Inside The Vikings

All of the Minnesota Connections in Super Bowl LV Between the Chiefs and Buccaneers

From former Gophers to former Vikings and Minnesota natives, here are all of the state's ties to the Super Bowl.
Will Ragatz|
All of the Minnesota Connections in Super Bowl LV Between the Chiefs and Buccaneers
All of the Minnesota Connections in Super Bowl LV Between the Chiefs and Buccaneers

Super Bowl LV is this evening, and just like each of the previous 42 versions of the game, the Vikings will not be participating. But that doesn't mean there aren't any Minnesota connections to this year's game. In fact, the Buccaneers and Chiefs seem to have more ties to the state than an average Super Bowl. Here's all of them.

Former Vikings

There aren't many in this category. The Browns (Kevin Stefanski, Sheldon Richardson, Andrew Sendejo, several others) and the Bills (Stefon Diggs, Leslie Frazier) were the two teams with plenty of former Vikings, but neither one could beat the Chiefs. However, Kansas City does have a few people with ties to the Vikings.

  • Chiefs RT Mike Remmers (played for Vikings in 2017 and 2018)
  • Chiefs WRs coach Greg Lewis (played for Vikings in 2009 and 2010)
  • Chiefs QBs coach Mike Kafka (spent time with the Vikings as a player in 2015, but never appeared in a regular season game)

Remmers will start for the Chiefs at right tackle. Lewis, who has been KC's receivers coach for the past four seasons, is best known for catching this game-winner from Brett Favre in 2009.

Former Gophers

This year's Super Bowl has three Minnesota Golden Gophers, including Bucs starting safety Antoine Winfield Jr., the son of former Vikings cornerback Antoine Winfield.

  • Buccaneers S Antoine Winfield Jr.
  • Buccaneers WR Tyler Johnson
  • Chiefs LB Damien Wilson

Winfield should play roughly every snap on defense for the Bucs, and he'll have a very important role against Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs' passing attack. Johnson is the fifth receiver on Tampa's depth chart, and although he has made a couple huge third-down catches during the playoffs, he's unlikely to see many snaps in this game. Wilson is a backup linebacker for the Chiefs who should play on special teams and perhaps see a handful of defensive snaps.

Check out Winfield's cleats:

Minnesota natives

  • Tyler Johnson (Minneapolis North High School)
  • Buccaneers OL Joe Haeg (Brainerd)

Thanks for reading. Make sure to bookmark this site and check back daily for the latest Vikings news and analysis all offseason long. Also, follow me on Twitter and feel free to ask me any questions on there. 

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Will Ragatz
WILL RAGATZ

Will Ragatz is a senior writer for Vikings On SI, who also covers the Twins, Timberwolves, Gophers, and other Minnesota teams. He is a credentialed Minnesota Vikings beat reporter, covering the team extensively at practices, games and throughout the NFL draft and free agency period. Ragatz attended Northwestern University, where he studied at the prestigious Medill School of Journalism. During his time as a student, he covered Northwestern Wildcats football and basketball for SB Nation’s Inside NU, eventually serving as co-editor-in-chief in his junior year. In the fall of 2018, Will interned in Sports Illustrated’s newsroom in New York City, where he wrote articles on Major League Baseball, college football, and college basketball for SI.com.

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