Austin, TX
Before Super Bowl 58, here are the 4 NFL legends from Austin with championship rings
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Super Bowl tickets cost over $8,000 this year on the secondary market, as of January 29th. Here are other suggestions for what you could spend that money on.
The Super Bowl is coming up, and while there have been plenty of Longhorns to play in the big game, there haven’t been as many Austinites.
However, a select few made their mark in NFL history. Each of them played a crucial part in winning the ring. There’ll be more in the future, but these four have made all of Austin — not just the University of Texas — proud.
Justin Tucker (Westlake) – Super Bowl 47
The best kicker of all time has a single ring to his name, and he earned it his rookie year after signing with the Ravens as an undrafted free agent.
A Texas alumnus and Austin native, Tucker won Baltimore’s placekicking job over Billy Cundiff after a strong preseason performance. He proceeded to quickly prove why he was a Texas favorite, as he made all of his extra points and 90.9% of his field goals.
In the Super Bowl, Tucker nearly pulled off the first fake field goal attempt in Super Bowl history but fell just one yard short. However, his two field goals were instrumental in the Ravens winning the ring as they defeated the 49ers 34-31.
While with Westlake, Tucker made 30-of-44 FG attempts and 155-of-162 PAT attempts during his career and saw some action at cornerback, wide receiver and safety.
More: Top 10 players to have played in Westlake-Lake Travis rivalry
Even with this list including two potential Hall of Famers, Foles’ run might go down as the most legendary out of the entire list. A 3-star quarterback coming out of Westlake, he was lightly recruited before attending Michigan State and later transferring to Arizona.
Drafted by the Eagles in the 3rd round of the 2012 NFL draft, Foles bounced around the league before landing back in Philadelphia as Carson Wentz’s backup in 2017-18. After Wentz’s injury, Foles kept the ship steady until the playoffs.
There, he led the Eagles on a miracle run that was capped off with a 41-33 win over the Patriots and arguably the best quarterback of all time, Tom Brady. He was named Super Bowl MVP and became the only quarterback to ever catch and throw a touchdown pass in a Super Bowl. The moment Foles called that play was captured on camera and is one of the cooler moments in the game’s history.
At Westlake, Foles threw for 5,658 yards and 56 touchdowns in his two years as a starter, setting records that were held by another quarterback on this list.
Chaparrals dominate this list with Brees being the last and greatest inclusion. One of the best quarterbacks of all time, he won only one ring in his career, earning the Saints their first-ever championship. Some might argue he should’ve had the chance for two, if not for one of the most controversial no-calls in playoff history.
In 2009, Brees faced off with Peyton Manning’s Colts and outdueled that year’s regular season MVP. He completed 32 passes to match the then completion record and collected 288 yards and two touchdowns, earning him Super Bowl MVP.
At Westlake, Brees completed 314 of 490 passes for 5,461 yards with 50 touchdowns. He set school records (until Foles broke them) but was not heavily recruited, eventually committing to Purdue.
The first Super Bowl champion that was an Austin product, linebacker Thomas Henderson was part of a dominant stretch of Dallas teams in the 1970s and made the playoffs five out of the six years he played in the NFL. Nicknamed “Hollywood,” — a name he no longer answers to — he was part of the legendary “Doomsday Defense” that stifled the Broncos 27-10 in Super Bowl 12.
Henderson had three interceptions in the 1977-78 season and had his best playoff game in the NFC Championship, securing another interception vs. the Vikings.
Though he initially played for L.C. Anderson in Austin, Henderson eventually moved to Oklahoma City to be with his grandmother for a more stable environment. He was a walk-on at NAIA Langston University and earned All-American honors before being selected by the Cowboys in the first round of the 1975 NFL draft.
Henderson is now a community philanthropist, dedicated to creating opportunities for children living in East Austin.
Austin, TX
Final Public Input Meetings on the Community Wildfire Protection Plan Update Next Week
The Austin-Travis County Wildfire Coalition is hosting a last round of public input meetings on the Community Wildfire Protection Plan, which is updated every 10 years.
The City of Austin released a press release about the final two meetings on Thursday. According to the release, the meetings are intended to provide an overview of the project, hear from subject matter experts, and capture public comments for incorporation into the plan.
Meeting Schedule
April 8, 6-8 p.m.; Del Valle Early College High School Cafeteria, 4715 Ross Rd.
April 9, 6-8 p.m.; St. Luke’s on the Lake Episcopal Church; 5600 RR 620 N.
The coalition asks that residents RSVP to the meetings online and take this public survey to provide information to the coalition as it updates the plan. Anyone may take the survey, but the coalition asks individuals who plan to attend one of the sessions to fill it out beforehand.
The Community Wildfire Protection Plan identifies areas of wildfire risk, prioritizes investments for mitigation funding, and provides recommendations for hazardous fuels reduction and homeowner risk reduction practices.
Additionally, the plan offers policymakers guidance on wildfire response capabilities and evacuation planning frameworks. The Austin-Travis County Wildfire Coalition updates the plan every decade to ensure it reflects current risk conditions, data, and community priorities.
Members of the coalition include the City of Austin, Austin 3-1-1, Austin Water, Austin Fire Department’s Wildfire Division, the Lower Colorado River Authority, Austin Energy, the city’s Homeland Security and Emergency Management division, and more.
Learn more about the coalition at its website here. And stay updated on the CWPP process as it unfolds here.
Austin, TX
Tommy’s Travel Forecast: A wet Easter weekend
AUSTIN (KXAN) — You know the saying: ‘April showers bring May flowers’. A wetter-than-normal pattern is likely in Texas through early April, hopefully making a dent in our extreme drought, and lowering pollen totals!
It’s not just the Lone Star State; several storm systems will bring mountain snow, heavy rain, and the potential for severe weather across the country into the upcoming weekend, Saturday, April 4 through 5.
Severe Weather
The Storm Prediction Center has highlighted parts of the Southern Plains, Great Plains, and Midwest for potential severe weather on Friday. There is a level 3/5 (Enhanced) risk for cities such as St. Joseph, Ottumwa, Kirksville, Moberly, and Indianola.
There is a growing concern for large hail, damaging winds, and an isolated tornado in the highlighted area.
There is a level 2/5 (Slight) risk for cities such as Oklahoma City, Kansas City, Tulsa, Des Moines, and Overland Park on Friday.
Texas Travel
Traveling in Texas this weekend for Easter Sunday? Bring an umbrella and a rain jacket! Scattered thunderstorms, including a few strong-to-severe storms, are possible.
A strong cold front arrives on Saturday afternoon, bringing widespread rain chances. There is a level 1/5 (Marginal) risk for cities such as Houston, Shreveport, Jackson, Cleveland, and Buffalo.
High temperatures on Sunday will be cooler than normal. In Austin, we’ll likely remain in the 60s.
Wet Pattern
The Climate Prediction Center has high confidence in a wetter-than-normal pattern continuing through mid-April.

A few cold shots of late winter air will cool down parts of the Midwest and Northeast in the next week, with some late-season snow possible. Most of the country is trending warmer-than-normal.
Austin, TX
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