Jake Tonges' career-high-tying seven receptions, career-high 60 yards receiving and fifth career touchdown reception in San Francisco's crucial 42-38 home victory over Chicago highlighted performances by former Cal football players in Week 17 of the 2025 NFL season. The victory kept San Francisco (12-4) in the running for both the NFC's top playoff seed and a share of the NFC West Division title heading into Saturday's Week 18 showdown with NFC West leader Seattle (13-3) at Levi's® Stadium in Santa Clara.
Â
Tonges was not the only Cal player with strong performances or big moments in a Week 17 that included interceptions by "Takers" Ashtyn Davis and Jaylinn Hawkins in Miami and New England wins over Tampa Bay and the New York Jets, as well as career highs of eight tackles and three tackles for loss from Kansas City rookie
Nohl Williams in a loss to Denver.
Â
Hawkins and Tonges are among seven former Golden Bears on active rosters of teams that have already clinched playoff spots heading into the final games of the regular-season in Week 18 with the current list rounded out by Keenan Allen (Los Angeles Chargers), Chris Brooks (Green Bay), Elijah Hicks (Chicago), Patrick Mekari (Jacksonville) and
Craig Woodson (New England).
Aaron Rodgers (Pittsburgh) and Jake Curhan (Carolina) have a chance to join the other seven with Week 18 wins. Curhan and the Panthers travel to Tampa Bay in the first game of Week 18 on Saturday (1:30 pm PT, ESPN) with the winner capturing the NFC South and the NFC's No. 4 playoff spot, while Rodgers and the Steelers host Baltimore in the final game of Week 18 and the NFL's regular season on Sunday (5:20 pm PT, NBC) with the winner the AFC North champ and the AFC's No. 4 playoff seed.
Teddye Buchanan is on the injured reserve list for the Ravens.
Three former Cal football players - Matt Giordano (Chicago), Byron Storer (Green Bay) and Davis Webb (Denver) - are also coaches for teams that have already clinched playoff spots.
A total of 25 former Golden Bears are currently affiliated with NFL teams, including 16 on active rosters, four on injured reserve lists, one on a practice squad, and four as members of coaching staffs. The latest updates on each of your fellow former Golden Bears are below. Click on each name to access the primary Pro Football Reference page for players and team bios for coaches.
ACTIVE ROSTER (16)
Keenan Allen – WR, Los Angeles Chargers (Clinched Playoff Spot, 11-5, No. 6 AFC, 2nd AFC West): Allen had one reception for 17 yards in a 20-16 Week 17 home loss to Houston. He now has 74 receptions, 752 receiving yards and four scoring grabs in his 13th NFL season overall and 12th campaign with the Chargers during a 2025 season which has included becoming the fastest player in NFL history and the 16th overall to reach 1,000 or more career receptions during a Week 5 home loss to Washington, season highs of 11 receptions and 119 yards receiving along with one touchdown grab in a 38-24 Week 7 home loss to Indianapolis, and becoming the all-time leader in receptions in Chargers' franchise history during a 25-10 Week 10 home victory over Pittsburgh.
Week 18 – Sun., Jan. 4, 1:25 pm – at Denver (13-3) – CBS
Bryan Anger – P, Dallas (Eliminated From Playoffs, 7-8-1, No. 10 NFC, 2nd NFC East): Anger punted once for 53 yards (53.0 net) in a 30-23 Week 17 road win at Washington to mark the fifth consecutive contest in which he has punted just a single time. Anger's 39 punts during the 2025 season are the fewest of any punter who has played in all 16 games with his punts going for 1884 yards and an average of 48.3 yards per punt, while he has posted a 42.7 net average. Anger also has 14 punts inside the opponents' 20-yard line and forced 13 fair catches.
Week 18 – Sun., Jan. 4, 10 am – at New York Giants (3-13) – FOX
Chris Brooks – RB, Green Bay (Clinched Playoff Spot, 9-6-1, No. 7 NFC, 2nd NFC North): Brooks had one reception for 11 yards and one special teams tackle in a 41-24 Week 17 home loss to Baltimore. He has contributed career highs of 13 receptions and 91 yards receiving, 14 rushes for 45 yards and a career-high 14 tackles in 2025, while playing in a career-high all 16 games off the bench.
