Boilers in the Pros: First Super Bowl in 21 Years Without Purdue Representation

Well.

It was a hell of a streak.

21 years in a row with a Purdue Football Player in the Super Bowl. Dating back to Super Bowl 34, where the Titans lost on the 1 yard line to the St. Louis Rams, Purdue has always had someone on roster, whether it was active roster or practice squad.

21 years. What a streak.

Here are the players from the last 21 years.

• XXXIV Steve Jackson, Tennessee Titans; Jeff Zgonina, St. Louis Rams*
• XXXV Rod Woodson, Baltimore Ravens*
• XXXVI Matt Light, New England Patriots*; David Nugent, New England Patriots*; Jeff Zgonina, St. Louis Rams
• XXXVII Mike Alstott, Tampa Bay Buccaneers*; Rod Woodson, Oakland Raiders
• XXXVIII Rosevelt Colvin, New England Patriots*; Brandon Gorin, New England Patriots*; Matt Light, New England Patriots*; Gene Mruczkowski, New England Patriots*
• XXXIX Ian Allen, Philadelphia Eagles; Rosevelt Colvin, New England Patriots*; Brandon Gorin, New England Patriots*; Matt Light, New England Patriots*; Gene Mruczkowski, New England Patriots*
• XL Niko Koutouvides, Seattle Seahawks; Chukky Okobi, Pittsburgh Steelers*; Craig Terrill, Seattle Seahawks
• XLI Gilbert Gardner, Indianapolis Colts*; Kyle Orton, Chicago Bears; John Stadeford, Indianapolis Colts*
• XLII Rosevelt Colvin, New England Patriots; Matt Light, New England Patriots
• XLIII Chike Okeafor, Arizona Cardinals
• XLIV Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints* (MVP), Curtis Painter, Indianapolis Colts
• XLV Mike Neal, Green Bay Packers*
• XLVI Niko Koutouvides, New England Patriots; Matt Light, New England Patriots; Rob Ninkovich, New England Patriots
• XLVII Bernard Pollard, Baltimore Ravens*
• XLVIII Cliff Avril, Seattle Seahawks*; Shaun Phillips, Denver Broncos
• XLIX Cliff Avril, Seattle Seahawks; Rob Ninkovich, New England Patriots*
• 50 Kawann Short, Carolina Panthers
• LI Ricardo Allen, Atlanta Falcons; Rob Ninkovich, New England Patriots*
• LI IJason King, New England Patriots
• LIII Ja’Whaun Bentley, New England Patriots*
• LIV Raheem Mostert, San Francisco 49ers; Jacob Thieneman, San Francisco 49ers

While it is disappointing that we don’t get to extend that streak, it is pretty neat to look back and see the guys who were apart of the streak. The Patriots loved them some Joe Tiller coached football players.