WVU Football Alumni Absent From Super Bowl for Second Straight Year

There won't be a Mountaineer hoisting the Lombardi Trophy this year.

Feb 27, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; A Super Bowl Vince Lombardi Trophy at the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine Experience at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

After four straight years of a former West Virginia Mountaineer appearing in the Super Bowl, that streak has officially come to an end as the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks, this year's participants, are void of WVU ties.

The final three Mountaineers who were remaining in the playoffs — Colton McKivitz (49ers), Kyzir White (49ers), and Austin Brinkman (Texans) — were eliminated last week in the divisional round by the two teams that are going to the Super Bowl.

The streak began in 2021 when former defensive back Keith Tandy made it with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an assistant special teams coach. In 2022, offensive lineman Quinton Spain and the Cincinnati Bengals came up short against the Rams, and linebacker Kyzir White had the same result the following year with the Eagles against the Kansas City Chiefs. And then two years ago, offensive lineman Colton McKivitz fell just a few points shy of winning his first Super Bowl ring with the San Francisco 49ers, also losing to the Chiefs.

The last time an active Mountaineer (playing, not coaching) won a Super Bowl was back in 2018, when four of them were able to enjoy the moment together with the Philadelphia Eagles — RB Wendell Smallwood, WR Shelton Gibson, LB Najee Goode, and CB Rasul Douglas. In that 41-33 win over Tom Brady and the New England Patriots, Goode registered two tackles.

The full list of West Virginia football alums who won a Super Bowl as a player

LB Chuck Howley (Dallas Cowboys): Super Bowl VI

RB Walt Easley (San Francisco 49ers): Super Bowl XVI

DE Mike Fox (New York Giants): Super Bowl XXV

QB Jeff Hostetler (New York Giants): Super Bowl XXV

DB Alvoid Mays (Washington Redskins): Super Bowl XVI

DB Mike Logan (Pittsburgh Steelers): Super Bowl XL

DE Bruce Irvin (Seattle Seahawks): Super Bowl XLVIII

RB Wendell Smallwood (Philadelphia Eagles): Super Bowl LII

WR Shelton Gibson (Philadelphia Eagles): Super Bowl LII

CB Rasul Douglas (Philadelphia Eagles): Super Bowl LII

LB Najee Goode (Philadelphia Eagles): Super Bowl LII

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