Photo by: USA Today
#FromStateToSundays: Super Bowl Sunday
February 07, 2021 | Football
Jones, Rankin look to join D.D. Lewis as Bulldogs to hoist the Lombardi Trophy multiple times in their careers
STARKVILLE – Chris Jones and Martinas Rankin are back.
The former Mississippi State football student-athletes will play for a second Super Bowl ring in as many years when the Kansas City Chiefs meet the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday (Feb. 7) night at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida.
The duo is looking to join D.D. Lewis, who won titles the Dallas Cowboys in 1972 and 1978, as the only former Bulldogs to lift the Lombardi Trophy more than once.
Mississippi State has seen at least one former letterwinner compete in the Super Bowl in 12 of the last 14 years. Fourteen former Bulldogs have lifted the Lombardi Trophy since 2008, including Jones and Rankin last season.
Jones and Rankin are joined by rookie Willie Gay Jr. to give State three players on Super Bowl LV rosters. State's record for Super Bowl participants was set in Super Bowl XXV (1991), when four former Bulldogs suited up for the Buffalo Bills and New York Giants.
Gay will not play in the game due to injury.
Jones has been a disruptive force on the defensive line and boasts the No. 2 pass rush grade in the league according to Pro Football Focus. He recorded 7.5 sacks among his 36 tackles during the regular season and owns four tackles in two postseason games this year.
Rankin returned to the Chiefs offensive line following a lengthy injury absence on Jan. 3, 2021 in the regular season finale. He was limited to field goal protection in that game and appeared on the special teams unit for Kansas City in the conference championship game against Buffalo on January 24.
Kickoff on CBS is set for 5:30 p.m. CT.
The former Mississippi State football student-athletes will play for a second Super Bowl ring in as many years when the Kansas City Chiefs meet the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday (Feb. 7) night at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida.
The duo is looking to join D.D. Lewis, who won titles the Dallas Cowboys in 1972 and 1978, as the only former Bulldogs to lift the Lombardi Trophy more than once.
Mississippi State has seen at least one former letterwinner compete in the Super Bowl in 12 of the last 14 years. Fourteen former Bulldogs have lifted the Lombardi Trophy since 2008, including Jones and Rankin last season.
Jones and Rankin are joined by rookie Willie Gay Jr. to give State three players on Super Bowl LV rosters. State's record for Super Bowl participants was set in Super Bowl XXV (1991), when four former Bulldogs suited up for the Buffalo Bills and New York Giants.
Gay will not play in the game due to injury.
Jones has been a disruptive force on the defensive line and boasts the No. 2 pass rush grade in the league according to Pro Football Focus. He recorded 7.5 sacks among his 36 tackles during the regular season and owns four tackles in two postseason games this year.
Rankin returned to the Chiefs offensive line following a lengthy injury absence on Jan. 3, 2021 in the regular season finale. He was limited to field goal protection in that game and appeared on the special teams unit for Kansas City in the conference championship game against Buffalo on January 24.
Kickoff on CBS is set for 5:30 p.m. CT.
Players Mentioned
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