Three Super Bowl streaks involving Alabama alumni appear over as Super Bowl LV approaches on Sunday.
For the previous 16 Super Bowls, at least one of the teams had a former Alabama player on its active roster. Barring an 11th-hour transaction, the Kansas City Chiefs and Tampa Bay Buccaneers will play on Sunday without one.
An Alabama alumnus has played in the previous 12 Super Bowls, and in the previous eight NFL championship games, the winning team has had a former Crimson Tide player on the field.
Those two streaks aren’t officially dead yet.
To give its teams more roster flexibility during the coronavirus pandemic, the NFL implemented a rule for the 2020 season that allowed each team to elevate two players from its practice squad for each game. That rule extended into the postseason.
The Kansas City Chiefs have an Alabama alumnus on their practice squad – wide receiver Gehrig Dieter.
Dieter has played in five games for the Chiefs this season, and he was on the active roster for only one of them. He’s been a practice-squad elevation three times, including Kansas City’s 22-17 victory over the Cleveland Browns in the AFC playoffs on Jan. 17, and a COVID-19 replacement once.
Teams also are allowed to use practice-squad players to fill in for active-roster players who have been moved to reserve/COVID-19.
Kansas City put two players on reserve/COVID-19 on Monday – center Daniel Kilgore and wide receiver Demarcus Robinson. Neither player returned a positive test, but a barber who cut their hair did, sending both players to reserve/COVID-19 as close contacts. The players must remain sidelined for five days, but if they continue to return negative tests, they could be restored to the active roster in time for Sunday’s kickoff.
Forty-three Alabama alumni have played in the Super Bowl. Nine other former Tide players have gone to the Super Bowl as active-roster members, but they didn’t play in the big game.
The most recent Super Bowl without an Alabama player ready to play was the title game for the 2003 season, when the New England Patriots defeated the Carolina Panthers 32-29 in Super Bowl XXXVIII.
The most recent Super Bowl without an Alabama player getting in on the action was the title game for the 2007 season, when the New York Giants defeated the New England Patriots 17-14 in Super Bowl XLII. Offensive tackle Wesley Britt was on the Patriots’ active roster, but he did not play in the game.
The most recent Super Bowl without an Alabama alumnus on the winning team came in the New York Giants’ 21-17 victory over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLVI, the championship game for the 2011 season. Two former Tide defensive linemen played in that game and recorded sacks, but Mark Anderson and Brandon Deaderick were members of the Patriots.
Alabama got in on the ground floor of Super Bowl history by providing the game’s first three MVPs — Bart Starr, the Green Bay Packers quarterback in the two AFL-NFL World Championship games now known as Super Bowls I and II, and New York Jets quarterback Joe Namath in Super Bowl III.
The most former Alabama players to appear in a Super Bowl are five, which occurred to cap the 1982 and 1984 seasons. Only one of those players came out a winner in those Super Bowls –running back Wilbur Jackson, who played for the Washington Redskins in their 27-17 victory over the Miami Dolphins. Defensive tackle Bob Baumhower, cornerback Don McNeal, running back Tony Nathan and center Dwight Stephenson played for Miami. Those four were back, joined by running back Joe Carter, two years later when Miami lost 38-16 to the San Francisco 49ers,.
Linebacker Cornelius Bennett has played in more Super Bowls than any other former Alabama star, going to four with the Buffalo Bills and one with the Atlanta Falcons.
If Super Bowl LV goes off without a former Alabama player involved, it will be an ironic turn events to end the NFL’s 2020 season after the Crimson Tide had more alumni play during the regular season than any other college program with 64.
Tampa Bay also has an Alabama alumnus on its roster. But tight end O.J. Howard is on injured reserve and can’t play on Sunday. Howard sustained a season-ending Achilles-tendon injury in the Buccaneers’ 38-31 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers on Oct. 4.
