From State To The Super Bowl
February 06, 2023 | Football, Joel Coleman
Bulldogs continue to be a consistent part of the big game.
STARKVILLE – Will Friend's football roots stretch throughout the Southeastern Conference and across the country. The new Mississippi State offensive line coach has seen it all and done it all.
And while he hasn't been with MSU but for a few weeks, there's a trend Friend has noticed when it comes to those who've worn the Maroon and White over the years.
"You can achieve anything you want right here in Starkville, Mississippi," Friend said.
Of that, there is no doubt. It'll once again be on full display for everyone to see on Sunday during Super Bowl LVII.
Four Bulldogs are set to play on the biggest football stage that there is. Defensive tackle Chris Jones and linebacker Willie Gay are with the AFC champion Kansas City Chiefs. Meanwhile, cornerback Darius Slay and defensive tackle Fletcher Cox will oppose Jones and Gay as members of the NFC's Philadelphia Eagles.
Mississippi State is tied with Georgia and Florida for the SEC school with the most former players participating in this year's Super Bowl. Only one other school in the entire country has more than the four guys MSU boasts.
And these Bulldogs aren't just guys who'll be toting helmets on the sidelines. Jones, Gay, Slay and Cox are all impact performers who've accounted for multiple All-Pro and Pro Bowl selections over the course of their careers, as well as a couple of Super Bowl championships.
"We're not talking about mere participants," MSU head coach Zach Arnett said. "We're talking about four game wreckers. These guys are going to directly influence the outcome of that game – the biggest game of the year."
Of course, it's nothing new for Bulldogs to have a hand in figuring out who ultimately lifts the Lombardi trophy. It's essentially an annual occurrence these days.
There have been at least three Bulldogs playing in the big game in three of the past four seasons. In fact, at least one former Mississippi State player has been involved in 17 of the last 21 Super Bowls. Nine of those 17 times have featured multiple Bulldogs playing for the NFL crown, with five of those occasions featuring three or more players who previously wore Maroon and White.
Seems pretty safe to say one of the surest roads to playing under football's brightest lights runs straight through Stark Vegas, as will be evidenced on Super Bowl Sunday and any Sunday throughout each fall.
"All you've got to do is turn on any NFL game any time of year and you're going to see some Mississippi State talent and former Bulldogs in there being difference makers," Arnett said on SEC Radio earlier this week.
To reiterate Friend, all goals are achievable at MSU. You can go from State to Sundays all the way to the Super Bowl.
Many have done it. Who will be next?
