Former Gators Teammates/Cousins to Face Off in Super Bowl LIX

When two of their own take center stage in Super Bowl LVIII, one Central Florida family will be beaming with pride.

Chauncey Gardner-Johnson and Jawaan Taylor, two cousins and former Florida Gators teammates will be on opposing sides of the field as the Philadelphia Eagles take on the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVIII.

Before finding success as a pro, Gardner-Johnson starred at the University of Florida. After earning a starting spot late into his true freshman season, the former Under Armour All-American never looked back. Throughout his career as a Gator, he racked up 161 tackles, nine interceptions and 15.5 tackles-for-loss.

This season, Gardner-Johnson has been a key addition to an Eagles defense, ranking among the league's best. The former Gator tied his career-high six interceptions while also racking up 59 total tackles. Since being drafted in 2019, he has been named to the PFWA All-Rookie team and led the NFL in interceptions (2022).

Taylor, the Kansas City Chiefs' 6-foot-5, 328-pound right tackle, will be on the other side of the ball. Taylor has made a name for himself in the trenches since being drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars. Like Gardner-Johnson, he was named to the PFWA All-Rookie team. This is his second straight Super Bowl appearance, earning his first ring last year.

Taylor was a four-star prospect at Cocoa, Fla., originally projected to play guard at the next level. After switching to offensive tackle at Florida, Taylor earned Freshman All-SEC honors and was later named to the All-SEC team.

The two will now compete as professionals on one of the game's biggest stages. While only one cousin can bring home the hardware, their family and Florida Gators fans can rejoice in knowing that one of their own will leave the field as a Super Bowl champion on Sunday night.