Former Vanderbilt Commodores Advancing to Super Bowl with Philadelphia Eagles

Two former Vanderbilt Commodores players are advancing to the Super Bowl with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Jan 12, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Oren Burks (42) reacts with cornerback Kelee Ringo (22) against the Green Bay Packers in an NFC wild card game at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

The Vanderbilt Commodores experienced a level of success in the 2024 season that they have not seen in over a decade.

Finishing the year with a 7-6 record, the program solidified its first better-than-.500 mark since 2013, a year in which they finished 9-4 in the last campaign under head coach James Franklin.

While the college program is not used to much success on the field, that does not mean that they have been without NFL-caliber talent, and two former Commodores are now making their way to the Super Bowl with the Philadelphia Eagles in linebacker Oren Burks and fullback Khari Blasingame.

SUPER BOWL BOUND. pic.twitter.com/UmGB4zKU9H

— Vanderbilt Football (@VandyFootball) January 26, 2025

Burks played with Vandy from 2014 through 2017, beginning his collegiate career as a defensive back before spending his last two seasons with the program as a linebacker.

The defensive star tallied 136 total tackles in his career across 45 games, 16 coming for a loss, 4.5 sacks, five interceptions, three fumble recoveries, and two defensive touchdowns.

Burks was drafted in the third round of the 2018 NFL draft by the Green Bay Packers, spending the first four years of his career with the franchise, before moving on to the San Francisco 49ers and is in his first campaign with the Eagles.

Blasingame started his collegiate career with Vanderbilt one year after Burks, and spent four seasons with the program as well, from 2015 through 2018.

Blasingame started his career as a linebacker but transitioned to being a running back starting in his sophomore year.

The back would total 997 rushing yards on 238 attempts across 37 games with 380 receiving yards on 35 catches and 17 total touchdowns.

Blasingame would go undrafted but made his NFL debut with the Tennessee Titans before spending parts of three seasons with the Chicago Bears before joining Philadelphia earlier in the 2024-2025 campaign.

It is an exciting time in Nashville as two of their former stars will be playing on the biggest stage of them all.