Week 18 – Sun., Jan. 4, 10 am – at Minnesota (8-8) – CBS
Camryn Bynum – S, Indianapolis (Eliminated From Playoffs, 8-8, No. 8 AFC, 3rd AFC South): Bynum had four tackles in a 23-17 Week 17 home loss to Jacksonville. In his first 16 games of 2025 (all starts), Bynum has 76 tackles, a career and team-high four interceptions that are also tied for seventh in the NFL and that he has returned 22 yards, 1.0 sack (-15 yards), one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and a team-high eight pass defenses. He has played in every defensive snap nine times including each of the last five contests.
Week 18 – Sun., Jan. 4, 10 am – at Houston (11-5) – CBS
Jake Curhan – OT, Carolina (8-8, No. 4 NFC, 1st NFC South): Curhan came off the bench and participated in five plays (three offense, two special teams) in a 27-10 Week 17 home loss to Seattle to set up a Week 18 showdown at Tampa Bay with the winner taking the NFC South title and the NFC's No. 4 playoff seed, while the loser's season will end. Curhan's highlight of the 2025 campaign came in a 31-28 Week 13 home victory over the Los Angeles Rams when he made his lone start of the season and played in all 64 offensive snaps. Curhan has played in each of Carolina's last 12 games with the one start after the Panthers claimed him from the Arizona practice squad. He made his Carolina debut in a 27-24 Week 5 home win over Miami. Curhan has played in a total of 13 games in 2025 including one for the Cardinals in a 16-15 Week 3 loss at San Francisco.
Week 18 – Sat., Jan. 3, 1:30 pm – at Tampa Bay (7-9) – ESPN
Ashtyn Davis – S, Miami (Eliminated From Playoffs, 7-9, No. 10 AFC, 3rd AFC East): Davis had a season-high-tying seven tackles, a key fourth-quarter interception that was his first of the season that he brought back 21 yards and two pass defenses while playing in all 67 defensive snaps in a 20-17 Week 17 home win over Tampa Bay. Davis has 60 tackles, three tackles for loss, one interception that he returned 21 yards, one forced fumble and four pass defenses over 14 games played and a career-high-tying 11 starts in 2025, including five contests in which he has played on every defensive snap.
Week 18 – Sun., Jan. 4, 1:25 pm – at New England (13-3) – FOX
Jared Goff – QB, Detroit (Eliminated From Playoffs, 8-8, No. 9 NFC, 3rd-T NFC North): Goff completed 18-of-29 passes for 197 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions for a 64.9 rating that was his second-lowest of the 2025 season in a 23-10 Week 17 road loss at Minnesota that eliminated the Lions from playoff contention. Goff is second in the NFL in touchdown passes (33), third in rating (107.0), passing yards (4233) and completions (366), fourth in completion percentage (68.3%), and fifth in passing attempts (536) over his first 16 games (all starts) of a 2025 season that has included an NFC Offensive Player of the Week performance in a 52-21 Week 2 home win over Chicago when he was 23-of-28 for 334 yards with five touchdown passes and no interceptions for a 156.0 rating, with his five touchdown passes equaling a career high and the rating his third-best ever in a game, as well as season highs of 34-of-54 passes for 364 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions in a wild 29-24 Week 16 home loss to Pittsburgh. Goff seemed to get into the end zone for the game-winning touchdown on a bizarre final play against the Steelers when he completed a pass to Amon St. Brown just shy of the end zone before St. Brown pitched the ball backwards with Goff picking it up and crossing the end zone but officials called offensive pass interference on St. Brown on the play to nullify the score.
Week 18 – Sun., Jan. 4, 1:25 pm – at Chicago (11-5) – FOX
Cameron Goode – LB, Miami (Eliminated From Playoffs, 7-9, No. 10 AFC, 3rd AFC East): Goode recorded career highs of 25 defensive snaps and 46 total plays with his 21 special teams plays also tying for a game and registering three tackles in a 20-17 Week 17 home win over Tampa Bay. Goode's performance came one game after he had recorded a career-high-tying four tackles with three on defense and one on special teams in a 45-21 Week 16 home loss to Cincinnati, while playing in a previous career-high 44 plays (17 defense, career-high-tying and game-high-tying 27 special teams). Goode has played in all 16 games of the 2025 season off the bench and contributed a career-high 21 tackles, as well as his first career pass defense.
