Former Penn State Nittany Lions defensive lineman Kevin Givens was released from the San Francisco 49ers’ practice squad on Friday, ending the Altoona native’s long tenure with the organization that drafted him as an undrafted free agent in 2019.
The move was announced via the NFL transaction wire.
Givens, 29, appeared in one game this season and recorded two tackles before the move, which came as the 49ers elevated other players ahead of their game against the Atlanta Falcons and signed defensive lineman Ogbo Okoronkwo to the practice squad.
The release closes a chapter that began when Givens signed with San Francisco out of Penn State after going undrafted.
Over eight seasons with the 49ers, he played in 70 games with 14 starts, recording 92–93 tackles, 8.0 sacks, three passes defensed, two fumble recoveries, and one forced fumble.
He also appeared in nine postseason contests, including two Super Bowl appearances (LIV and LVIII), both losses to the Kansas City Chiefs.
At Penn State (2015–2018), Givens redshirted his true freshman year before becoming a reliable piece of the Nittany Lions’ defensive front.
He appeared in 39 games with 22 starts and finished with 82 tackles, 21.5 tackles for loss, 13.0 sacks, four passes defensed, three fumble recoveries, and one forced fumble.
As a redshirt freshman in 2016, he earned Big Ten All-Freshman honors with 26 tackles, seven tackles for loss, and 4.5 sacks.
In his final season he posted 33 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, and five sacks before opting to enter the 2019 NFL Draft after completing his undergraduate degree.
Coaches and teammates often noted that Givens’ impact exceeded his public recognition; he was part of the “Wild Dogs” defensive line group under coach Sean Spencer and started the final 12 games of the 2018 campaign.
The undersized but explosive interior lineman (listed at 6-1, 285) carried the same blue-collar approach from Altoona Area High School—where he was a first-team All-State defensive end and fullback—into Happy Valley and then the professional ranks.
Givens’ path illustrates the value of persistence. After bouncing between the practice squad and active roster early in his career, he carved out a rotational role that included a career-high 11 starts and significant snap share in 2022.
Injuries, including pectoral issues in recent seasons, limited his availability, yet the 49ers repeatedly brought him back on one-year deals for his familiarity with the system and veteran presence in the defensive line room.
For Nittany Lions fans, Givens’ release marks the end of one of the more durable undrafted success stories of the past decade.
While his NFL role never matched the production of higher-profile Penn State defensive linemen, his longevity with a contending franchise and contributions in the postseason stand as a quiet achievement rooted in the fundamentals developed in State College.
