 home loss to Chicago
Week 2 – at Green Bay (1-0), Sun., Sept. 20, 10:00 am, FOX
Cameron Jordan, DE, New Orleans (1-0, #2 NFC, 1st NFC South), 10th Season
– Had four tackles, one tackle for loss and one quarterback hit in a 34-23 Week 1 win over Tampa Bay
– Ranks second among active players with his current string of 144 consecutive regular-season starts, while he is 10th among active players in sacks (87.0) and tied for 10th in tackles for loss (114.0)
– 5x Pro Bowl (2013, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019), First-Team All-Pro (2017), Second-Team All-Pro (2018, 2019), All-2010s Team (NFL/Pro Football Hall of Fame)
Week 2 – at Las Vegas (1-0), Mon., Sept. 21, 5:15 pm, ESPN
L.P. Ladouceur, LS, Dallas (0-1, #10 NFC, T-2nd NFC East), 16th Season
– Extended the NFL's longest current consecutive regular-season games played steak that is also 12th all-time in the league to 238 in a 20-17 Week 1 victory over Dallas by participating off the bench but recording no statistics other than participation
– Has played in all 238 regular-season games possible dating back to the final 13 contests of his 2005 rookie campaign all with Dallas
– His 238 career games played rank 11th among active players
– Pro Bowl (2014)
Week 2 – vs. Atlanta (0-1), Sun., Sept. 20, 10:00 am, FOX
Patrick Laird, RB, Miami (0-1, #15 AFC, T-3rd AFC East), 2nd Season
– Had two receptions for nine yards in a 21-11 Week 1 loss at New England
– First earned a spot on Miami roster in 2019 after signing as an undrafted free agent following the 2019 NFL Draft
Week 2 – vs. Buffalo (1-0), Sun., Sept. 20, 10:00 am, CBS
Alex Mack, C, Atlanta (0-1, #14 NFC, T-2nd NFC South), 12th Season
– Started his 81st consecutive contest and played in all 79 offensive snaps in a 38-25 Week 1 home loss to Seattle
– 6x Pro Bowl (2010, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018), First-Team All-Pro (2013 and 2017 Sporting News), Second-Team All-Pro (2013, AP and PFF; 2016 AP and PFF; 2017 Sporting News), All-2010s Team (NFL/Pro Football Hall of Fame)
– Helped Atlanta to Super Bowl LI in his first season with the club after the 2016 campaign
Week 2 – at Dallas (0-1), Sun., Sept. 20, 10:00 am, FOX
Patrick Mekari, G, Baltimore (1-0, #1 AFC, T-1st AFC North), 2nd Season
– Played and took 16 snaps including 10 on offense but did not record any statistics other than participation in a 38-6 Week 1 win over Cleveland
– Played in 11 regular-season games including starts in each of the final five contests in his 2019 NFL rookie season with Baltimore
– First earned a spot on Baltimore roster in 2019 after signing as an undrafted free agent following the 2019 NFL Draft
Week 2 – at Houston (0-1), Sun., Sept. 20, 1:25 pm, CBS
Aaron Rodgers, QB, Green Bay (1-0, #6 NFC, T-1st NFC North), 16th Season
– Completed 32-of-44 passes for 364 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions for a 127.5 quarterback rating in a 43-34 Week 1 win at Minnesota with his completions, yards passing and touchdowns all the most he has recorded in a season opener while his attempts tied for the most
– Equaled the most touchdowns thrown in Week 1 of the NFL season with four and threw for the second-most yards (364)
– 2x MVP (2011, 2014), Athlete of the Year (2011 AP); Super Bowl XLV Champion/MVP (2011); 8x Pro Bowl (2009, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019), First-Team All-Pro (2011, 2014), Second-Team All-Pro (2012), All-2010s Team (NFL/Pro Football Hall of Fame)
– Has highest career QBR (102.6) in NFL history and had the top complete single season in 2011 (122.5)
– Fourth among active NFL players and eighth overall in career passing touchdowns (368), while he is sixth among active players in career passes completed (3945), pass attempts (6105) and passing yards (47300)
