Idaho ties in the NFL: Former Boise State standout makes Kyler Murray’s ‘nice’ list
Being a backup center still comes with its perks.
Despite being on the field for a total of just eight snaps this season, Marcus Henry wasn’t left off Kyler Murray’s Christmas list.
The Arizona Cardinals quarterback gave each of his offensive linemen a custom golf bag and a set of custom-fit clubs, according to a Tweet from True Spec Golf.
Henry, a former Boise State standout, was pictured with Murray in photos posted Tuesday on social media by Golf.com.
Henry was in training camp with the Cardinals and played in two preseason games before being cut. The Cardinals later signed him to the practice squad in early November, and he was elevated to the 53-man roster in Week 10. He has since appeared in three games this season, most recently playing two snaps on special teams in the Cardinals’ 30-12 loss to Detroit on Sunday.
During his time at Boise State, from 2012 through 2015, Henry was named an All-Mountain West first-team pick in 2014 and 2015.
BOISE STATE
TE, John Bates, No. 87 Washington Football Team: Started at tight end and caught one pass for 29 yards while playing 34 snaps on offense (62%) and three on special teams (12%) in Washington’s 27-17 loss to Philadelphia.
G, Ezra Cleveland, No. 72 Minnesota Vikings: Started at left guard and was credited with one tackle after Minnesota quarterback Kirk Cousins was intercepted in the second quarter. Cleveland played all 64 snaps on offense and three on special teams (14%) as the Vikings defeated Chicago 17-9.
CB, Dont’e Deayon, No. 21 Los Angeles Rams: Came off the bench and recorded one tackle and one pass defended while playing 34 snaps on defense (60%) in the Rams’ 20-10 win over Seattle.
OL, Marcus Henry, No. 53 Arizona Cardinals: Came off the bench and played two snaps on special teams (8%) in the Cardinals’ 30-12 loss to Detroit.
WR, John Hightower, No. 82 Philadelphia Eagles: Hightower is a member of the Eagles’ practice squad and was not called up for their 27-17 win over Washington.
DE, DeMarcus Lawrence, No. 90 Dallas Cowboys: Started at defensive end and racked up five total tackles, including one tackle for loss, plus one pass defended and one forced fumble. Lawrence played 40 snaps on defense (63%) as the Cowboys defeated the N.Y. Giants 21-6.
OT, Charles Leno Jr., No. 72 Washington Football Team: Started at left tackle and played all 55 snaps on offense and three on special teams (12%) as Washington fell 27-17 to Philadelphia.
RB, Alexander Mattison, No. 25 Minnesota Vikings: Mattison was placed on the reserve/COVID list on Monday after testing positive for the virus and did not play in the Vikings’ 17-9 win over Chicago.
RB, Jeremy McNichols, No. 28 Tennessee Titans: Finished with six carries for 26 yards and caught three passes for 25 yards in the Titans’ 19-13 loss to Pittsburgh. McNichols played 23 snaps on offense (29%) and six on special teams (22%).
DT, David Moa, No. 96 New York Giants: Moa was called up from the practice squad and played two snaps on defense (3%) and eight on special teams (38%) in the Giants’ 21-6 loss to Dallas.
G, John Molchon, No. 75 Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Molchon is a member of the Bucs’ practice squad and was not called up for their 9-0 loss to New Orleans.
C, Matt Paradis (Council High), No. 61 Carolina Panthers: Paradis will miss the remainder of the season with an ACL tear in one knee.
QB, Brett Rypien, No. 4 Denver Broncos: Rypien was not on the active list for the Broncos’ 15-10 loss to Cincinnati. Earlier in the week, coach Vic Fangio designated Rypien as Denver’s “quarantined quarterback” with COVID-19 infections spiking across the league.
“He was not in the meetings, he was in virtual meetings, and when he was out here on the field, he was under strict orders to not be near anybody,” Fangio told CBS Denver.
