Penn Staters in the Super Bowl
Four Nittany Lions punched their card to Tampa Bay for the 2021 Super Bowl on Feb. 7 at 6:30 p.m. In the sea of red, gold and black jerseys, the Blue and White will be out in full force.
Penn State will be celebrating its golden appearance in the Super Bowl this year after 49 previous cameos.
The Nittany Lions have a storied history on football’s biggest stage. According to Penn State Athletics, 60 coveted Super Bowl rings belong to 41 Penn State alumni. Over the years, Penn State football’s organization has proven to be a rich source of prominent NFL prospects.
The 2021 Super Bowl will host four Nittany Lions in their quest for the Lombardi trophy. Offensive guard Stefen Wisniewski will be representing Penn State with the Kansas City Chiefs. While donning the Blue and White jersey, Wisniewski became the first true freshman starter since center Joe Iorio in 1999.
Wisniewski earned academic and athletic recognition through an Academic All-Big Ten award in his sophomore year.
Wisniewski’s second stint with the Chiefs began after joining their practice squad in November 2020 following his release from the Pittsburgh Steelers.
On the Tampa Bay Buccaneers roster, wide receiver Chris Godwin remains an offensive leader and weapon for quarterback Tom Brady. As a Penn State athlete, Godwin accounted for 18 touchdowns, 154 receptions, and 2,421 total receiving yards.
Godwin’s successes followed him to Tampa Bay, having recorded seven receiving touchdowns, 65 receptions and 840 receiving yards during the 2020 season. Since being drafted in 2017, Godwin’s NFL career 3,540 receiving yards have surpassed his college totals.
Offensive tackle Donovan Smith will also take the field with Godwin. Smith’s contributions to Penn State football include propelling the Nittany Lions to gain 350 yards or more a game. As a Buccaneer, Smith started 15 games in 2020, playing 100 percent of snaps in ten regular season games between Week 1 and Week 17.
Another Nittany Lion’s Super Bowl experience will be slightly different from his teammates’ experience. Center A.Q. Shipley will be watching the action from the sideline due to suffering a severe neck injury and being placed on injured reserve during the 2020 season.
A Blue and White alum from the early 2000s era, Shipley’s accolades during his Penn State career include 2008 Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year, All-American, and Rimington Trophy recipient.
The Super Bowl 2021 showdown between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Kansas City Chiefs promises a worthy matchup between generations of talent. No matter who emerges victorious, Penn State will add another Super Bowl ring to its collection.
Emma Holtz is a freshman majoring in public relations. To contact her, email exh5337@psu.edu.
