Pair of former Wisconsin players to do battle Sunday at Super Bowl LVII

Two former Wisconsin football players will be part of Sunday’s Super Bowl LIX from New Orleans.

Leo Chenal is a linebacker for the Kansas City Chiefs while Zack Baun is also a linebacker, but for the Philadelphia Eagles.

The two teams collide in a rematch of Super Bowl LVII, which was won by the Chiefs, 38-35.

Chenal, a 24-year-old from Grantsburg, Wisconsin, is a two-time Super Bowl champion with Kansas City. He was named the small-school offensive and defensive player of the year in the state as a senior before becoming an All-American at Wisconsin.

In his career with the Chiefs, Chenal has 160 tackles with five sacks, four pass deflections and three forced fumbles. He was selected by Kansas City in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft.

Leo Chenal was a standout at Wisconsin before being selected by the Kansas City Chiefs. | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Earlier this year, Chenal blocked the potential walk-off field goal by Wil Lutz of the Denver Broncos, earning him AFC Special Teams Player of the Week. In Super Bowl LVIII, he had six tackles with one for loss, a forced fumble and blocked extra-point as the Chiefs topped the San Francisco 49ers in overtime, 25-22.

Baun, also a native of Wisconsin, was born in Milwaukee. The 28-year-old was also selected in the third round, but by the New Orleans Saints where he spent his first few seasons before landing with the Eagles.

A consensus All-American in 2019, Baun was named an all-pro this past season, finishing with 152 combined tackles with 2.5 for loss, five forced fumbles, a fumble recovery, an interception and four passes deflected.

Baun started this season off with a bang, recording two sacks in Week 1 vs. the Green Bay Packers in Sao Paulo, Brazil. He was nominated for defensive player of the year.