2021 Alabama Football Captains Cement Legacy
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The captains of the 2021 Alabama football team had their legacy immortalized on Saturday morning, as their handprints and footprints were both put down in cement under the shadow of Denny Chimes.
Starting quarterback Bryce Young, offensive tackle Evan Neal, defensive tackle Phil Mathis and outside linebacker Will Anderson Jr. were the four players honored as permanent captains.
Young is a captain that needs no introduction. As the starting signal caller for the Crimson Tide in 2021, Young became the first Alabama quarterback to win the Heisman Trophy. In total, Young completed 366 of 547 passes for 4,872 yards, 47 touchdowns and just seven interceptions.
Anderson won the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, which is given annually to the best defensive player in the country as determined by the Football Writers Association of America. In 2021, Anderson finished second on the team in tackles with 102 and led the nation in sacks with 17.5 as well as tackles for loss with 33.5. Anderson also finished fifth in Heisman Trophy voting.
Both Young and Anderson will return to the field for the Crimson Tide in 2022 as juniors.
Neal and Mathis both had successful 2021 campaigns, with Neal being a consistent blocker and Mathis a force to be reckoned with on the defensive line. Both players ended their Crimson Tide careers following the end of the season, both with aspirations to be selected in the NFL Draft later this month.
This story will be updated with quotes and video from Saturday's Captains Ceremony.
Gallery: 2021 Alabama Football Captains Cement Legacy