S, Darian Thompson, No. 23 Dallas Cowboys: Played 16 snaps on special teams (76%) but did not record any stats in the Cowboys’ 21-6 victory over the N.Y. Giants.
ILB, Tanner Vallejo, No. 51 Arizona Cardinals: Remained on the Cardinals’ reserve/injured list with a knee injury.
LB, Leighton Vander Esch (Salmon River High), No. 55 Dallas Cowboys: Started at outside linebacker and made three tackles while playing 33 snaps on defense (52%) and two on special teams (10%) in the Cowboys’ 21-6 win over the N.Y. Giants. Vander Esch was initially credited with a fumble recovery in the second quarter, but the call was overturned after an official review.
DE, Curtis Weaver, No. 59 Cleveland Browns: Weaver is a member of the Browns’ practice squad and was not called up for their 16-14 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders.
CB, Avery Williams, No. 35 Atlanta Falcons: Returned one punt for 23 yards and three kickoffs for 79 yards as the Falcons fell 31-13 to San Francisco. Williams played 19 snaps on special teams (79%).
WR, Cedrick Wilson, No. 1 Dallas Cowboys: Wilson tested positive for COVID-19 on Dec. 13 and was placed on the reserve/COVID list. However, after receiving two negative tests, he was activated for Sunday’s 21-6 win over the N.Y. Giants and played one snap on offense.
IDAHO
WR, Jeff Cotton, No. 88 Jacksonville Jaguars: Cotton is a member of the Jags’ practice squad and was not called up for their 30-16 loss to Houston.
G/T, Jesse Davis, No. 77 Miami Dolphins: Started at right tackle and played all 71 snaps on offense and five on special teams (17%) as the Dolphins defeated the N.Y. Jets 31-24.
LB, Christian Elliss, No. 53 Philadelphia Eagles: Elliss is a member of the Eagles’ practice squad and was not called up for their 27-17 win over Washington.
LB, Kaden Elliss, No. 55 New Orleans Saints: Elliss was not on the active list for the third straight game (hamstring) as the Saints shut out Tampa Bay 9-0.
DE, Benson Mayowa, No. 10 Seattle Seahawks: Came off the bench and played 17 snaps on defense (26%) but did not record any stats as the Seahawks lost 20-10 to the L.A. Rams.
RB, Elijhaa Penny, No. 39 New York Giants: Came off the bench and assisted on a tackle while playing 11 snaps on special teams (52%) and two on offense (3%) in the Giants’ 21-6 loss to Dallas.
HIGH SCHOOLS
DE, Porter Gustin (Emmett High), No. 94 Cleveland Browns: Gustin was elevated from the practice squad and contributed two tackles and a fumble recovery while playing 32 snaps on defense (46%) and 18 on specials teams (69%) in the Browns’ 16-14 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders. After defensive end Takk McKinley tore an Achilles during Monday’s game and had to be placed on the injured/reserve list, Gustin was signed to the Browns’ 53-man roster on Tuesday.
QB, Taysom Hill (Highland High), No. 7 New Orleans Saints: Started at quarterback and completed 13-of-27 passes for 154 yards, plus 33 yards on 11 carries while playing all 61 offensive snaps in the Saints’ 9-0 win over Tampa Bay.
DT, Tommy Togiai (Highland High), No. 93 Cleveland Browns: Togiai received his Ohio State degree Sunday through the athletic department’s degree completion program, which allows athletes who left school without graduating to return and finish their degrees. On Monday night, he came off the bench and shared in a sack of Raiders quarterback Derek Carr while playing 11 snaps on defense (16%) and two on special teams (8%) in the Browns’ 16-14 loss to Las Vegas.
DL, Jonah Williams (Rocky Mountain High), No. 92 Los Angeles Rams: Williams is a member of the Rams’ practice squad and was not called up for their 20-10 win over Seattle.
Note: There are currently no players from Idaho State listed on an NFL roster.
This story was originally published December 21, 2021 at 4:16 PM.
