Western Pennsylvania's trusted news source
Penn State will be represented by Kansas City Chiefs, San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII | TribLIVE.com
NFL

Penn State will be represented by Kansas City Chiefs, San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII

Pennlive.Com
6999063_web1_AP24029087541131
AP
Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams (9) cannot catch a pass in front of San Francisco 49ers cornerback Ambry Thomas, left, and safety Ji’Ayir Brown (27) during the second half of the NFC Championship NFL football game in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday.
6999063_web1_AP24014699293268
AP
Kansas City Chiefs offensive tackle Donovan Smith leaves the field after their win against the Miami Dolphins in an NFL wild-card playoff football game, Saturday, Jan. 13, in Kansas City, Mo.

Super Bowl XLVIII is set, and at least one former Penn State player is going to hoist the Lombardi Trophy.

Penn State will have three former players vying for a Super Bowl ring when the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers square off on the sport’s biggest stage in Las Vegas.

San Francisco features two Nittany Lions: safety Ji’Ayir Brown and defensive tackle Kevin Givens. Offensive tackle Donovan Smith represents Penn State on the Chiefs.

6999063_web1_ap23360113760850
AP
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) passes against San Francisco 49ers defensive tackle Kevin Givens during the first half of an NFL football game in Santa Clara, Calif., Monday, Dec. 25, 2023.

The Chiefs beat the Baltimore Ravens, 17-10, in Sunday’s AFC championship game. The Ravens featured three former Penn State players: defensive end Odafe Oweh, punter Jordan Stout and special teams ace Dan Chisena.

The 49ers rallied to take down the Detroit Lions in the NFC title game. Former Penn State linebacker Jason Cabinda is a fullback for the Lions.

Brown finished with a season-high 10 tackles in San Francisco’s 34-31 win over Detroit. The rookie, who transferred to Penn State from Lackawanna College and established himself as an All-Big Ten safety, was selected by the 49ers in the third round of the 2023 NFL draft.

Givens didn’t record any stats, though he was part of a San Francisco pass rush that pressured Lions quarterback Jared Goff. Givens, an Altoona native who went undrafted in 2019, was a member of the 49ers team that lost to the Chiefs in Super Bowl LIV.

Smith has a chance to win his second Super Bowl. He was a member of Tampa Bay when Tom Brady and the Buccaneers beat the Chiefs in Super Bowl LV. Smith, a second-round pick in 2015, is in his first season with Kansas City after spending eight years with Tampa Bay.

6999063_web1_ap23349628410597
AP
Umpire Terry Killens Jr. (77) during an NFL football game between the Cincinnati Bengals and Indianapolis Colts on Sunday, Dec. 10, 2023, in Cincinnati.

The Nittany Lions will also be represented by official Terry Killens. The former Penn State linebacker and defensive end is set to become the first person to play in and officiate a Super Bowl. Killens lost Super Bowl XXXIV with the Tennessee Titans.

Super Bowl LVIII is set to kick off at 6:30 p.m. on Feb. 11 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.

Remove the ads from your TribLIVE reading experience but still support the journalists who create the content with TribLIVE Ad-Free.

Get Ad-Free >

Categories: NFL | Penn State | Sports
Sports and Partner News