ST. LOUIS–As you get ready to watch the Super Bowl on Sunday, we’re here to remind you of some of the St. Louis area connections to the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs.
Jeremy Maclin, the Kirkwood graduate who starred at the University of Missouri, was a 2009 first round draft pick of the Eagles and spent 6 seasons there before signing with the Chiefs in 2015. He reunited in Kansas City with Head Coach Andy Reid, who was his first head coach in Philadelphia. Reid is a former assistant coach at the University of Missouri, as are Kansas City assistants Dave Toub and Andy Hill. KC defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo is a former St. Louis Rams Head Coach. Philadelphia defensive backs coach Denard Wilson was a coach on the final St. Louis Rams squad in 2015.
[Watch: Kevin Bacon, Serena Williams featured in Anheuser-Busch Super Bowl commercials]
Another important figure in St. Louis sports history shares ties to both teams competing Sunday. Former Rams Head Coach Dick Vermeil was a Head Coach for both the Eagles and the Chiefs. He told USA TODAY he isn’t going public with a favorite, although he has more recent ties in Kansas City.
As for the players, there are more ties to the Chiefs’ sideline than the Eagles.
Chiefs
Defensive lineman Khalen Saunders, who starred at Parkway Central before going on to Western Illinois, is going for his second Super Bowl title for Kansas City. Brandon Williams, a longtime Baltimore Ravens defensive lineman who graduated from Rockwood Summit before a college career at Missouri Southern, signed with Kansas City late this season. Fellow defensive lineman Tershawn Wharton, a University City graduate who went to Missouri S&T, has been out with a season-ending ACL injury, is in his third year with the Chiefs.
Elsewhere on the defensive side of the ball, linebacker Nick Bolton has been a tackling machine in his first two NFL seasons after a standout career at Missouri. He’s a co-captain.
On offense, Illinois’ Nick Allegretti is an important part of the Chiefs’ line.
Eagles
Offensive Tackle Roderick Johnson, who starred at Hazelwood Central before going on to play in college at Florida State, was a training camp roster cut for the Chiefs who later signed onto the Eagles’ practice squad.
The Bet (or one of many)
Earlier this week, the Missouri Chamber of Commerce sent out a news release laying out the terms of a friendly wager between the respective chambers of commerce for the states of Missouri and Pennsylvania.
“If the Kansas City Chiefs win, Pennsylvania Chamber President and CEO Luke Bernstein will treat Missouri Chamber President and CEO Dan Mehan to Yuengling beer, Hershey’s Chocolate, Peeps marshmallow candies and Giorgi mushrooms. If the Eagles win, Missouri Chamber President and CEO Dan Mehan will treat Luke Bernstein to Budweiser beer, Jack Stack’s barbeque, Burger’s Smokehouse ham and sausages and Cherry Mash candies.”
Super Bowl Ads
St. Louis-based Anheuser-Busch of course is a longtime Super Bowl advertiser and that continues this year, as the biggest advertiser for the game with three minutes of national airtime and 30 seconds of regional advertising, totaling four commercials. On Thursday, the company announced it had an agreement with Donna Kelce, mother of Chiefs Tight End Travis Kelce and Eagles Center Jason Kelce, to give Bud Light to fans in the winning city.