Week 18 – Sun., Jan. 4, 1:25 pm – at New England (13-3) – FOX
Jaylinn Hawkins – S, New England (Clinched Playoff Spot And AFC East Division, 13-3, No. 2 AFC, 1st AFC East): Hawkins had one tackle, one interception and one pass defense in a 42-10 Week 17 road win at the New York Jets that paired with Buffalo's home loss to Philadelphia clinched the AFC East for the Patriots. In his previous game, Hawkins had seven tackles, one quarterback hit and one forced fumble that was recovered by fellow Cal and current Patriots' teammate
Craig Woodson and led to a New England touchdown in a 28-24 Week 16 road win at Baltimore. Hawkins has played in and started 14 of 16 possible games in 2025, while participating on every defensive snap 10 times. He has contributed 70 tackles, career highs of three interceptions that he has returned one yard, three tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks (-9 yards) and five quarterback hits, five pass defenses, and a career-high-tying one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. His 2025 season has also included a one-handed interception in a 32-13 Week 8 home win against Cleveland that went viral and was called among the best interceptions in NFL history.
Week 18 – Sun., Jan. 4, 1:25 pm – vs. Miami (7-9) – FOX
Elijah Hicks – S, Chicago (Clinched Playoff Spot And NFC North, 11-5, No. 2 NFC, 1st NFC North): Hicks contributed two tackles in a 42-38 Week 17 road loss at San Francisco and has registered 19 stops in 2025 while playing in all 16 games off the bench and primarily on special teams.
Week 18 – Sun., Jan. 4, 1:25 pm – vs. Detroit (8-8) – FOX
Cameron Jordan – DE, New Orleans (Eliminated From Playoffs, 6-10, No. 13 NFC, 4th NFC South): Jordan continued his second-half surge with a season-high five tackles, 1.0 sack (-1 yard), one tackle for loss, two quarterback hits and one forced fumble in a 34-26 Week 17 road win at Tennessee that was the Saints' fourth straight victory after opening the season 2-10. Over the last seven games, Jordan has 22 tackles, 6.0 sacks, nine tackles for loss, eight quarterback hits, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and one pass defense. He had a huge game in a 29-6 Week 16 home win over the New York Jets with four tackles, a season-high-tying 2.0 sacks (-10 yards), a season-high three tackles for loss and two quarterback hits. In a 21-17 Week 13 loss at Miami, Jordan also had four tackles and a season-high-tying 2.0 sacks (-12 yards), two tackles for loss and a season-high three quarterback hits. Jordan has started each of the first 16 games of the 2025 campaign, his 15th in the NFL all with New Orleans, and compiled season totals of 43 tackles, team highs of 9.5 sacks (61.5 yards) and 13 tackles for loss, as well as a team-high-tying 13 quarterback hits, two pass defenses, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery that are all his most or equal to his most in a season since 2022
Week 18 – Sun., Jan. 4, 10 am – at Atlanta (7-9) – FOX
Patrick Mekari – OL, Jacksonville (Clinched Playoff Spot, 12-4, No. 3 AFC, 1st AFC South): Mekari was not active for a 23-17 Week 17 win at Indianapolis after playing 19 snaps in the previous game before being removed due to injury and not returning in a 34-20 Week 16 win over the AFC's top seed Denver that ended the Broncos' 11-game win streak that was the longest win streak in the NFL in 2025. Mekari has played in and started 14 of 16 games in 2025 while taking every offensive snap eight times.