Week 2 – vs. Detroit (0-1), Sun., Sept. 20, 10:00 am, FOX
Richard Rodgers, TE, Philadelphia (0-1, #16 NFC, T-2nd NFC East), 7th Season
– Played but did not record any statistics other than participation in a 27-17 Week 1 loss at Washington
Week 2 – vs. Los Angeles Rams (1-0), Sun., Sept. 20, 10:00 am, FOX
Mitchell Schwartz, T, Kansas City (1-0, #3 AFC, T-1st AFC West), 10th Season
– Extended his streak of consecutive regular-season starts to all 129 possible regular-season games in his first eight-plus seasons with Cleveland (2012-15) and Kansas City (2016 – Present) by starting and playing in all 69 offensive snaps in a 34-20 Week 1 win over Houston in a Thursday Night Football game that opened the 2020 NFL campaign
– His current streak of 129 consecutive NFL regular-season starts ranks tied for the third in the league among active players
– Super Bowl LIV Champion (2019), First-Team All-Pro (2018), 3x Second-Team All-Pro (2016, 2017, 2019), All-Rookie Team (2012 PFWA)
– His consecutive games played streak extends to 180 in a row for college and NFL starts including starts in all 51 games possible during his final four seasons at Cal (2008-11)
Week 2 – at Los Angeles Chargers (0-1), Sun., Sept. 20, 1:25 pm, CBS
Nick Sundberg, LS, Washington (1-0, #1 NFC, 1st NFC East), 11th Season
– Played but did not record any statistics other than participation in a 27-17 Week 1 win over Philadelphia
– Washington's nominee for the prestigious Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year honor in both 2017 and 2019
– Founder of Loads of Love, a program that aims to boost school attendance by installing washers and dryers in schools and non-profit organizations at no cost to them or their families to directly impact children experiencing homelessness or an unstable living situation
Week 2 – at Arizona (1-0), Sun., Sept. 20, 1:05 pm, FOX
Injured Reserve (1) – Name, Position, Team (Record, Conference Place, Division Place), Experience
Jordan Veasy, WR, Washington (1-0, #1 NFC, 1st NFC East), 1st Season
– Currently with his sixth NFL organization (Tennessee, Jacksonville, Indianapolis, Pittsburgh, Buffalo, Washington) but has yet to be on a 53-man regular-season roster or play in a regular-season contest
– Spent the 2020 training camp with Washington before being placed on injured reserve Sept. 5
Week 2 – at Arizona (1-0), Sun., Sept. 20, 1:05 pm, FOX
Practice Squads (3) – Name, Position, Team (Record, Conference Place, Division Place), Experience
Chad Hansen, WR, (0-1, #13 AFC, T-3rd AFC South), 2nd Season
– Has played in 15 career games with one start, picking up nine receptions and 94 yards receiving all in his first season in the league with the New York Jets in 2017 after being drafted in the fourth round of the 2017 NFL Draft by the club
– Spent nine days (Sept. 2-10) on New England's roster in 2018 before joining practice squad or offseason rosters in Tennessee (2018), Denver (2018-19), New Orleans (2019) and Houston (2019-20)
Week 2 – vs. Baltimore (1-0), Sun., Sept. 20, 1:25 pm, CBS
Evan Weaver, LB, Arizona (1-0, #4 NFC, T-1st NFC West), 1st Season
– One of three Cal players selected in the 2020 NFL Draft (Arizona Cardinals, sixth round, 202nd overall)
– Released by Arizona on Sept. 5, 2020, before being signed to the Cardinals' practice squad the following day
Week 2 – vs. Washington (1-0), Sun., Sept. 20, 1:05 pm, FOX
Davis Webb, TE, Buffalo Bills (1-0, #5 AFC, T-1st AFC East), 1st Season
– Currently with his third NFL organization (New York Giants, New York Jets, Buffalo Bills) after being drafted in the third round (No. 87) of the 2017 NFL Draft but has yet to play in a regular-season contest
