Northwestern’s Ben Skowronek takes on Super Bowl LVI with help from uncle Trent Green
With 2021 AP Offensive Player of the Year Cooper Kupp, Pro Bowler Odell Beckham Jr., and nine-year league veteran Robert Woods, the Super Bowl-bound Los Angeles Rams have no shortage of talented wide receivers.
Despite the position group’s extensive experience, however, rookie wide receiver and former Northwestern Wildcat Ben Skowronek has sought advice for the big game from a separate source: his uncle, former Super Bowl-winning quarterback Trent Green.
Green was a member of the 1999 St. Louis Rams team that won Super Bowl XXXIV. Though he did not play in the game due to injury, Green’s involvement in the event — and his 15 total years in the league — has made him a go-to guide for Skowronek ahead of the young player’s own Super Bowl experience.
“He told me to enjoy the moment, but really just treat it like every other game and don’t let the big stage distract you from the end goal,” Skowronek said. “Really, throughout my whole football journey, he’s been a huge sounding board. He gives me a lot of advice, and he’s really the reason I fell in love with the game.”
Green spent a large part of his career with the Kansas City Chiefs, and Skowronek, who grew up in Fort Wayne, Indiana, can remember joining his family on trips to Arrowhead Stadium to watch his uncle play. These moments showed Skowronek that when it came to his own NFL aspirations, the sky was the limit.
“When I told people I wanted to play in the NFL, they looked at me like I was crazy, but I didn’t think it was anything crazy because my uncle did it,” he said. “To have somebody like that in my life, it’s been huge for me.”
Skowronek’s doubters had cause for their confusion, as he did not stand out on recreational league teams and failed to make the varsity squad as a freshman in high school. His enduring work ethic, however, earned him a handful of offers from Power 5 programs, and he ultimately chose to continue his pursuit of NFL dreams at Northwestern, alongside his cousin, Green’s eldest son TJ.
The wide receiver spent four seasons with the Wildcats, logging eight touchdowns and more than 1,400 receiving yards. And while he went to the Rams as a graduate student out of Notre Dame, the coaches at Northwestern played an important role in his development.
“I thought it was a great program for me to grow in,” Skowronek said. “To have a coaching staff invest so much into you for you to develop into a player that has NFL capabilities, it just speaks volumes of the staff.”
On Sunday, Skowronek’s family will gather in Los Angeles’ SoFi Stadium to cheer on the rookie and his team in Super Bowl LVI. Green will be among them, supporting his nephew in the stands like Skowronek did for him years ago.
“It’s something that’s pretty special, because all of us in the family remember my experience with the Super Bowl and what I was going through being hurt at that time,” Green said. “So now, with Ben getting the opportunity to actually play in it and not just be there, it’s pretty cool.”
You can follow us for future coverage by liking us on Facebook and following us on Twitter:
Facebook - @SIWildcatsDaily
Twitter - @SIWildcats Daily and Alyssa Haduck at @Alyssa_Haduck