Week 18 – Sun., Jan. 4, 10 am – vs. Tennessee (3-13) – FOX
Aaron Rodgers – QB, Pittsburgh (9-7, No. 4 AFC, 1st AFC North): Rodgers completed 21-of-39 passes for 168 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions for a 64.9 rating in a 13-6 Week 17 loss at Cleveland that paired with a Baltimore win at Green Bay set up a showdown between the Steelers and Ravens in Week 18 with the winner taking the AFC North title and the AFC's No. 4 playoff seed. Rodgers has started and played in 15 of 16 games in 2025 and completed 296-of-451 (65.6%) passes for 3028 yards with 23 touchdowns and seven interceptions for a 95.3 rating, with his completion percentage and rating his highest since posting marks of 68.9 and 111.9 in 2021 when he earned his fourth and most recent Associated Press MVP honor while still with Green Bay. In his Steelers' debut in Week 1, Rodgers led Pittsburgh to a 34-32 comeback road win on the road at his other former team, the New York Jets, by completing 22-of-30 passes for 244 yards with a season-high-tying four touchdowns and no interceptions for a 136.7 rating that was his best in a game since the 2022 campaign. He also threw four touchdown passes in a 33-31 Week 7 loss at Cincinnati and completed 23-of-27 passes for 224 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions for a 125.9 rating in a 28-15 Week 15 home victory over Miami, with his 85.2 completion percentage against the Dolphins the second-best of his career in a starting role.
Week 18 – Sun., Jan. 4, 5:20 pm – vs. Baltimore (8-8) – NBC
Jake Tonges, TE, San Francisco (Clinched Playoff Spot, 12-4, No. 5 NFC, 2nd NFC West): With starting tight end George Kittle missing his sixth contest of the season, Tonges came up huge again with a career-high-tying seven receptions for a career-high 60 yards and a career-high-tying single touchdown in his second career start in a crucial 42-38 Week 17 home win over Chicago that helped the 49ers maintain control of their own destiny for the top playoff spot in the NFC and a share of the NFC West Division title with Seattle heading into a Week 18 matchup of the two teams at San Francisco. Tonges has played in all 16 games with two starts in 2025 and contributed all of his career offensive stats with 34 receptions for 293 yards receiving and five touchdown catches, as well as a career-high five tackles and his lone career fumble recovery. His 2025 season has had several other highlights, including a heroic performance in his first career start in a 17-13 Week 1 victory at Seattle when he made a game-winning acrobatic four-yard touchdown catch in the end zone on the 49ers' final drive, had six catches for 58 yards receiving in a 16-15 Week 3 win over Arizona, a career-high-tying seven receptions for 41 yards including a six-yard touchdown catch for the game's opening score in a 26-23 Week 5 overtime win at the Los Angeles Rams, six receptions for 58 yards receiving in a 30-19 Week 6 loss at Tampa Bay, and a 2-yard touchdown catch in a 26-15 Week 8 loss at Houston.
Week 18 – Sat., Jan. 3, 5 pm – vs. Seattle (13-3) – ESPN
Nohl Williams – CB, Kansas City (Eliminated From Playoffs, 6-10, No. 12 AFC, 3rd AFC West): Williams had a career-high eight tackles and his first three career tackles for loss in his third consecutive start in a 20-13 Week 17 home loss to Denver. Williams has played in each of the first 16 games of his 2025 NFL rookie season with four starts and registered 42 tackles, three tackles for loss and five pass defenses.
Week 18 – Sun., Jan. 4, 1:25 pm – at Las Vegas (2-14) – CBS
Craig Woodson – S, New England (Clinched Playoff Spot And AFC East Division, 13-3, No. 2 AFC, 1st AFC East): Woodson had one tackle in a 42-10 Week 17 road win at the New York Jets that paired with Buffalo's home loss to Philadelphia clinched the AFC East after a 28-24 Week 16 win at Baltimore in which he had four tackles and one fumble recovery on a fumble that was forced by fellow Cal and current Patriots' teammate Jaylinn Hawkins and led to a New England touchdown. Woodson has played in each of the first 16 games with 14 starts as a 2025 NFL rookie, totaling 75 tackles that rank third on the team, four tackles for loss, three pass defenses and a team-high two fumble recoveries.
