Former Pitt safety Jordan Whitehead played in the NFC Championship Game as a starter for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, and thanks in part to his efforts, the team earned a 31-26 win over the Green Bay Packers and punched its ticket to Super Bowl LV.
Whitehead was a key defensive contributor for the Buccaneers and racked up five tackles in the game. But he made his mark with about eight minutes left in the second quarter, when he squared up Packers running back Aaron Jones and popped the ball out of his arms. Packers tight end Robert Tonyan was there to scoop up the fumble, so nothing came of Whitehead’s play.