Week 2 – at Miami (1-0), Sun., Sept. 20, 10:00 am, CBS
Coaching Staffs (5) – Name, Position, Team (Record, Division, Conference Place, Division Place), Experience
Andre Carter, Defensive Line, New York Jets (0-1, #12 AFC, T-3rd AFC East), 4th Season
– Coaching in his fourth NFL season and his second as the defensive line coach with the New York after spending two seasons as an assistant offensive line coach with Miami (2017-18)
– 517 tackles, 115.0 tackles for loss, 80.5 sacks in 13-season NFL playing career with San Francisco (2001-05), Washington (2006-10), New England (2011, 2013) and Oakland (2012)
– Pro Bowl (2011)
Week 2 – vs. San Francisco (0-1), Sun., Sept. 20, 10:00 am, FOX
Austin Clark, Outside Linebackers, Miami (0-1, #15 AFC, T-3rd AFC East), 1st Season
– In his first NFL season as the outside linebackers' coach at Miami
Week 2 – vs. Buffalo (1-0), Sun., Sept. 20, 10:00 am, CBS
Ron Rivera, Head Coach, Washington (1-0, #1 NFC, 1st NFC East), 11th Season As Head Coach/24th Season As Coach
– Won his first game as Washington's head coach in a 27-17 Week 1 win over Philadelphia
– In his 24th season as an NFL coach and 11th as an NFL head coach having coached 23 previous seasons as a head coach for Carolina (2011-19); defensive coordinator (2008-10) and linebackers' coach (2007) with San Diego; defensive coordinator (2004-06) and defensive quality control coach (1997-98) with Chicago; and linebackers' coach with Philadelphia (1999-2003)
– 2x AP Coach of the Year (2013, 2015)
– Played nine seasons with Chicago (1984-92) before tackles and several other defensive statistics were recognized as official stats but officially did contribute nine interceptions and six fumble recoveries, one of which he returned for a touchdown
– Super Bowl XX Champion (1985)
– First American of Puerto Rican descent to win a Super Bowl
Week 2 – at Arizona (1-0), Sun., Sept. 20, 1:05 pm, FOX
Vincent Rivera, Defensive Quality Control, Washington (1-0, #1 NFC, 1st NFC East) – vs. Philadelphia, Sun., Sept. 13, 10 am, FOX
– In his first season at Washington and third season as an NFL coach after previously serving as a defensive quality control assistant with Carolina (2018-19)
Richard Rodgers Sr., Assistant Defensive Backs, Washington (1-0, #1 NFC, 1st NFC East) – vs. Philadelphia, Sun., Sept. 13, 10 am, FOX
– In his first season at Washington and ninth season as an NFL coach after previously spending eight seasons with Carolina as a special teams assistant (2012), special teams coordinator (2012-14), assistant defensive backs/safeties (2015-17), secondary (2018) and safeties (2019) coach
Cal's Current NFL Affiliates General Notes
– Three selected to the NFL/Pro Football Hall of Fame Team of the 2010's (Aaron Rodgers, Cameron Jordan, Alex Mack)
– Two earned MVP/Player of the Year level awards in Aaron Rodgers (2011 Super Bowl XLV MVP; 2011 and 2014 NFL MVP) and Keenan Allen (2017 Comeback Player of the Year)
– Five selected in the first round of the NFL Draft (Tyson Alualu, Jared Goff, Cameron Jordan, Alex Mack, Aaron Rodgers)
– Three on Super Bowl winning teams (Stephen Anderson, Aaron Rodgers, Mitchell Schwartz) with three more who have played in the game (Jared Goff, Alex Mack, Ron Rivera) and two who have coached in the contest (Ron Rivera, Richard Rodgers Sr.)
– Three that began their NFL careers as undrafted free agents (Stephen Anderson, Patrick Laird, Patrick Mekari)
– Nine that are currently in their 10th NFL season or more (Tyson Alualu, Bryan Anger, DeSean Jackson, Cameron Jordan, L.P. Ladouceur, Alex Mack, Aaron Rodgers, Mitchell Schwartz, Nick Sundberg)
– Combined for selections to five All-Rookie teams, eight first-team and 12 second-team All-Pro squads, and 29 Pro Bowl teams