Oklahoma
Which NFL playoff teams have players with Oklahoma ties? We break it down
Two-Minute Drill: Bucs make playoffs, Dolphins don’t; Jags lose in OT
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers won the NFC South and will host a postseason game next weekend during the wild car round of the NFL playoffs.
The NFL Playoffs are upon us, and every team that made the postseason has at least one player with connections to our state. Some played Oklahoma high school football. Others spent all or some of their college years here at OU, Oklahoma State or elsewhere.
Here’s a look at the NFL players with a chance at a Super Bowl LIX ring:
Los Angeles Chargers
Tony Jefferson, S, OU: Came out of retirement this season after spending a year as a scout for the Ravens. Spent time on the practice squad, but played in five of the Chargers last six regular season games.
Houston Texans
Joe Mixon, RB, OU: After spending his first seven seasons in Cincinnati, Mixon had a Pro Bowl season in Houston, rushing for over 1,000 yards.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Jaylen Warren, RB, OSU: Took a small step back behind Najee Harris, rushing for a career-low 511 yards. But Warren was sidelined for a couple of games with a back injury and has been strong of late.
Devin Harper, LB, OSU: Has been on Pittsburgh’s practice squad all season after being waived by Cincinnati.
Baltimore Ravens
Mark Andrews, TE, OU: Arguably the best tight end in football. Has a career-high 11 touchdown catches this season after escaping injury in August when he was involved in a major car accident.
Justice Hill, RB, Tulsa Booker T. Washington HS/OSU: Back-up to standout Derrick Henry. Hill missed the last two games of the regular season after suffering a concussion.
Charlie Kolar, TE, Norman North HS: The third leg of the Ravens’ talented tight end group, pairing with Andrews and Isaiah Likely. Kolar, who went to Iowa State, has a career-high nine catches and 131 receiving yards.
Tylan Wallace, WR, OSU: Having a career year in his fourth season with the Ravens, catching a career-high 11 passes for 193 yards. Scored his first NFL receiving touchdown in Week 10 against the Bengals.
Denver Broncos
Nik Bonitto, LB, OU: A first-time Pro Bowler who has been mentioned in the Defensive Player of the Year conversation. Has 13.5 sacks, the first Bronco with double-digit sacks since Von Miller and Bradley Chubb.
Marvin Mims, WR, OU: Another Pro Bowler. Speedy wideout is second on the team with 503 receiving yards and six touchdown catches. Also returns punts and kicks.
Ben Powers, OL, OU: Started every game for the Broncos at left guard. Third consecutive season he has logged over 1,000 snaps, the first in Baltimore, the last two in Denver.
Delarrin Turner-Yell, S, OU: On the reserve/physically unable to perform list. Has not played a snap for the Broncos this season.
Tanner McCalister, DB, OSU: On the practice squad. Spent his final college season (2022) at Ohio State after four years in Stillwater.
Buffalo Bills
Jordan Phillips, DT, OU: Has played in five games since being released by Dallas in November and signed the very next day by Buffalo. Played for the Bills in two previous stints.
Green Bay Packers
Josh Jacobs, RB, Tulsa McLain HS: Rushed for a team-high 1,329 yards in his first season with the Packers. The Alabama product has a career-high 15 rushing touchdowns, too.
Alex Hale, K, OSU: Has spent his entire rookie season on the Packers’ practice squad.
Marquis Hayes, OL, OU: On the practice squad. Second-year pro has yet to make his NFL debut.
Philadelphia Eagles
Grant Calcaterra, TE, OU: Started a career-high 13 games, logging career bests in catches (24) and receiving yards (298). After medically retiring and leaving OU following the 2019 season, finished his college career at SMU.
Jalen Hurts, QB, OU: In the MVP hunt before Philly sidekick Saquon Barkley stole everyone’s spotlight. Hurts missed the Eagles’ last two regular season games after suffering a concussion.
Lane Johnson, OL, OU: Earned his fifth invitation to the Pro Bowl this season. May well add another All-Pro honor. Made 14 starts at right tackle.
Washington Commanders
Tyler Ott, LS, Jenks HS: Tenth-year pro who played collegiately at Harvard is in his first season with Washington. Named a Pro Bowl alternate.
Chris Paul, OL, Tulsa: Guard has played in six games this season as a reserve.
Tress Way, P, Tulsa Union HS/OU: Making only his second playoff appearance in 11 seasons in Washington. The team captain and fan favorite set the franchise record for career punting yards earlier this season.
