Former Stanford Standouts Still Alive in NFL Playoffs

After a crazy Wild Card weekend, the NFL playoff field is down to the final eight teams competing for a shot to hoist the coveted Lombardi Trophy. The divisional round is expected to be another eventful weekend, with the Saturday slate featuring the Buffalo Bills hitting the road to face the Denver Broncos, and the San Francisco 49ers heading to Seattle for their third matchup of the season against the Seahawks.

On Sunday, even more action packed football will take place, with the NFL's best defense in the Houston Texans hitting the road to face the AFC East winner, New England Patriots.

The weekend will then cap off with the Los Angeles Rams going to Chicago for a matchup against the Bears in a frozen tundra. There will be a lot of storylines to watch out for, but none more notable than the strong representation of the Stanford Cardinal.

Out of the four games and eight teams that will take the field this weekend, seven former Cardinal remain in contention to win a Super Bowl, signifying how successful Stanford football alums have been in their pro careers in recent years.

Last season, former Cardinal and current Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Tanner McKee won the Super Bowl, while the two seasons before that saw former Stanford safety Justin Reid win back-to-back titles with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Anything can happen in the NFL, and with there not being a clear-cut favorite this season, that notion bodes true now more than ever before.

But one thing is clear—there is a high probability that another Stanford Cardinal great will add a Super Bowl championship to their resume. Here are the remaining Cardinal in the NFL playoffs and which team they will suit up for on Divisional Round weekend.

C Drew Dalman, Chicago Bears

A key cog on the Bears' offensive line all season long, Dalman, a first-year Pro Bowler, started at center in the Wild Card game, playing a pivotal role in helping quarterback Caleb Williams throw for 361 yards and two touchdowns in the Bears' come-from-behind 31-27 victory over the Green Bay Packers.

TE Colby Parkinson, Los Angeles Rams

Ending the regular season with 43 catches for 408 yards and eight touchdowns, Parkinson had a solid season but proved his value even more in the Rams' wild card round win over the Carolina Panthers. Catching two passes for 34 yards, the former Cardinal also caught the game-winning touchdown, helping the Rams win 34-31 after trailing for most of the game.

RB Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers

Limited to four games in 2024, McCaffrey returned healthy this season and played in all 17 regular season contests. Despite looking like he has lost a step at times, McCaffrey still had a dominant season to earn Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors, finishing with 311 carries for 1,202 yards and 10 touchdowns while also catching 102 passes for 924 yards and seven touchdowns.

In the 49ers' 23-19 upset victory over the Philadelphia Eagles, McCaffrey ran the ball 15 times for 48 yards and caught eight passes for 66 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-winner with around two minutes left in the fourth quarter.

He also added a touchdown grab from Jauan Jennings on a trick play. McCaffrey will look to put together another big game against the Seahawks this weekend, and bring the 49ers back to the NFC title game.

LB Curtis Robinson, San Francisco 49ers

Primarily a special teamer, Robinson got substantial time at linebacker this season due to injuries, finishing with a career high of 42 total tackles.

In the Wild Card win over the Eagles, Robinson did not record a single stat on defense, returning to his usual role on special teams with the 49ers opting to start Eric Kendricks and Garret Wallow at linebacker. Robinson is the 49ers' nominee for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award, his second straight nomination.

QB Davis Mills, Houston Texans

Starting three games this season while starting quarterback C.J. Stroud dealt with a concussion, Mills returned to his backup role ahead of the playoffs and did not play in the Texans dominant 30-6 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Wild Card weekend. For the season, Mills threw for 915 yards, five touchdowns and one interception, winning all of his starts.

TE Dalton Schultz, Houston Texans

Caught three passes on four targets for 12 yards in the win over the Steelers. But this season, Schultz enjoyed his second-best season as a pro, catching 82 passes for 777 yards and three touchdowns. Against the New England Patriots, Schultz will look to have a bigger role and help guide the Texans to their first-ever AFC Championship Game appearance.

TE Austin Hooper, New England Patriots

Was thrown to twice, but did not record a stat in the Patriots' 16-3 win over the Los Angeles Chargers in the Wild Card round. Finished the season with 21 catches for 263 yards and two touchdowns.