Penn State's Super Bowl Legacy Continues in Las Vegas
San Francisco 49ers safety Ji'Ayir Brown has crafted a remarkable career trajectory since leaving Trenton (N.J.) Central High six years ago. He went from Lackawanna College to Penn State to starting for the 49ers as a rookie. Now, Brown could add another Super Bowl ring to the Penn State football legacy. He might even propel the Nittany Lions atop the Super Bowl scoring list.
Brown is among three former Penn State football players in Super Bowl 58, which matches the San Francisco 49ers against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. Brown and teammate Kevin Givens, a fifth-year defensive tackle, seek their first Super Bowl rings. Kansas City offensive tackle Donovan Smith is chasing No. 2 after winning Super Bowl LV with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Penn State has a rich Super Bowl history, sending players to 53 of the 58 championship games since 1967. Forty-six former Nittany Lions have won 65 Super Bowl rings, most recently in 2022, when Grant Haley and Nick Scott were part of the Los Angeles Rams title.
All three Penn State players in Super Bowl 58 have fascinating stories. Smith left early in 2015 and became a second-round pick in Tampa, where he started 131 games over eight seasons and won a ring. After being released last year, Smith signed with Kansas City, became Patrick Mahomes' starting left tackle and reached his second Super Bowl.
Givens left Penn State early as well, in 2019, but was not drafted. Instead, he landed in a strong situation with San Francisco, signing as a free agent defensive tackle. Givens is a rotational regular on the line, having made 21 sacks in 17 games this season.
Brown, a third-round draft pick, joined the 49ers' starting lineup on Thanksgiving after safety Talanoa Hufanga was injured. General manager John Lynch praised Brown's patience and work ethic as he worked to become a starter. Brown started five games but was injured against the Baltimore Ravens on Dec. 26 and missed the last two regular-season games.
Though healthy, Brown did not play in the NFC Divisional Round against Green Bay. He returned to the starting lineup against Detroit in the NFC Championship Game, making a career-high 10 tackles in the 49ers' 34-31 victory.
RELATED: Penn State's Terry Killens to make history at Super Bowl 58
How could Brown put Penn State atop a unique list? By returning an interception for a touchdown in the Super Bowl, for instance. According to Action Network's Brett McMurphy, Penn State ranks third among college programs in Super Bowl scoring. Nittany Lions have scored 81 Super Bowl points, behind only Florida (82) and Miami (84). So a defensive touchdown (or Smith doing something outlandish) could propel Penn State to No. 1.
Meanwhile, here's every Penn State Nittany Lion who has been to the Super Bowl. The asterisk represents a Super Bowl champion.
Super Bowl I: Dave Robinson, Green Bay*; Harrison Rosdahl, Kansas City
Super Bowl II: Dave Robinson, Green Bay*
Super Bowl III: Ralph Baker, New York Jets*; Glenn Ressler, Baltimore
Super Bowl V: Glenn Ressler, Baltimore*
Super Bowl VII: Bruce Bannon, Miami
Super Bowl VIII: Bruce Bannon, Miami*
Super Bowl IX: Jack Ham, Franco Harris, Pittsburgh*
Super Bowl X: Jack Ham, Franco Harris, Pittsburgh*
Super Bowl XI: Dave Rowe, Ted Kwalick, Oakland*
Super Bowl XII: Tom Rafferty, Dallas*
Super Bowl XIII: Jack Ham, Franco Harris, Pittsburgh*; Tom Rafferty, Dallas
Super Bowl XIV: Matt Bahr, Jack Ham, Franco Harris, Pittsburgh*
Super Bowl XV: Chris Bahr, Matt Millen, Oakland*; Bob Torrey, Philadelphia
Super Bowl XVI: Pete Kugler, San Francisco*
Super Bowl XVII: Larry Kubin, Rich Milot, Washington*; Jimmy Cefalo, Paul Lankford, Miami
Super Bowl XVIII: Chris Bahr, Matt Millen, Jim Romano, Los Angeles Raiders*; Larry Kubin, Rich Milot, Washington
Super Bowl XIX: Jimmy Cefalo, Paul Lankford, Miami
Super Bowl XX: Mike Hartenstine, Matt Suhey, Chicago*; Jon Williams, New England
Super Bowl XXI: Brad Benson, New York Giants*; Stan Short, Denver
Super Bowl XXII: Rich Milot, Washington*
Super Bowl XXIII: Pete Kugler, San Francisco*
Super Bowl XXIV: Pete Kugler, Matt Millen, San Francisco*
Super Bowl XXV: Matt Bahr, Bob Mrosko, New York Giants*; Shane Conlan, Mitch Frerotte, Mike Alexander, Buffalo
Super Bowl XXVI: Andre Collins, Tim Johnson, Matt Millen, Washington*; Shane Conlan, Mitch Frerotte, Buffalo
Super Bowl XXVII: Shane Conlan, Mitch Frerotte, Keith Goganious, Buffalo
Super Bowl XXVIII: Keith Goganious, Buffalo
Super Bowl XXX: Darren Perry, Eric Ravotti, Pittsburgh
Super Bowl XXXI: Marco Rivera, Green Bay*; Sam Gash, Todd Rucci, New England
Super Bowl XXXII: Marco Rivera, Brett Conway, Green Bay
Super Bowl XXXIV: Terry Killens, Mike Archie, Tennessee
Super Bowl XXXV: Sam Gash, Kim Herring, Baltimore*; Kerry Collins, Joe Jurevicius, Brandon Short, New York Giants
Super Bowl XXXVI: Kim Herring, Tyoka Jackson, St. Louis
Super Bowl XXXVII: Joe Jurevicius, Tampa Bay*
Super Bowl XXXVIII: Shawn Mayer, New England*
Super Bowl XXXIX: Justin Kurpeikis, New England*; Eric McCoo, Philadelphia
Super Bowl XL: Jeff Hartings, Pittsburgh*; Bobby Engram, Joe Jurevicius, Seattle
Super Bowl XLI: John Gilmore, Robbie Gould, Chicago
Super Bowl XLII: Jay Alford, Kareem McKenzie, New York Giants*; Kyle Brady, New England
Super Bowl XLIII: Sean McHugh, Scott Paxson, Pittsburgh*; Levi Brown, Arizona
Super Bowl XLV: Andrew Quarless, Green Bay*; Jeremy Kapinos, Pittsburgh
Super Bowl XLVI: Jimmy Kennedy, Kareem McKenzie, New York Giants*; Rich Ohrnberger, New England
Super Bowl XLVII: NaVorro Bowman, San Francisco
Super Bowl XLVIII: Jordan Hill, Michael Robinson, Seattle*
Super Bowl XLIX: Garry Gilliam, Jordan Hill, Seattle
Super Bowl 50: Jordan Norwood, Denver*
Super Bowl LI: Chris Hogan, New England* (Hogan played lacrosse at Penn State)
Super Bowl LII: Stefen Wisniewski, Philadelphia*; Chris Hogan, New England
Super Bowl LIII: Chris Hogan, New England*; Garrett Sickels, Los Angeles
Super Bowl LIV: Stefen Wisniewski, Jordan Lucas, Kansas City*; Robbie Gould, Anthony Zettel, Kevin Givens, San Francisco
Super Bowl LV: Chris Godwin, Donovan Smith, A.Q. Shipley, Tampa Bay*; Stefen Wisniewski, Kansas City
Super Bowl LVI: Grant Haley, Nick Scott, Los Angeles*
Super Bowl LVII: Miles Sanders, Philadelphia
Super Bowl LVIII: Ji'Ayir Brown, Kevin Givens, San Francisco; Donovan Smith, Kansas City
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