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Here’s a rundown of the Alabama alumni who have played in the Super Bowl:
Shaun Alexander, a running back, rushed for 95 yards on 20 carries in the Seahawks’ 21-10 loss to the Steelers in Super Bowl XL on Feb. 5, 2006.
Mark Anderson, a defensive end, had one-half sack in the Bears’ 29-17 loss to the Colts in Super Bowl XLI on Feb. 4, 2007, and 1.5 sacks in the Patriots’ 21-17 loss to the Giants in Super Bowl XLVI on Feb. 5, 2012.
Mark Barron, an inside linebacker, made eight tackles and broke up a pass in the Rams’ 13-3 loss to the Patriots in Super Bowl LIII on Feb. 3, 2019.
Bob Baumhower, a defensive tackle, had 10 tackles and a sack in the Dolphins’ 27-17 loss to the Redskins in Super Bowl XVII on Jan. 30, 1983, and made three tackles in the Dolphins’ 38-16 loss to the 49ers in Super Bowl XIX on Jan. 20, 1985.
Cornelius Bennett, a linebacker, played in five Super Bowls. Bennett was on the Bills when they lost to the Giants 20-19 in Super Bowl XXV on Jan. 27, 1991; the Redskins 37-24 in Super Bowl XXVI on Jan. 26, 1992; the Cowboys 52-17 in Super Bowl XXVII on Jan. 31, 1993; and the Cowboys 30-13 in Super Bowl XXVIII on Jan. 30, 1994; and on the Falcons in a 34-19 loss to the Broncos in Super Bowl XXXIII on Jan. 31, 1999. Bennett record 37 tackles and broke up three passes in the five games.
James Carpenter, a guard, started in the Seahawks’ 43-8 victory over the Broncos in Super Bowl XLVIII on Feb. 2, 2014, and in the Seahawks’ 28-24 loss to the Patriots in Super Bowl XLIX on Feb. 1, 2015.
Joe Carter, a running back, played in the Dolphins’ 38-16 loss to the 49ers in Super Bowl XIX on Jan. 20, 1985.
Jeremiah Castille, a cornerback, intercepted a pass in the Broncos’ 42-10 loss to the Redskins in Super Bowl XXII on Jan. 31, 1988.
Terrence Cody, a defensive tackle, made one tackle in the Ravens’ 34-31 victory over the 49ers in Super Bowl XLVII on Feb. 3, 2013.
Paul Crane, a linebacker, made one tackle in the Jets’ 16-7 victory over the Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III on Jan. 12, 1969.
Howard Cross, a tight end, caught four passes for 39 yards in the Giants’ 20-19 victory over the Bills in Super Bowl XXV on Jan. 27, 1991, and caught one pass for 7 yards in the Giants’ 34-7 loss to the Ravens in Super Bowl XXXV on Jan. 28, 2001.
Johnny Davis, a running back, carried the ball two times for 5 yards in the 49ers’ 26-21 victory over the Bengals in Super Bowl XVI on Jan. 24, 1982.
Brandon Deaderick, a defensive tackle, made a sack in the Patriots’ 21-17 loss to the Giants in Super Bowl XLVI on Feb. 5, 2012.
Cornelius Griffin, a defensive tackle, made 1.5 sacks in the Giants’ 34-7 loss to the Ravens in Super Bowl XXXV on Jan. 28, 2001.
Charley Hannah, a guard, was a starter in the Raiders’ 38-9 victory over the Redskins in Super Bowl XVIII on Jan. 22, 1984.
John Hannah, a guard, was a starter in the Patriots’ 46-10 loss to the Bears in Super Bowl XX on Jan. 26, 1986.
Roman Harper, a safety, was a starter in the Saints’ 31-17 victory over the Colts in Super Bowl XLIV on Feb. 7, 2010, and in the Panthers’ 24-10 loss to the Broncos in Super Bowl 50 on Feb. 7, 2016. He had eight tackles for the Saints and two for the Panthers.
