Four Former Ohio State Buckeyes to Watch in Super Bowl LX

Former Ohio State standouts TreVeyon Henderson, Mike Vrabel, Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Thayer Munford Jr. are set to take the Super Bowl LX stage with the Patriots and Seahawks.

Jan 25, 2026; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11) runs against Los Angeles Rams cornerback Roger McCreary (25) during the first half in the 2026 NFC Championship Game at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Ng-Imagn Images | Kevin Ng-Imagn Images

It’s official—the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots are heading to Super Bowl LX. Here are four former Buckeyes to watch as they take on football’s biggest stage.

TreVeyon Henderson, Patriots running back

Henderson was an elite running back at Ohio State for four seasons, serving as a team captain as a senior and helping lead the Buckeyes to the 2025 College Football Playoff National Championship.

As a Buckeye, Henderson scored 48 touchdowns, ranking No. 3 all-time in program history, and posted two 1,000-yard rushing seasons. He also ranks in the top five all-time in career rushing yards with 3,761.

Henderson has scored 10 touchdowns in his rookie season with the Patriots ahead of his first Super Bowl appearance.

Mike Vrabel, Patriots head coach

Vrabel played for Ohio State from 1993–96 as a defensive end. He was named Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year in 1995 and 1996, earning back-to-back All-America honors both seasons.

Vrabel still holds Ohio State records for career sacks (36) and career tackles for loss (66). He was inducted into the Ohio State Hall of Fame in 2012.

Although this is Vrabel’s first season as the Patriots’ head coach, it will not be his first Super Bowl appearance. He won three Super Bowls with New England as a player in 2002, 2004, and 2005.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seahawks wide receiver

Smith-Njigba is the lone former Buckeye on Seattle’s roster, but he’ll face a familiar opponent in former teammate TreVeyon Henderson.

During his 2021 season at Ohio State, Smith-Njigba set single-season program records with 95 receptions and 1,606 receiving yards, breaking a record that had stood for more than two decades. In the 2022 Rose Bowl, he set a Rose Bowl record with 347 receiving yards.

This will be Smith-Njigba’s first Super Bowl appearance following a remarkable season in which he was named the 2025 PFWA Offensive Player of the Year. He also led the NFL with 1,793 receiving yards, the eighth-highest single-season total in league history.

Thayer Munford Jr., Patriots offensive tackle

Munford played for the Buckeyes from 2018–21, earning First-Team All-Big Ten honors in 2020 and 2021 and First-Team All-American recognition in 2021.

A four-year starter, Munford served as a team captain as a senior and earned Ohio State’s Block “O” jersey, which is awarded to players who exemplify the highest level of character.

Munford will serve as a rotational offensive lineman in his first Super Bowl appearance.