Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1464375
1 4 M A Y 2 0 2 2 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M German Pro Team Signs Former Lion Lamont Wade Former Penn State defensive back Lamont Wade is taking his career to the international stage. Wade posted on Instagram that he plans to join the Potsdam Royals of the German Football League. The Royals confirmed the move on their official website. "I'm excited to get to work and show Royals fans an elite type of football," Wade said in a prepared team statement. "We unexpectedly had the chance to upgrade our defensive backfield again," Potsdam Royals head coach Michael Vogt said in the same statement, translated from German. "Lamont will definitely leave his mark on the GFL." Wade is a former top-60 prospect according to the On3 Consensus. He came to Penn State in 2017 as a cornerback but later moved to safety, where he started during his final two seasons on campus. Wade played in 47 games with the Nittany Lions. He posted 153 tackles during his career, with three sacks, 11 pass breakups, four forced fumbles and an interception. Undrafted in 2021, the Clairton, Pa., native signed as a free agent with the Pittsburgh Steelers but was released in late August before the start of the NFL regular season. Since their promotion to the top flight of German football in 2018, the Pots- dam Royals have recorded fifth-, sixth- and second-place finishes. In 2021, they finished with a 7-3 overall record, losing in the playoff semifinals to the Schwabisch Hall Unicorns. Interestingly, Wade is not the first former Nittany Lion to sign with the Royals this offseason. Wide receiver Brandon Polk made the same move across the pond in February. Polk played for four seasons with the Nittany Lions, appearing in 30 games. He totaled 367 receiving yards and four touchdowns in the blue and white. Polk transferred to FCS powerhouse James Madison for his final season of eligibility in 2019. There, he posted an outstanding season, catching 74 passes for 1,179 yards and 11 touchdowns. — David Eckert Wade played in 47 games and had 153 tackles during his four seasons with the Nittany Lions. PHOTO BY STEVE MANUEL Former Penn State defensive tackle Robert Windsor announced his retire- ment from football in early April. Windsor, who played for the Nittany Lions from 2015-19, cited injury problems in a statement posted to Twitter. "Nine months ago, I had two major surgeries — one on my hip and one on my groin. Both were extensive, and the recovery process has been an arduous one," he explained in his statement. "After months and months of rehabbing, I'm still not where I need to be to compete on the football field. I have been playing football for 17 years. Up until this point, football has been my identity and how I receive my self-worth. "With that being said, this has been one of my most challenging years yet. If I've learned anything from football, it is that pain ultimately leads to growth. This pain has forced me to look within myself and find out who I am without the game I have loved and played my whole life. I'm eternally grateful for everything football has given me, and for those who have helped me grow along the way." Windsor arrived at Penn State in 2015 as a relatively unheralded three-star prospect out of Fond du Lac, Wis. By the time he left, he had turned himself into a second-team All-Big Ten defensive tackle. After a redshirt season and two years playing in a reserve role, Windsor emerged to take hold of a starting job in 2018. That season, he totaled 6.5 sacks and 10 tackles for loss from the interior of the defensive line. The Associ- ated Press named him a second-team all-conference player, and he received a 70.9 defensive grade from Pro Football Focus. Windsor was even better in 2019, according to PFF, which awarded him a 75.7 defensive grade. He cracked the coaches' third-team All-Big Ten list and was an honorable mention choice by the media. The Indianapolis Colts selected him in the sixth round of the 2020 NFL Draft with the 193rd overall pick. He appeared in two games for the Colts as a rookie, making two solo tackles. This past season, he did not play due to his injuries. In announcing his retirement, Windsor thanked the Colts for taking a chance on him two years ago. "I wish I still had more to give to the game that has given me so much," he wrote. "But sadly, things don't last forever and my time to retire has come. I am entering this next phase of life with gratitude and ready to start my journey to self-discovery and healing." — David Eckert Injuries Bring End To Robert Windsor's NFL Career