Week 18 – Sun., Jan. 4, 1:25 pm – vs. Miami (7-9) – FOX
INJURED RESERVE LIST (4)
Teddye Buchanan – LB, Baltimore (8-8, No. 9 AFC, 2nd AFC North): Buchanan suffered a season-ending injury when he tore the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his right knee in a 28-0 Week 15 win at Cincinnati and is currently on the Ravens' injured reserve list. He played in each of Baltimore's first 14 games as a 2025 NFL rookie with starts in each of his last 13 contests. Buchanan is third on his team with 93 tackles while adding five tackles for loss, 0.5 sacks (-2.5 yards), one forced fumble, two quarterback hits and one pass defended. He was the AFC's Defensive Rookie of the Month for October with a combined 30 tackles, four tackles for loss and one quarterback hit in three contests, including a career-high 15 tackles and one tackle for loss in a 44-10 Week 5 home loss to Houston.
Week 18 – Sun., Jan. 4, 5:20 pm – at Pittsburgh (9-7) – NBC
Marcus Harris – CB, Tennessee (Eliminated From Playoffs, 3-13, No. 14 AFC, 4th AFC South): Harris played in 14 of the first 15 games as a 2025 rookie with starts in each of his final five, contributing 28 tackles, one tackle for loss, five pass defenses, one forced fumble and one blocked extra-point recovery before suffering a season-ending injury in a 26-9 Week 16 home win over Kansas City that landed him on the injured reserve list. In the previous game, Harris had a career-high seven tackles, his lone career tackle for loss and one pass defense in a 37-24 Week 15 road loss at San Francisco.
Week 18 – Sun., Jan. 4, 10 am – at Jacksonville (12-4) – FOX
Nikko Remigio – WR/RET, Kansas City (Eliminated From Playoffs, 6-10, No. 12 AFC, 3rd AFC West): Remigio equaled a season-high with 126 combined yards on a career-high-tying four kick returns for 95 yards and two punt returns for 31 yards and also took four snaps at wide receiver in a 26-9 Week 16 loss at Tennessee but suffered a season-ending injury that landed him on the injured reserve list. Remigio played in a career-high 14 games all off the bench in 2025 and registered a career and team-high 964 combined yards including career-high totals in both kickoff (29-741) and punt (25-191) returns with his 25 punt returns tied for eighth in the NFL. He also added one reception for 21 yards and one rush for 11 yards.
Week 18 – Sun., Jan. 4, 1:25 pm – at Las Vegas (2-14) – CBS
Daniel Scott – S, Indianapolis (Eliminated From Playoffs, 8-8, No. 8 AFC, 3rd AFC South): Scott played in each of the first four games off the bench and contributed his first two career tackles in a 41-20 Week 2 win at Tennessee, before being placed on injured reserve Oct. 4. Scott also missed all of his first two NFL seasons with injuries in 2023 and 2024 before making his pro debut in 2025.
Week 18 – Sun., Jan. 4, 10 am – at Houston (11-5) – CBS
PRACTICE SQUAD (1)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
Jackson Sirmon, OLB, New York Jets (Eliminated From Playoffs, 3-13, No. 15 AFC, 4th AFC East): Sirmon contributed one special teams tackle in his lone career NFL action in a 13-6 Week 7 home loss to Carolina after being elevated to the active roster the day prior to the game but has since returned to the practice squad without seeing any further game action. Sirmon had also spent the first six weeks of the 2025 season and a portion of the 2024 campaign on the Jets' practice squad.
Week 18 – Sun., Jan. 4, 1:25 pm – at Buffalo (11-5) – CBS
COACHES (4)
Austin Clark – Defensive Line Coach, Miami (Eliminated From Playoffs, 7-9, No. 10 AFC, 3rd AFC East).
Matt Giordano – Assistant Defensive Backs And Safeties, Chicago (Clinched Playoff Spot And NFC North, 11-5, No. 2 NFC, 1st NFC North)
Bryon Storer – Assistant Special Teams Coach, Green Bay (Clinched Playoff Spot, 9-6-1, No. 7 NFC, 2nd NFC North)
Week 18 – Sun., Jan. 4, 10 am – at Minnesota (8-8) – CBS
Davis Webb – Quarterbacks Coach, Denver (Clinched Playoff Spot And AFC West Division, 13-3, No. 1 AFC, 1st AFC West)
Week 18 – Sun., Jan. 4, 1:25 pm – vs. Los Angeles Chargers (11-5) – CBS
Â