Austin Seibert, K, OU: Has been on injured reserve since missing a field goal and two extra points against Dallas. Made all his PATs and 27 of 29 field goals before that. Missed the two games prior with a hip injury.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Baker Mayfield, QB, OU: Having his best pro season, throwing for 4,500 yards and 41 touchdowns. Pro Football Focus passing grade of 82.4 ranks just behind Josh Allen, ahead of Jared Goff and Patrick Mahomes.
Sterling Shepard, WR, Heritage Hall HS/OU: Resurrected his career in Tampa Bay. After eight seasons with the Giants, the last two of which were rough, Shepard has 32 catches for 334 yards and one touchdown.
Minnesota Vikings
Brian Asamoah, LB, OU: Reserve has played in 14 games this season, his third in Minnesota.
Jalen Redmond, DL, Midwest City HS/OU: One of the best comeback stories this season. Spent last season out of the NFL, then played in the UFL, hooked on with the Vikings’ practice squad but elevated and played in seven of the past eight games, starting two.
Walter Rouse, OL, OU: Made his NFL debut in Week 13 against the Cardinals but has not played otherwise.
Los Angeles Rams
Neville Gallimore, NT, OU: Has played in 14 games and made four starts in his first season with Rams. Spent the first four seasons of his NFL career in Dallas.
Drake Stoops, WR, OU: Undrafted free agent has spent his entire rookie season on the practice squad.
A.J. Green, CB, OSU: Has been on the practice squad all season after spending the previous four seasons in Cleveland.
Kansas City Chiefs
Marquise Brown, WR, OU: Missed the first 14 games of the season due to a shoulder injury. Had nine catches in the two games he played since returning.
Creed Humphrey, OL, Shawnee HS/OU: Continues to build his case as the best center in the NFL. Stalwart and leader of KC’s offensive line. Has made 67 consecutive starts.
Wanya Morris, OL, OU: Second-year pro has made 11 starts this season. Bounced between left tackle and right tackle, the position at which he seems more natural.
Samaje Perine, RB, OU: Reserve power back has played in all of Kansas City’s games this season. Often used in short-yardage situations.
James Winchester, LS, Washington HS/OU: No current long snapper has been more consistent longer. One of only six current players on the Kansas City roster to be part of the franchise’s three most recent Super Bowl titles.
McKade Mettauer, OL, OU: Undrafted free agent signed by Kansas City, then placed on injured reserve after suffering a knee injury during a preseason game.
Detroit Lions
Malcolm Rodriguez, LB, Wagoner HS/OSU: On injured reserve since Week 13 when he suffered a season-ending knee injury against Chicago. Prior to that, he’d played in 10 games, starting six, with 43 tackles and two sacks.
Did we forget someone? If you know of another player with ties to the state of Oklahoma in the NFL Playoffs, email Jenni Carlson at jcarlson@oklahoman.com.
Jenni Carlson: Jenni can be reached at 405-475-4125 or jcarlson@oklahoman.com. Like her at facebook.com/JenniCarlsonOK, follow her at @jennicarlsonok.bsky.social and twitter.com/jennicarlson_ok, and support her work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today.
Putnam City West High School will shift to virtual learning on Tuesday after an incident involving two students prompted an investigation by the district and Oklahoma City police, according to Putnam City Schools.
District officials said administrators were alerted near the end of the school day Monday to an altercation involving two students in the school’s arena area.
Officials said the students left campus, and the case was turned over to Putnam City Campus Police and the Oklahoma City Police Department for investigation.
District officials said no students or staff were harmed and there is no ongoing safety threat related to the incident.
What we know
Putnam City West sent the following email to all families and staff at the school:
All PCW students and staff will transition to virtual learning for Tuesday, April 21st.
Today, an isolated serious incident involving two students occurred on school grounds. Near the end of the school day, administrators were alerted to an altercation between two students in the arena area. The individuals involved quickly left campus, prompting an initial fact-finding response by school administrators before the matter was turned over to Putnam City Campus Police and the Oklahoma City Police Department for further investigation. Because this is an active investigation involving students, no further information will be released at this time.
We understand this information may be concerning to students, staff, and families. Please know we are committed to maintaining a safe, secure, and positive learning environment for all students. At Putnam City Schools, student and staff safety remains our highest priority. Therefore, out of an abundance of caution and to allow for a thorough investigation, all PCW students and staff will transition to virtual learning for Tuesday, April 21st. Students will need to check Google Classroom for updates from teachers.
