WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Week 16 of the NFL season will conclude after a Monday Night Football game between the New Orleans Saints and Green Bay Packers. Multiple former Boilermakers made waves around the league, setting new career highs.
With a couple standouts returning from injury, eight former Purdue stars saw playing time, the most since Week 3.
After suffering what was initially feared to be a serious knee injury two weeks prior, quarterback Aidan O'Connell returned to lead the Las Vegas Raiders to a 19-12 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars.
He completed 24-of-38 passes for 257 yards, good for a completion percentage of 63.2.
The former two-time All-Big Ten star dazzled on a crucial third down in the fourth quarter, escaping an onslaught of pressure to convert with a 12-yard pass. The Raiders went on to score the definitive touchdown three plays later.
Third-year pro George Karlaftis posted a career-high four quarterback hits, helping lead the Kansas City Chiefs to a Saturday win over the Houston Texans, improving to an NFL-best 14-1 record. He also added a solo tackle to his season tally of 33.
Karlaftis' dominant defensive performance earned him the third-highest Pro Football Focus grade on the team in Week 16.
Tyrone Tracy Jr. earned another start for the New York Giants, rushing for a team-high 26 yards on seven carries and catching four passes for 43 yards at the Atlanta Falcons.
The rookie out of Purdue also scored his first career receiving touchdown, the team's only score of the afternoon.
Continuing the theme of career performances, Payne Durham started at tight end for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday Night Football at the Dallas Cowboys. He registered career highs in receptions (five) and receiving yards (29) in the 26-24 loss.
Playing for the first time since suffering a hamstring injury in Week 3, Cory Trice Jr. returned and notched a strong stat line of five tackles (three solos) for the Pittsburgh Steelers after missing much of his second NFL season.
As outlined in a personal feature story on Steelers.com last month, the cornerback is no stranger to adversity. Trice missed all of his rookie season in 2023 with a torn ACL, an injury he had already suffered once before while at Purdue.
Trice will look to maintain his momentum with the Steelers as they enter the final two weeks in first place of the AFC North.
It was Sanoussi Kane of the Baltimore Ravens who took the win on Sunday though, beating the Steelers 34-17 in the divisional showdown. He played 21 snaps on special teams.
Raheem Mostert rushed eight times for 31 yards and caught two passes for 15 yards in the Miami Dolphins' win over the San Francisco 49ers. Jalen Graham was elevated from the Niners' practice squad, playing 17 special teams snaps.
The Pro Boilers went 4-4 around the league in Week 16. Former Purdue players are a combined 53-47 this season when active in a game.
BOILERMAKERS AROUND THE NFL
• Aidan O'Connell (Las Vegas) – Returned to start at quarterback, completing 24-of-38 passes for 257 yards and rushing seven times for 12 yards vs. Jacksonville
• George Karlaftis (Kansas City) – Racked up a season-high four quarterback hits, one solo tackle and one pass defense vs. Houston
• Tyrone Tracy Jr. (N.Y. Giants) – Led the team with seven carries for 26 yards and scored the Giants' lone touchdown at Atlanta
• Payne Durham (Tampa Bay) – Started at tight end and registered career highs in receptions (five) and receiving yards (29) at Dallas
• Cory Trice Jr. (Pittsburgh) – Returned from injury to post a career-high five tackles (three solos) at Baltimore, playing 79% of the defensive snaps
• Raheem Mostert (Miami) – Logged eight carries for 31 yards and two receptions for 15 yards vs. San Francisco
• Sanoussi Kane (Baltimore) – Played 21 special teams snaps vs. Pittsburgh
• Jalen Graham (San Francisco) – Played 17 special teams snaps vs. Pittsburgh
• Charlie Jones (Cincinnati) – Inactive vs. Cleveland
• Reese Taylor (Denver) – Practice Squad
• Markus Bailey (Arizona) – Practice Squad
• Derrick Barnes (Detroit) – Injured Reserve (out for season)
• Ja'Whaun Bentley (New England) – Injured Reserve (out for season)
• David Bell (Cleveland) – Injured Reserve (out for season)
• Anthony Brown (Carolina) – Injured Reserve (out for season)
• Rondale Moore (Atlanta) – Injured Reserve (out for season)
With a couple standouts returning from injury, eight former Purdue stars saw playing time, the most since Week 3.
After suffering what was initially feared to be a serious knee injury two weeks prior, quarterback Aidan O'Connell returned to lead the Las Vegas Raiders to a 19-12 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars.
He completed 24-of-38 passes for 257 yards, good for a completion percentage of 63.2.
