Four Former Gators Clinch Spot in Super Bowl LVII

The stage is ready for a battle of No. 1 seeds because the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles will meet in Tremendous Bowl LVII subsequent month.

4 former Florida gamers, in addition to a current Gators assistant coach, will play within the NFL’s championship sport.

Kansas Metropolis boasts three former UF gamers on its roster, every being a major contributor. 2022 First-Staff All-Professional punter Tommy Townsend is the longest-tenured Gator with the Chiefs, close to the completion of his third and greatest statistical season within the professionals.

Townsend is joined by former Gators in vast receiver Kadarius Toney and Carlos Dunlap, each of which related with the Chiefs this season as Toney was traded from the New York Giants in Oct. 2022 whereas Dunlap signed with the squad final July.

Since being acquired, Toney has hauled in 14 receptions for 171 yards and two touchdowns, including 5 rushes for 59 yards and a rating on the bottom. He is taken seven touches for 59 yards and averaged 8.8 yards per punt return on 4 makes an attempt within the postseason.

Dunlap, a seasoned veteran at 33 years outdated, will make his first Tremendous Bowl appearances after 13 seasons within the professionals. He beforehand spent over ten seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals earlier than being traded to the Seattle Seahawks in 2020. He stayed within the Pacific Northwest for a season and a half earlier than transferring to the midwest to affix the Chiefs.

In a rotational position on Kansas Metropolis’s line of defense, Dunlap compiled 39 tackles, 4 sacks and 6 tackles for loss in 2022. He additionally has two tackles on this 12 months’s playoffs.

On the Eagles’ facet, arguably the most important transfer Philadelphia made previous to its Tremendous Bowl run was buying and selling for former Florida defensive again C.J. Gardner-Johnson. Sending two day-three picks to the New Orleans Saints netted Philadelphia a league-leading six interceptions from Gardner-Johnson in 2022, to go along with 67 tackles, 5 tackles for loss and eight move breakups.

Gardner-Johnson has posted eight tackles and a defended move to this point this postseason.

Whereas they solely spent the 2018 season collectively at UF, Garnder-Johnson reunited with a well-known face in Philadelphia on account of his commerce: Former Gators offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, and now Eagles quarterbacks coach, Brian Johnson.

Johnson has been the topic of a number of offensive coordinator interviews elsewhere this postseason for the success he is discovered paired with quarterback Jalen Hurts in Philadelphia. Over two seasons with Johnson’s steering, Hurts has thrown for six,845 yards, 38 touchdowns and 15 interceptions and rushed for 1,544 yards and 23 scores. 

Tremendous Bowl LVII will happen at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz. on Sunday, Feb. 12 at 6:30 p.m. ET.

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