The NFL Playoffs are here, and for South Carolina Gamecocks fans, it's time to cheer on the alumni! A total of 16 former Gamecocks are on the rosters of teams battling for Super Bowl glory this postseason. Let's dive into who to watch and where to catch the action. But here's where it gets exciting: some players are firmly established, while others are on the bubble, making their playoff participation a bit uncertain.
First up, on Saturday, we have two games to keep an eye on. The Los Angeles Rams take on the Carolina Panthers at 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time. You can catch this game on Fox or stream it on the Fox Sports app, NFL+, or NFL.com. While the Rams don't have any former Gamecocks, the Panthers are loaded with five: Jaycee Horn, Rico Dowdle, Xavier Legette, Bam Martin-Scott, and DJ Wonnum are all on the active roster. Israel Mukuamu was also on the team earlier in the season.
Later that evening, at 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, the Chicago Bears face the Green Bay Packers. This game will be streamed on Amazon Prime Video, NFL+, and NFL.com. The Bears don't have any Gamecocks, but the Packers boast Keisean Nixon and Kingsley “JJ” Enagbare.
Sunday brings three more playoff matchups.
At 1:00 p.m., the Jacksonville Jaguars host the Buffalo Bills on CBS, Paramount+, NFL+, and NFL.com. TJ Sanders is the sole Gamecock on the Bills' roster.
Next, at 4:30 p.m., the San Francisco 49ers and Philadelphia Eagles clash. This game will be on Fox and streamed on the Fox Sports app, NFL+, and NFL.com. Sadly, neither team features any South Carolina alumni this year, even though they have had players in recent seasons.
Finally, on Sunday night at 8:00 p.m., the New England Patriots host the Los Angeles Chargers on NBC, Peacock, NFL+, and NFL.com. The Chargers have rookies Kyle Kennard and Dalevon Campbell, who have seen their roles fluctuate. Rocket Sanders was on the Chargers' roster earlier this season. Marcellas Dial is with the Patriots but is out with an injury.
The last first-round game is on Monday night at 8:15 p.m., with the Pittsburgh Steelers hosting the Houston Texans. Neither team has a Gamecock on their current roster.
The Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks earned first-round byes. The Broncos have Nate Adkins, Adam Prentice, and Nick Gargiulo. The Seahawks feature Nick Emmanwori and Ernest Jones. Both Emmanwori and Jones are in the running for postseason accolades.
It's fantastic to see so many Gamecocks making their mark in the NFL playoffs! Who are you most excited to watch, and which team do you think has the best chance of going all the way? Let's discuss in the comments!
