LSU Football to Sport Six Former Players in Super Bowl 55
Super Bowl 55 is set as it'll be the Tampa Bay Buccaneers taking on the Kansas City Chiefs in Tampa for the right to be crowned champs. For six valuable former members of the LSU football fraternity, it'll be an opportunity of a lifetime.
On one end, running back Leonard Fournette, All-Pro linebacker Devin White and Kevin Minter will be representing the Buccaneers. On the other end, the reigning Super Bowl champion Chiefs will be represented by LSU running backs Clyde Edwards-Helaire and Darrel Williams as well as All-Pro safety Tyrann Mathieu.
The six LSU representatives in the Super Bowl on the active roster are the most of any other college program, beating out the likes Clemson, Iowa and Michigan with four a piece.
During championship Sunday, many of these players had standout moments. In the Buccaneers 31-26 win over the Green Bay Packers, White led both teams in tackles with 15 on the evening while also recovering a fumble. On offense, Fournette carried the ball 12 times for 55 yards, added 19 yards through the air and this impressive 20-yard touchdown in the second quarter.
It's been a roller coaster year for Fournette, who was arrested before the season and cut by the Jacksonville Jaguars, only to be signed by the Buccaneers as a backup running back for most of the season.
"I was crying for like 30 minutes a couple of minutes ago, on the phone with my mom and my dad," Fournette said after the game. "And it was about my journey. You know, first from Jacksonville, from jail, from me going to jail, from me getting cut. It just feels good to be a Buc."
The Buccaneers will be the first team in the Super Bowl era to actually host one of sports most legendary events.
In the Chiefs 38-24 win over the Bills, it was Williams who carried the majority of the running load, rushing for 52 yards on 12 carries and a touchdown while Edwards-Helaire also found the endzone in his playoff debut.
Edwards-Helaire is just over a year removed from winning a national championship for LSU in New Orleans and will now be representing Baton Rouge and Louisiana in the Super Bowl. On defense, Tyrann Mathieu recorded six tackles and a quarterback hit in the win and will now be appearing in his second straight Super Bowl with the Chiefs.
There will be much to evaluate and discuss over the next two weeks as this highly anticipated matchup grows closer. But for now, just know that when you turn on the TV Feb. 7, there will likely be a former LSU player on the field at all times.
