Yasir Durant Keeps Big 33's Super Bowl Streak Alive

At least one Big 33 Classic alum has been a part of every single Super Bowl ever played.

New England Patriots offensive tackle Yasir Durant, an Imhotep Charter graduate, keep the Big 33 Football Classic's streak of having at least one participant in every Super Bowl alive. Durant is on injured reserve. / Eric Canha-Imagn Images

The Pennsylvania State Football Coaches Association’s Big 33 Football Classic will see its streak of having at least one representative in the Super Bowl continue for another year. Yasir Durant, who attended Imhotep Charter, is on the injured reserve for the New England Patriots.

Durant, who attended Arizona Western and Missouri, has bounced around professional football since he signed with the Kansas City Chiefs as an undrafted free agent in 2020.

What is the Big 33?

The Big 33 is a football all-star game for top Pennsylvania seniors to take on a team from another state. Pennsylvania has played Maryland since 2012, but has also taken on teams from Ohio, Texas and all around the United States.

The Big 33 predates the Super Bowl. It was first held in 1958. But as professional football became more popular with the rise of television, the owners and key stakeholders of professional football wanted to turn their championship game into a large event.

Adderly got it started

Herb Adderley, who is from Philadelphia, became the Big 33’s first alum to play in what was later renamed Super Bowl. Adderley, who graduated from Northeast High School, played defensive back for the Green Bay Packers during their 35-10 win over the Kansas City Chiefs on Jan. 15, 1967 at the Los Angeles Coliseum.

The game was then known as the AFL-NFL World Championship game, which would be renamed after the term Super Bowl was first used in the lead-up to Super Bowl III. Super Bowl III featured a famous upset by the New York Jets, led by Big 33 alum Joe Namath.

Other Big 33 alums made large impact

The Big 33 has produced a number of players, who not only played in Super Bowls, but played important roles in their teams winning. Joe Montana, who attended now-closed Donora High School, helped the San Francisco 49ers win four Super Bowls.

Tony Dorsett, a Hopewell graduate, was a Heisman Trophy winner who went on to help the Dallas Cowboys win a championship.

Ty Law, Dan Marino and Orlando Pace, among others, later went on to the Professional Football Hall of Fame.

Durant has hung tough

Durant wasn’t drafted in 2020, even though some scouts projected his name to be called. He was signed by the Chiefs. During his time in the NFL, he has appeared in 18 games as a tackle and made two starts.

Durant appeared 11 times with the Chiefs in 2020 and seven times with the Patriots in 2021. Durant also made one appearance at guard in 2022.

UFL champion

Durant’s football journey took him through a two-year stint in the United Football League. Durant flourished with the D.C. Defenders, helping the Defenders win their first UFL championship in 2025. The Defenders beat the Michigan Panthers 58-34 in the championship game in St. Louis.

--Josh Rizzo |rizzo42789@gmail.com| @J_oshrizzo