Thank you for your understanding and continued support of PC West.
Putnam City Schools
All students and staff at Putnam City West will transition to virtual learning on Tuesday, April 21, while investigators continue their work, according to the district.
Students were told to check Google Classroom for instructions from teachers.
The district said it is withholding additional details because the case involves students and remains under investigation.
School officials have not said what triggered the incident or whether any arrests have been made.
This is a developing story. Updates will be added as more information becomes available.
TULSA, OKLA (KTUL) — A new program in Oklahoma is giving adults another way to finish high school by allowing them to use past credits and test scores to earn a diploma, an option officials say could help thousands of people and strengthen the state’s workforce.
For years, adults in Oklahoma who did not finish high school largely had one main option: earning a GED. Now, Oklahoma CareerTech is rolling out the Career Readiness Diploma, a pathway designed to build on what students have already completed rather than requiring them to start over.
“So in Oklahoma right now, if you look at the demographics, we have about 279,000 people in our state without a high school diploma. So it’s almost 10% of our population doesn’t have a high school diploma,” said Lance Allee, an adult education and family literacy specialist with Oklahoma CareerTech.
Allee said the program allows adults to apply previously earned high school credit and combine different assessment scores into a single record to qualify for a diploma.
“It allows the student to use previously earned high school credit. So, it’s kind of like a portfolio where you can take multiple assessment scores and put them into one portfolio to get your high school diploma,” Allee said.
The program is open to adults 21 and older. In some cases, officials said, participants can finish in just weeks, depending on how many credits they already have.
CareerTech officials say the program is also aimed at improving job prospects for individuals while helping Oklahoma remain competitive when attracting employers.
“When you’re a company and you’re looking at moving into Oklahoma, you look at the demographics and say, is there a workforce there that we can employ? And you say, well, about 10% of the population doesn’t have a diploma, they may start looking at states that surround us. So, we definitely want to get as many diplomas out there as we can,” Allee said.
The program started issuing diplomas in recent weeks, and officials said dozens more people are already in the process. For more information or to sign up click here.
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NORMAN — Cord Rager’s return comes at a pivotal time for Skip Johnson’s Oklahoma Sooners. Not only do they get their day three starter back in time for big road matchups against Auburn and Arkansas on the horizon, but the Sooners pitching strength, their rotational depth, is primed and ready for the test.
The freshman lefty finished with eight strikeouts and only gave up one hit in only 65 pitches before his day ended in the sixth.
No. 14 Oklahoma earn its first conference sweep of the season, defeating Missouri 8-4. It was OU’s fourth conference series win.
Oklahoma (27-12, 10-8) put their best foot forward as they turn the page to the meat of their schedule where they will do battle against No. 13, No. 20 and No. 16 over the next three weeks — two of those series’ on the road.
Four runs in five hits in the second got things rolling for the Sooners.
Camden Johnson continued his brilliant play of late with a triple in the second. This came after a Brenden Brock solo home run to put OU up 1-0. Deiten LaChance grounded out to short but scored Johnson. Dasan Harris and and Nolan Stevens each found home before the inning ended.
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OU found fortune from the plate again in the fourth. Four runs off of four hits highlighted by a three-run home run by Johnson put Oklahoma up 8-0. It was Johnson’s seventh home run of the season, second on the team behind Brock’s nine.
Trent Collier got the nod in the sixth to relieve Rager.
In the seventh, Missouri finally got on the board for the first time since the ninth inning of Friday night’s Sooner victory. Cam Durnin hit a solo shot — his fourht of the season — to make the score 8-1 in favor of the home team.
The Tigers got their third hit of the game shortly after. From there, Collier’s short day was done. Gavyn Jones came on to relieve
LaChance missed a home run by inches when Tiger center fielder Kaden Peer made a leaping catch, jumping into the fence.
In the eighth, the Tigers continued to chip away. With bases loaded, Blaze Ward hit a basehit to score two Missouri base runners. OU led 8-3 heading into the final inning.
Harris led the Sooners with three hits. His day was accented by an RBI, stolen base and a run.
Oklahoma will travel to Auburn to take on the No. 13 Tigers for a three game series starting on Friday. Before that, they will host Oral Roberts for a midweek game at Kimrey Family Stadium in Norman. The Sooners won 4-0 against ORU earlier this season.
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