Eric Boggs
Ohio State’s tradition of excellence will once again be on full display when Super Bowl LX kicks off on February 8, as four former Buckeyes take the field on football’s biggest stage. From a record-setting performance in the NFC Championship Game to a historic coaching achievement in the AFC, Buckeye Nation has plenty to celebrate as Jaxon Smith-Njigba and the Seattle Seahawks prepare to face Mike Vrabel, TreVeyon Henderson, Thayer Munford Jr. and the New England Patriots.
Smith-Njigba delivered one of the most memorable playoff performances in recent NFL history to send Seattle to the Super Bowl. After a quieter divisional round by his lofty standards, the former Ohio State wide receiver reminded everyone why he is the league’s Offensive Player of the Year with a dominant showing against the Los Angeles Rams. Smith-Njigba caught 10 passes for 153 yards and a touchdown in the Seahawks’ 31–27 win, repeatedly making plays when Seattle needed them most. His one-handed sideline grab early in the game set the tone, while his 42-yard reception through contact and ensuing touchdown just before halftime swung momentum firmly in the Seahawks’ favor. By the break, he had already amassed 115 receiving yards, the most ever by a Seahawks player in a playoff half. When the Rams made a late push, Smith-Njigba sealed the win with a clutch fourth-quarter conversion, continuing a season that now includes 132 catches for 1,965 yards and 12 touchdowns across regular season and playoff action.
On the other sideline in the Super Bowl will be one of the most accomplished Buckeyes in NFL history. Mike Vrabel is headed to the Super Bowl in his first season as head coach of the New England Patriots, marking the fifth time he has reached the game overall after four appearances as a player. The former Ohio State defensive end is now the first Buckeye to make five Super Bowls as either a player or head coach, further cementing his legacy as one of the program’s most successful NFL ambassadors. Vrabel’s Patriots advanced with a gritty 10–7 win over the Denver Broncos in the AFC Championship Game, relying on a dominant defensive performance that limited Denver to just 181 total yards in difficult weather conditions.
That victory also secured a Super Bowl berth for TreVeyon Henderson and Thayer Munford Jr., giving Ohio State fans even more reason to tune in. Henderson, in his rookie NFL season, has already put together an impressive campaign with 911 rushing yards and nine touchdowns and now has a chance to accomplish something no Buckeye has done before by winning a national championship and a Super Bowl in consecutive seasons. Munford, a former Ohio State captain, has become a valuable piece of New England’s postseason rotation, seeing action as an extra offensive lineman after joining the Patriots midway through the season.
When the Seahawks and Patriots meet under the bright lights, it will be another reminder that Ohio State continues to shape the game at the highest level. Whether it’s Smith-Njigba’s brilliance as a playmaker, Vrabel’s steady leadership from the sideline, or the contributions of Henderson and Munford on football’s biggest stage, Super Bowl LX will be yet another celebration of Buckeye excellence in the NFL.