Dont’a Hightower, a linebacker, made a key stop for the Patriots in their 28-24 victory over the Seahawks in Super Bowl XLIX on Feb. 1, 2015; a pivotal sack in their 34-28 overtime victory against the Falcons in Super Bowl LI on Feb. 5, 2017; and two sacks, three quarterback hits and a pass breakup in their 13-3 victory over the Rams in Super Bowl LIII on Feb. 3, 2019. On the Seattle offense’s next-to-last snap of Super Bowl XLIX, Hightower brought down Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch at the New England 1-yard line despite playing with a torn labrum. In Super Bowl XLIX, Hightower caused Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan to fumble, and the Patriots recovered the loose football at the Atlanta 25-yard line with 8:24 left in the fourth quarter trailing by 16 points.
Bobby Humphrey, a running back, carried the ball 12 times for 61 yards and caught three passes for 38 yards in the Broncos’ 55-10 loss to the 49ers in Super Bowl XXIV on Jan. 28, 1990.
Wilbur Jackson, a running back, played in the Redskins’ 27-17 victory over the Dolphins in Super Bowl XVII on Jan. 30, 1983.
Julio Jones, a wide receiver, caught four passes for 87 yards, including one for a 27-yard gain considered among the best receptions in Super Bowl history, in the Falcons’ 34-28 overtime loss to the Patriots in Super Bowl LI on Feb. 5, 2017.
Robbie Jones, a linebacker, made one tackle in the Giants’ 39-20 victory over the Broncos in Super Bowl XXI on Jan. 26, 1987.
Lee Roy Jordan, a linebacker, started for the Cowboys in a 16-13 loss to the Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl V on Jan. 17, 1971; a 24-3 victory over the Dolphins in Super Bowl VI on Jan. 16, 1972; and a 21-17 loss to the Steelers in Super Bowl X on Jan. 18, 1976. He made 31 tackles and broke up two passes in the three games.
Anthony Madison, a cornerback, played for the Steelers in a 27-23 victory over the Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII on Feb. 1, 2009, and in a 31-25 loss to the Packers in Super Bowl XLV on Feb. 6, 2011. He made two special-teams tackles in the former game and one defensive tackle and one special-teams tackle in the latter.
Evan Mathis, a guard, started in the offensive line for the Broncos in a 24-10 victory over the Panthers in Super Bowl 50 on Feb. 7, 2016.
Don McNeal, a cornerback, started for the Dolphins in a 27-17 loss to the Redskins in Super Bowl XVII on Jan. 30, 1983, and a 38-16 loss to the 49ers in Super Bowl XIX on Jan. 20, 1985. He made seven tackles and broke up four passes in the two games.
Chris Mohr, a punter, played in three Super Bowls for the Bills – punting six times for a 35.0-yard average in a 37-24 loss to the Redskins in Super Bowl XXVI on Jan. 26, 1992; three times for a 45.3-yard average in a 52-17 loss to the Cowboys in Super bowl XXVII on Jan. 31, 1993; and five times for a 37.6-yard average in a 30-13 loss to the Cowboys in Super Bowl XXVIII on Jan. 30, 1994.
Joe Namath, a quarterback, completed 17-of-28 passes for 206 yards in the Jets’ 16-7 victory over the Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III on Jan. 12, 1969. Namath won the MVP Award for the game.
Tony Nathan, a running back, played in two Super Bowls for the Dolphins, rushing seven times for 26 yards in a 27-17 loss to the Redskins in Super Bowl XVII on Jan. 30, 1983, and running five times for 18 yards and catching 10 passes for 83 yards in a 38-16 loss to the 49ers in Super Bowl XIX on Jan. 20, 1985.
Charlie Peprah, a safety, made 10 tackles in the Packers’ 31-25 victory over the Steelers in Super Bowl XLV on Feb. 6, 2011.
Ray Perkins, a wide receiver, played in two Super Bowls for the Baltimore Colts — a 16-7 loss to the Jets in Super Bowl III on Jan. 12, 1969, and a 16-13 victory over the Dallas Cowboys in Super Bowl V on Jan. 17, 1971.