The former two-time All-Big Ten star dazzled on a crucial third down in the fourth quarter, escaping an onslaught of pressure to convert with a 12-yard pass. The Raiders went on to score the definitive touchdown three plays later.
Aidan O'Connell HOW?!
— NFL (@NFL) December 23, 2024
📺: #JAXvsLV on CBS/Paramount+
📱: https://t.co/waVpO8ZBqG pic.twitter.com/kTVkdzdhSj
Third-year pro George Karlaftis posted a career-high four quarterback hits, helping lead the Kansas City Chiefs to a Saturday win over the Houston Texans, improving to an NFL-best 14-1 record. He also added a solo tackle to his season tally of 33.
Karlaftis' dominant defensive performance earned him the third-highest Pro Football Focus grade on the team in Week 16.
The highest-graded Chiefs in Week 16 vs the Texans:
— PFF KC Chiefs (@PFF_Chiefs) December 23, 2024
🥇 Patrick Mahomes - 90.2
🥈 Chris Jones - 87.7
🥉 George Karlaftis - 86.3
🏅 Justin Reid - 84.3
🏅 DeAndre Hopkins - 78.4
(min. 25 snaps) pic.twitter.com/vimlM7oWX3
Tyrone Tracy Jr. earned another start for the New York Giants, rushing for a team-high 26 yards on seven carries and catching four passes for 43 yards at the Atlanta Falcons.
The rookie out of Purdue also scored his first career receiving touchdown, the team's only score of the afternoon.
Tyrone Tracy is low-key one of the best young running backs in the game. pic.twitter.com/GrkNzSxwhR
— Dave Kluge (@DaveKluge) December 22, 2024
Continuing the theme of career performances, Payne Durham started at tight end for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday Night Football at the Dallas Cowboys. He registered career highs in receptions (five) and receiving yards (29) in the 26-24 loss.
Playing for the first time since suffering a hamstring injury in Week 3, Cory Trice Jr. returned and notched a strong stat line of five tackles (three solos) for the Pittsburgh Steelers after missing much of his second NFL season.
As outlined in a personal feature story on Steelers.com last month, the cornerback is no stranger to adversity. Trice missed all of his rookie season in 2023 with a torn ACL, an injury he had already suffered once before while at Purdue.
Trice will look to maintain his momentum with the Steelers as they enter the final two weeks in first place of the AFC North.
It was Sanoussi Kane of the Baltimore Ravens who took the win on Sunday though, beating the Steelers 34-17 in the divisional showdown. He played 21 snaps on special teams.
Raheem Mostert rushed eight times for 31 yards and caught two passes for 15 yards in the Miami Dolphins' win over the San Francisco 49ers. Jalen Graham was elevated from the Niners' practice squad, playing 17 special teams snaps.
The Pro Boilers went 4-4 around the league in Week 16. Former Purdue players are a combined 53-47 this season when active in a game.
BOILERMAKERS AROUND THE NFL
• Aidan O'Connell (Las Vegas) – Returned to start at quarterback, completing 24-of-38 passes for 257 yards and rushing seven times for 12 yards vs. Jacksonville
• George Karlaftis (Kansas City) – Racked up a season-high four quarterback hits, one solo tackle and one pass defense vs. Houston
• Tyrone Tracy Jr. (N.Y. Giants) – Led the team with seven carries for 26 yards and scored the Giants' lone touchdown at Atlanta
• Payne Durham (Tampa Bay) – Started at tight end and registered career highs in receptions (five) and receiving yards (29) at Dallas
• Cory Trice Jr. (Pittsburgh) – Returned from injury to post a career-high five tackles (three solos) at Baltimore, playing 79% of the defensive snaps
• Raheem Mostert (Miami) – Logged eight carries for 31 yards and two receptions for 15 yards vs. San Francisco
• Sanoussi Kane (Baltimore) – Played 21 special teams snaps vs. Pittsburgh
• Jalen Graham (San Francisco) – Played 17 special teams snaps vs. Pittsburgh
• Charlie Jones (Cincinnati) – Inactive vs. Cleveland
• Reese Taylor (Denver) – Practice Squad
• Markus Bailey (Arizona) – Practice Squad
• Derrick Barnes (Detroit) – Injured Reserve (out for season)
• Ja'Whaun Bentley (New England) – Injured Reserve (out for season)
• David Bell (Cleveland) – Injured Reserve (out for season)
• Anthony Brown (Carolina) – Injured Reserve (out for season)
• Rondale Moore (Atlanta) – Injured Reserve (out for season)