Georgia football will see a heavy presence in Super Bowl LVI this year. The matchup between the Los Angeles Rams and Cincinnati Bengals will feature five former Bulldogs, four of them active players and one player-turned-coach:
- Matthew Stafford — Rams QB
- Sony Michel — Rams RB
- Leonard Floyd — Rams LB
- Trey Hill — Bengals O-Lineman
- Thomas Brown— Rams RB Coach
Though not a University of Georgia alumni, the Rams’ head coach Sean McVay played high school football at Marist School in Brookhaven, Ga.
Georgia football will be well-represented in the Super Bowl, and they will look to join the list of classic Bulldog Super Bowl performers.
This year will mark the 21st straight year that a former Bulldog player will play in a Super Bowl, a fact highlighted by former head coach Mark Richt. He coached most of the former Bulldogs who will suit up on Sunday.
With Deandre Baker and Mecole Hardman w/ the Chiefs, Trey Hill w/ the Bengals and Charlie Woerner w/ the 49ers Along with the Rams all winning this weekend assures that Georgia will continue its streak of players on Super Bowl rosters. 21 straight! Best in the nation.Go Dawgs!
— Mark Richt (@MarkRicht) January 24, 2022
Along with former Georgia players, the game will feature 25 former players from the SEC, the most of any conference. It is also the second straight Super Bowl in which a team will get to play in its home stadium for the game.
Georgia has had three former Super Bowl MVPs in its history. The first was Jake Scott, a former safety and member of the Miami Dolphins. He had two critical interceptions in Super Bowl VII that helped the Dolphins defeat the Washington Redskins 14-7 and complete the only perfect season in NFL history.
From Jake Scott’s heroics to Sony Michel scoring the only touchdown in Super Bowl LIII for the New England Patriots, Georgia players have had some iconic moments in the big game over the years.
Here are three of our favorite Super Bowl moments from former Georgia football players.
Richard Seymour, Super Bowl XXXVI vs. Rams
Former Georgia defensive lineman Richard Seymour was announced this week as a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame class of 2022. It was a well-deserved honor, as Seymour had an incredible 12-year career with the New England Patriots and Oakland Raiders.
He was a three-time All-Pro, was named to seven Pro Bowls and won three Super Bowls.
Seymour played at Georgia from 1997 to 2000. He racked up 226 tackles, 10 sacks, and 26 tackles for loss and was named an All-American in his senior year.
He was drafted sixth overall by New England in 2001 and quickly made an impact in his rookie year. He played in 13 games and finished with 45 tackles and three sacks.
His biggest game came in Super Bowl XXXVI against the St. Louis Rams. Coming into the game, the Patriots were underdogs against the Rams, who were the No. 1 seed in the NFC and had won a Super Bowl two years prior. They were also being led by MVP Kurt Warner at quarterback.
Little did the Rams or the football world know that New England was about to begin a run of NFL dominance that we had never seen before.
Seymour recorded three solo tackles, two tackles for loss, and one sack of Warner. The Patriots’ defense, late-game heroics of a young Tom Brady, and a game-winning field goal from Adam Vinatieri helped New England win 20-17.
Seymour continued to anchor the Patriots’ defensive line for eight seasons, helping them win two more Super Bowls and begin arguably the greatest dynasty in NFL history.
Hines Ward, Super Bowl XL vs. Seahawks
Hines Ward will forever go down as one of the most versatile players in Georgia football history. He made plays as a quarterback, running back, and a wide receiver for the Dawgs. He finished his collegiate career with 3,031 yards from scrimmage with 16 touchdowns before being drafted in the third round by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1998.
He became a favorite target of Steelers QB Tommy Maddox and soon Ben Roethlisberger after Maddox left. From 2001-2004, Ward posted consecutive 1,000-yard seasons receiving, being named to the Pro Bowl for his efforts.
His play as a receiver helped the Steelers grab a Wild Card spot in the 2005 playoffs, where they went on the road three consecutive weeks en route to winning the AFC Championship.
Super Bowl XL against the Seattle Seahawks cemented Ward as a Steelers’ legend. Leading 14-10 with less than nine minutes remaining in the game, the Steelers were looking to add some insurance points. Ben Roethlisberger would hand the ball off to running back Willie Parker, who then flipped it to receiver Antwaan Randle El. Randle El dropped back to pass and hit Ward for a 43-yard touchdown pass.
The Seahawks would not come back from this, and the Steelers went on to win the game 21-10, their first Super Bowl win since 1979. Ward finished with five catches for 123 yards and a touchdown, and he was named the MVP of the game.
Ward went on to win another Super Bowl with the Steelers in 2008 and made an appearance in Super Bowl XLV. He retired from football in 2012.
Terrell Davis, Super Bowl XXXII vs. Packers
Rounding out the list is one of the best NFL Dawgs of all time, Terrell Davis. Davis boasts an incredible NFL resume: three-time Pro Bowler, three-time All-Pro, 1998 MVP, Super Bowl MVP, and two-time Super Bowl champion. He also invented the iconic “Mile High Salute.”
Davis played at Georgia from 1992 to 1994 after transferring from Long Beach State in California. He posted solid numbers as a Bulldog, rushing for 1,657 yards and 14 touchdowns in his career. He played with another future NFL running back, Garrison Hearst, in 1992.
Davis was taken in the sixth round of the 1995 NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos and proved that he was the steal of the draft. He rushed for 1,117 yards and seven touchdowns as a rookie while playing alongside Hall of Fame quarterback John Elway.
Despite having Elway and other talented players for over a decade, the Broncos struggled during the postseason. 1997 would change that narrative. The Broncos finished 12-4 and ran the table in the AFC to earn a trip to Super Bowl XXXII.
Their opponents? The defending Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers, who were led by 1997 co-NFL MVP Brett Favre. The Packers were heavily favored to repeat as champs.
The Broncos relied on Davis throughout the game. Aside from a John Elway rushing touchdown, Davis scored every Bronco offensive touchdown. During the first half, he suffered a migraine headache but recovered enough to continue playing.
His biggest touchdown came with less than two minutes in the game. With the game tied 24-24, Davis scored a go-ahead one-yard touchdown to put the Broncos on top. Their defense would shut down the Packers’ offense, and Denver won the game 31-24, its first-ever Super Bowl win in franchise history.
Davis was named the MVP of Super Bowl XXXII, as he had 30 carries for 157 yards and three touchdowns.
Davis and the Broncos repeated as champions the next season with a 34-19 rout of the Atlanta Falcons. He won the NFL MVP award after rushing for over 2,000 yards during the season. Sadly, injuries hampered the rest of his career, and he would retire after the 2001 season. Davis went on to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2017.
There have been other Bulldog legends who have had their moments in the Super Bowl, and we are going to see more of them in the future. What Dawgs will have iconic moments this Sunday?