The last remaining Rice football alums have been eliminated from the NFL Playoffs. Here’s a rundown of all the NFL Owls who played in the Divisional Round.
There are former Rice football players scattered across the NFL. Stay tuned each week for their game results and notables from each player.
Divisional Round Results
49ers 27 – Vikings 26 (Sendejo)
Titans 28 – Ravens 12
Chiefs 51 – Texans 31 (Gaines)
Packers 28 – Seahawks 23 (Ellerbee, Willson)
Andrew Sendejo, Saf, Vikings
Sendejo was active in a Vikings secondary that didn’t have many opportunities to shine. 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo attempted just 19 passes on Saturday, the longest going for 22 yards. San Francisco had four times as many rushing attempts (47) as completions (11). Sendejo had three tackles in the loss.
Emmanuel Ellerbee, LB, Seahawks
Ellerbee was placed injured reserve prior to the start of the season. He did not appear in any games with the Seahawks this year and wasn’t on the field for Seattle’s playoff run which ended in the Divisional Round.
Luke Willson, TE, Seahawks
Willson’s season came to an end on Sunday night in a close loss the Packers. He caught the only ball thrown his way, an eight-yard reception. More notably, he registered the first carry of his six-year NFL career, gaining one yard.
Phillip Gaines, CB, Texans
Gaines was placed on injured reserve following an ankle injury suffered during the Texans’ Week 8 game against the Colts. He wasn’t available for the Texans playoff run. Instead, he had to watch a gut-wrenching come-from-behind victory by the Chiefs. After falling behind 24-0, Kansas City went on to score 41 unanswered points and win.
More Owls in the NFL
From practice squads to current free agents, there are others Owls on the cusp of returning to active rosters. Find more detail on current contractual agreements and former Rice football players waiting for their next opportunity here.
