New faces set to make history in Super Bowl LVI
Brayden Allen, Staff Writer
Super Bowl LVI will offer an exciting matchup to officially wrap up the 2021 football season. This year’s big game will feature new faces and fresh talent as the Cincinnati Bengals take on the Los Angeles Rams at the newly constructed SoFi Stadium located just outside of downtown Los Angeles.
The Bengals, led by second year quarterback Joe Burrow, are heading to their first Super Bowl in 33 years. The team’s last appearance was back in 1988 when they fell to the San Francisco 49ers. The Bengals are one of 5 of the NFL’s founding teams never to hoist the Lombardi Trophy.
The Rams are no strangers to the big stage. This year will mark the team’s second Super Bowl appearance in three years. The Rams last appearance was in 2019 when they fell to Tom Brady and the New England Patriots in Atlanta.
The team looks to reclaim the title with many new names including veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford. Stafford joined the team in January 2021 after quarterback Jarred Golf was traded to the Detroit Lions.
Some new faces hit closer to home. Super Bowl LVI will mark the third year in a row that players from the NCAA’s Division II level will participate in the big game. Chris Garrett, outside-linebacker from Concordia-St. Paul University and Matthew Orzech, long snapper from Azusa Pacific University will both suit up for the Rams on Sunday as representatives for all those division II athletes who compete in the NFL. This comes after last year’s game when seven division II athletes participated in Super Bowl LV.
North Greenville’s Chauncy Haney, who played defensive end and outside-linebacker is one of many Division II athletes who work to compete in the NFL. Haney was a member of the Crusaders 2016 Division II quarterfinalist team and was named a Division II All-American and Gulf South Conference player of the year in 2019. He officially declared for the draft following the season. He reflects on his time as a Division II athlete and a potential NFL player.
“Many schools don’t have NFL talent & or know they have it or not,” Haney said. “Their focus at the level is always about winning games…but at higher levels it’ll give me preparation, set up for players to get to the next level.”
Haney talked about how at the Division II level he was taught to compete at a high level regardless of what opportunities he was given. He added that it’s up to the player to take what they are taught to heart if they want to reach the next level.
“I was able to get an opportunity based on how well I played. Simple. The NFL has tons of scouts that are looking all over the country, even the world, really for talent. So if you can ball they’ll find you,” Haney said. “…it doesn’t matter where you come from, you as an individual must be prepared to move on to the next level.”
Haney and other Division II athletes continue to make an impact at the professional levels. They all share the common goal of competing on the grandest stage in the Super Bowl.
*Featured Image: Photo courtesy of Pixabay.