Reggie Ragland, a linebacker, made two tackles while playing 26 of Kansas City’s 58 defensive snaps in the Chiefs’ 31-20 victory over the 49ers in Super Bowl LIV on Feb. 2, 2020.
Larry Roberts, a defensive end, played in two Super Bowls for the 49ers, starting and making three tackles in a 20-16 victory over the Bengals in Super Bowl XXIII on Jan. 22, 1989, and registering a sack in a 55-10 victory over the Broncos in Super Bowl XXIV on Jan. 28, 1990.
Jeff Rutledge, a quarterback, finished off a couple of Super Bowl routs — the Giants’ 39-20 victory over the Broncos in Super Bowl XXI on Jan. 25, 1987, and the Redskins’ 37-24 victory over the Bills in Super Bowl XXVI on Jan. 26, 1992. He also was a member of the Rams in a 31-19 loss to the Steelers in Super Bowl XIV on Jan. 20, 1980, but he did not play in the game.
Rod Rutledge, a tight end, played in the Patriots’ 20-17 victory over the Rams in Super Bowl XXXVI on Feb. 3, 2002.
Ken Stabler, a quarterback, completed 12-of-19 passes for 180 yards and a touchdown in the Raiders’ 32-14 victory over the Vikings in Super Bowl XI on Jan. 9, 1977.
Bart Starr, a quarterback, started in two Super Bowls for the Packers, completing 16-of-23 passes for 250 yards and two touchdowns in a 35-10 victory over the Chiefs in Super Bowl I on Jan. 15, 1967, and 13-of-24 passes for 202 yards and a touchdown in a 33-14 victory over the Raiders in Super Bowl II on Jan. 14, 1968. Starr was the MVP of both games.
Dwight Stephenson, a center, started in two Super Bowls for the Dolphins — a 27-17 loss to the Redskins in Super Bowl XVII on Jan. 30, 1983, and a 38-16 loss to the 49ers in Super Bowl XIX on Jan. 20, 1985.
Deshea Townsend, a cornerback, played in two Super Bowls for the Steelers, starting and making six tackles and a sack in a 21-10 victory over the Seahawks in Super Bowl XL on Feb. 5, 2006, and making three tackles in a 27-23 victory over the Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII on Feb. 1, 2009.
Courtney Upshaw, a linebacker, made five tackles and forced a fumble in the Ravens’ 34-31 victory over the 49ers in Super Bowl XLVII on Feb. 3, 2013, and registered a sack in the Falcons’ 34-28 overtime loss to the Patriots in Super Bowl LI on Feb. 5, 2017, when he played in the Atlanta defensive line.
Chance Warmack, a guard, played in a reserve role in the Eagles’ 41-33 victory over the Patriots in Super Bowl LII on Feb. 4, 2018.
Steve Wright, an offensive tackle, played in the Packers’ 35-10 victory over the Chiefs in Super Bowl I on Jan. 15, 1967. Wright was on the Packers the next season for their 33-14 victory over the Raiders in Super Bowl II, but he did not play in the game.
Cornelius Wortham, a linebacker, played in the Seahawks’ 21-10 loss to the Steelers in Super Bowl XL on Feb. 5, 2006.
Several other Alabama players reached Super Bowls as active-roster players, but did not play in the game — linebacker Emanuel King with the Bengals at Super Bowl XXIII, running back Derrick Lassic with the Cowboys at Super Bowl XXVIII, running back Sherman Williams with the Cowboys at Super Bowl XXX, center Alonzo Ephraim with the Eagles at Super Bowl XXXIX, offensive tackle Wesley Britt with the Patriots at Super Bowl XLII, cornerback Fernando Bryant with the Steelers at Super Bowl XLIII, fullback Tim Castille with the Cardinals at Super Bowl XLIII, wide receiver Kevin Norwood with the Seahawks at Super Bowl XLVIII and the Panthers at Super Bowl 50 and cornerback Cyrus Jones with the Patriots at Super Bowl LI.
Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.
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