Tech alums set for NFL’s Super Wild Card Weekend

Saturday, Jan. 15
 
No. 5 Las Vegas at No. 4 Cincinnati – 4:35 p.m. ET – NBC
Raiders' LB Divine Deablo will make his debut in the NFL Playoffs in the opening postseason game of the 2021 season. The rookie has had a solid debut season after making an appearance in all 17 games and starting five. CB Brandon Facyson will be playing in his third career NFL playoff game after appearing in two postseason games with the L.A. Chargers during the 2018 season. Las Vegas and Cincinnati both finished the season with 10-7 records.
 
No. 6 New England at No. 3 Buffalo – 8:15 p.m. ET – CBS
LB Tremaine Edmunds and the Bills won their second straight AFC East title and will host a familiar foe in New England. Edmunds has played and started four playoff games in his career, including three a season ago during Buffalo's run to the AFC Championship Game. The Danville, Virginia native averages 9.3 tackles per game in his postseason career. Buffalo and New England split their regular season meetings this year. 
 
Sunday, Jan. 16
 
No. 7 Philadelphia at No. 2 Tampa Bay – 1 p.m. ET – FOX
Tampa Bay head coach Bruce Arians and the Buccaneers officially begin their Super Bowl LV championship defense as the No. 2 seed in the NFC. Arians, along with defensive/special teams assistant Cody Grimm and safeties coach Nick Rapone, led the team to its first NFC South division title since 2007 and will host the NFC's third Wild Card team in Philadelphia. The teams played in Week 6 this season with the Bucs winning a 28-22 contest in Philadelphia. 
 
No. 6 San Francisco at No. 3 Dallas – 4:30 p.m. ET – CBS
Tech alumnus Darryl Tapp, now assistant defensive line coach with San Francisco, will make his coaching debut in the NFL Playoffs when the 49ers travel to take on the Cowboys. With Tapp's assistance, the 49ers finished the regular season with the seventh-ranked rushing defense based on rushing yards allowed (1,760). San Francisco enters the playoffs after posting a 10-7 regular season record. 
 
No. 7 Pittsburgh at No. 2 Kansas City – 8:15 p.m. ET – NBC
S Terrell Edmunds will be playing in the NFL Playoffs for a second time when the Steelers travel to Kansas City to take on the Chiefs. Edmunds made his playoff debut a season ago against Cleveland and made six tackles including one for loss in the game. Edmunds recorded five tackles when the teams played at Arrowhead Stadium in Week 16.
 
Hokies on Bye
T Yosh Nijman and the Green Bay Packers will take Super Wild Card Weekend off as they earned the No. 1 seed in the NFC and the conference's only bye. Nijman played a reserve role in the Packers' two playoff games a season ago. Green Bay will play the lowest remaining seed in the NFC Divisional round next week. 
 
In the AFC, the No. 1 seed and first-round bye belongs to the Tennessee Titans, whose secondary coach is Tech alum Anthony Midget. With Midget's help, the Titans went 12-5 this season, won the AFC South and earned the conference's No. 1 seed for the first time since 2008. Tennessee will await the conference's lowest remaining seed in the AFC Divisional round. 
 
Hokies on NFL Rosters (As of Jan. 14, 2022)

Hokies on NFL Staffs
Bruce Arians – Head Coach, Tampa Bay
Malcolm Blacken – Senior Director of Player Development, Washington
Corey Fuller – Scouting Assistant, Carolina
Cody Grimm – Defensive/Special Teams Assistant, Tampa Bay
Leah Joseph – Assistant to the General Manager, Jacksonville
Jeff King – Director of Pro Scouting, Chicago
Anthony Midget – Secondary, Tennessee
Nick Rapone – Safeties, Tampa Bay
Johnny Shelton – Team Chaplain, Baltimore
Nick Sorenson – Special Teams Coordinator, Jacksonville
Darryl Tapp – Assistant Defensive Line, San Francisco
Todd Washington – Assistant Offensive Line, Jacksonville