Super Bowl LVI will be loaded with Georgia players on both sides of the field

LOS ANGELES — No, the Atlanta Falcons came nowhere close to making it to Sunday’s Super Bowl game in Los Angeles, but the state of Georgia will still be heavily represented during the big game.

Fourteen players and four coaches taking the field Sunday night can trace their roots back to the University of Georgia, Georgia Tech or one of the state’s hundreds of high school programs.

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On the sideline, running the show for the Los Angeles Rams will be Head Coach Sean McVay. McVay was a star at Marist High School and the state’s offensive player of the year in 2004. He’s also the son of former Channel 2 Action News General Manager Tim McVay.

Assistant head coach and running backs coach Thomas Brown was a Tucker High School graduate and star RB for the Georgia Bulldogs. Offensive line coach Nick Jones was an offensive lineman for the Bulldogs and played at Bowden High School. Defensive line coach Eric Henderson played for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.

Rams starting quarterback Matthew Stafford played for Georgia and was a three year starter. Running back Sony Michel played four years in Athens. Linebacker Leonard Floyd was a pass rusher for the Bulldogs and graduated from Dodge County High School in Eastman.

Some other Rams players who starred at Georgia High Schools include guard Tremayne Anchrum who played at McEachern, linebacker Ernest Jones who played at Ware County High in Waycross and cornerback Grant Haley who went to The Lovett School.

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The Cincinnati Bengals don’t have any coaches with ties to the state, but they have plenty of players who attended high school or college in Georgia.

Offensive lineman Lamont Gaillard is on the practice squad. Gaillard was a lineman at the University of Georgia. Offensive lineman Trey Hill played on the line for the Bulldogs as well. Former Bulldogs running back Elijah Holyfield is also on the Bengals practice squad.

Cincinnati tight end C.J. Uzomah played his high school football at North Gwinnett High. Tackle D’Ante Smith played at Grovetown High near Augusta. Defensive end Cameron Sample was a standout at Shiloh High near Snellville.

Other local connections include Bengals safety Vonn Bell who graduated from Ridgeland High School in Rossville and cornerback Mike Hilton who was a standout at Sandy Creek High in Tyrone.

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A little side note to those who are keeping track of such things: This years game marks the 21st straight year the Georgia Bulldogs have a player (active, practice squad or on injured reserve) who is part of a Super Bowl roster. The Dawgs lead all colleges in that statistic.

RAW: 1-on-1 with Atlanta-native and Rams HC Sean McVay Channel 2 Sports Director Zach Klein goes 1-on-1 with Atlanta-native Sean McVay.

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