With Super Bowl 59 resulting in an Eagles championship, the 2024-2025 NFL season has officially ended. Will Shipley, Jeremiah Trotter Jr. and KJ Henry were the three Clemson alumni that went home as champions on Sunday.
For now, though, let’s look back at all the former Tigers who performed exceptionally well throughout their entire postseason run.
Will Shipley — Running back, Philadelphia Eagles
In his rookie season, former Clemson standout Will Shipley significantly contributed to the Philadelphia Eagles’ successful playoff run, culminating in a Super Bowl 59 victory.
While Shipley’s regular-season snap count was modest, Shipley made his presence felt when it mattered most, particularly in the NFC Championship Game against the Washington Commanders. He was electric from the opening kickoff, posting 165 all-purpose yards and a forced fumble.
Shipley returned three kickoffs for 88 yards, including a 41-yard return that set up a touchdown on the very next play. As a rusher, he took advantage of his limited carries, recording 77 yards on just four attempts, headlined by a 60-yard run, leading to his first career touchdown on the ensuing play.
His biggest play, however, came on special teams, where he forced a fumble on a kickoff just before the halftime break, setting up another Eagles touchdown and giving Philadelphia a two-score lead heading into the break.
Jeremiah Trotter Jr. — Linebacker, Philadelphia Eagles
Twenty-five years after his father debuted in the NFL Playoffs for the Eagles, Trotter did the same.
On the first kickoff against the Green Bay Packers — which was also the first of the Eagles’ playoff run, he made an instant impression by recovering a fumble and putting Philadelphia on the Packers’ 30-yard line.
The Eagles capitalized off the turnover, scoring four plays later and taking care of business, winning 22-10 in the wild-card round.
Trotter didn’t take many defensive snaps throughout the playoffs, but he still played well on special teams and made sure he could contribute to his team’s high hopes, accounting for five tackles in the three-game span following the wild card.
Nate Wiggins — Cornerback, Baltimore Ravens
After having a stellar rookie campaign as a rotational outside corner and coming fresh off his first career pick six against the Browns, it was time for Wiggins to show if he could have a similar performance in his playoff debut against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The speedy corner played well, recording two tackles and allowing fewer than 50 receiving yards. The Baltimore Ravens would go on to dominate, leaving with a 28-14 victory over their AFC North rival.
Wiggins performed best in the divisional round versus the Buffalo Bills, racking up four tackles and holding their wideouts to a measly eight yards. Unfortunately for the team, the Ravens would lose this game in crunch time, 27-25, stopping them short of a Super Bowl appearance.
The 21-year-old looks to have a strong career ahead of him and is trending toward earning a starting spot on the Ravens’ defense for the 2025 season.
