Former Oregon Ducks and Beavers still playing during NFL conference championship weekend
With just four NFL teams still in the mix for the Super Bowl, there is still a chunk of former Oregon Ducks and one Oregon State Beaver on the rosters of the teams competing for a spot in the big game during conference championship weekend.
With the Kansas City Chiefs and Baltimore Ravens competing at noon on Sunday in the AFC Championship, just one former Duck – Ravens rookie offensive lineman Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu – is on either roster.
The Ravens list Aumavae-Laulu as the backup at left guard, behind starter John Simpson.
In the latter game, the NFC Championship at 3:30 p.m. between the San Francisco 49ers and the Detroit Lions, there will be more familiar faces.
San Francisco features a duo of former Ducks as defensive starters in corner Deommodore Lenoir and defensive lineman and captain Arik Armstead.
Nine-year pro Armstead has 12 solo tackles this season and five sacks as a run stuffer inside, while Lenoir has 48 solo tackles and three interceptions. Also on the 49ers practice squad is former Duck cornerback Terrance Mitchell. The 10-year pro was signed by the 49ers to a one-year deal in July and was released in August. The team signed him to the practice squad shortly after.
On the other side, former Duck Penei Sewell is Detroit’s starting right tackle. The third-year pro has helped pave the way for a Lions squad that features one of the NFL’s leading passers in Jared Goff, a 1,000-yard rusher in David Montgomery, and another near-1,000-yard rusher in Jahmyr Gibbs.
Former Beaver standout Jermar Jefferson is the lone Oregon State alum left in the playoffs but was recently placed on the practice squad injured list. Jefferson logged 15 carries for 74 yards and two touchdowns over seven appearances as a rookie with the Lions in 2021 but hasn’t seen game action since spending each of the last two seasons on the Lions practice squad.
Alec Dietz covers University of Oregon football, volleyball, women’s basketball and baseball for The Register-Guard. You may reach him at adietz@registerguard.com and you can follow him on Twitter @AlecDietz.
This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: San Francisco 49ers, Detroit Lions NFL game will feature former Ducks
