A former Clemson safety got his second career pick on Sunday in Week 10 of the NFL season – and he got one from a future Hall of Famer who doesn’t throw many of them.
Former Tiger and current Los Angeles Chargers rookie R.J. Mickens intercepted Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers during the Chargers’ 25-10 win over the Steelers on Sunday night at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif.
Mickens nabbed the interception late in the second quarter, and it set up a Chargers touchdown that gave them a 12-3 lead heading into halftime.
An NFL legacy, Mickens is the son of former Texas A&M All-American defensive back Ray Mickens, Sr., who was a third-round pick in the 1996 NFL Draft by the New York Jets and played eight seasons with the franchise.
The younger Mickens met with the media following Sunday’s victory over the Steelers. He reflected on his interception of Rodgers, who was a rookie when Mickens’ father played in the NFL.
“My dad actually told me that earlier in the week, and then I actually talked to him after the game, Aaron, and told him that, and he was like, ‘No way.’ It’s a full circle moment,” R.J. said. “He’s a great player and he’s going to be in the Hall of Fame, so just being able to play on the same field and pick off such a great player is just amazing.”
The pick by Mickens was the first of two interceptions that Rodgers threw in the contest. The four-time MVP has now thrown seven picks this season but only 123 interceptions in his 21-year career, compared to 521 touchdown passes.
The Chargers took Mickens on Day 3 of the 2025 NFL Draft, selecting him in the sixth round with the No. 214 overall pick.
Mickens recorded his first career NFL interception in the Chargers’ Week 8 win over the Minnesota Vikings.
In seven games this season (one start), Mickens has tallied 18 total tackles, two passes defended and his two interceptions.
Mickens recorded 229 tackles (13.5 for loss), seven interceptions, 15 pass breakups and a fumble recovery in his Clemson career from 2020-24. He became the 10th player in school history to play 60 career games, and he started 30 of those contests.
In 2024, Mickens finished third on the team with a career-high 85 tackles (including a career-high 6.0 for loss) while adding seven pass breakups and two interceptions over 13 games (all starts).
–Photo courtesy of Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images