Since the first Super Bowl, 54 different former Buckeyes have appeared in the NFL's biggest game and have made iconic catches, put up eye-popping numbers and made an impact on both sides of the ball.
Before Malcolm Jenkins has his chance to make more Buckeye Super Bowl history on Sunday night, let's look back at Ohio State's top-five Super Bowl performers of all-time.
5. Tom Matte and Matt Snell – Baltimore Colts and New York Jets – Super Bowl III
During Super Bowl III, Tom Matte of the Baltimore Colts and Matt Snell of the New York Jets became the first – and remain the only – running backs from the same school to each rush for over 100 yards in the same Super Bowl.
Matte accounted for most of the Colts offense that day, rushing for 116 yards on 11 carries, breaking one 58-yard run. He also caught two passes for 30 yards, bringing his total to 146 yards accounted for.
It was a stellar showing, but it wasn't enough to lead his team to victory or outshine his fellow Buckeye.
Snell was the Jets' workhorse in the game. He had 30 carries for 121 yards and a touchdown while also catching four passes for 40 yards. Snell scored the Jets' only offensive touchdown and helped lead New York to a 16-7 victory.
307 all-purpose yards between the two former Buckeyes – not too bad.
4. Paul Warfield – Miami Dolphins – Super Bowls VI, VII and VIII
It's one thing to have one productive Super Bowl, but former Buckeye Paul Warfield had three – in consecutive seasons.
Warfield reached three-straight Super Bowls with the Miami Dolphins between 1972 and 1974, and he led his team in receiving yards in each of them.
Warfield hauled in four receptions for 39 yards against the Cowboys in Super Bowl VI, three receptions for 36 yards against the Redskins in Super Bowl VII and two receptions for 33 yards against the Vikings in Super Bowl VIII.
Obviously, those are hardly eye-popping numbers by today's standards, but even playing in three-straight Super Bowls is worthy of recognition in itself.
3. Eddie George – Tennessee Titans — Super Bowl XXXIV
Eddie George ran wild during his time in Columbus, and he ran wild during his lone Super Bowl appearance, too.
George rushed for 95 yards and two touchdowns – the Titans' only two touchdowns of the game – and added two catches for 35 yards to bring his game total to 130 yards accounted for.
Ultimately, it wasn't enough though, as Tennessee fell 23-16.
2. Mike Vrabel – New England Patriots – Super Bowls XXXVIII and XXXIX
Mike Vrabel did it on both sides of the ball in his final two Super Bowl appearances.
In Super Bowl XXXVIII, the former Buckeye All-American linebacker wreaked havoc on Jake Delhomme and the Panthers, finishing with the game with two sacks, then caught a clutch red zone touchdown to put the Patriots up 29-22 with 2:51 on the clock.
The next year, Vrabel did it again – again on both sides of the ball. He had a sack on Donovan McNabb, setting up an interception, and had his second touchdown catch in as many years. Not bad for a defensive player.
Here's a look at Vrabel's career highlights, including his Super Bowl sacks and catches.
1. Santonio Holmes – Pittsburgh Steelers – Super Bowl XLIII
54 former Buckeyes have played in the Super Bowl, but only one was ever named Super Bowl MVP: Santonio Holmes.
Holmes exploded for 131 yards on nine catches in the game, but he'll be forever remembered for just one of those receptions – the last.
With 42 seconds left and the Steelers trailing 23-20 with the ball on the Cardinals seven-yard line, Ben Roethlisberger tossed a ball to the back corner of the end zone where Holmes caught it and miraculously kept both feet in bounds for the game-winning score.
It was a legendary catch that will preserve Holmes' name in NFL lore for years to come.
| Super Bowl | Date | Name | Position | Team | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | Jan. 11, 1967 | Jim Tyrer | T | Kansas City Chiefs | L, 35-10 |
| III | Jan. 12, 1969 | Tom Matte | RB | Baltimore Colts | L, 16-7 |
| III | Jan. 12, 1969 | Bob Vogel | T | Baltimore Colts | L, 16-7 |
| III | Jan. 12, 1969 | Matt Snell | FB | N.Y. Jets | W, 16-7 |
| IV | Jan. 11, 1970 | Jim Tyrer | T | Kansas City Chiefs | W, 23-7 |
| IV | Jan. 11, 1970 | Jim Marshall | DE | Minnesota Vikings | L, 23-7 |
| V | Jan. 17, 1971 | Bob Vogel | T | Baltimore Colts | W, 16-13 |
| VI | Jan. 16, 1972 | Paul Warfield | WR | Miami Dolphins | L, 24-3 |
| VII | Jan. 14, 1973 | Paul Warfield | WR | Miami Dolphins | W, 14-7 |
| VIII | Jan. 13, 1974 | Jim Marshall | DE | Minnesota Vikings | L, 24-7 |
| VIII | Jan. 13, 1974 | Paul Warfield | WR | Miami Dolphins | W, 24-7 |
| IX | Jan. 12, 1975 | Jim Marshall | DE | Minnesota Vikings | L, 16-6 |
| XI | Jan. 9, 1977 | Len Willis | WR | Minnesota Vikings | L, 32-14 |
| XI | Jan. 9, 1977 | Jim Marshall | DE | Minnesota Vikings | L, 32-14 |
| XI | Jan. 9, 1977 | Jack Tatum | DB | Oakland Raiders | W, 32-14 |
| XI | Jan. 9, 1977 | Morris Bradshaw | WR | Oakland Raiders | W, 32-14 |
| XI | Jan. 9, 1977 | Neal Colzie | DB | Oakland Raiders | W, 32-14 |
| XII | Jan. 15, 1978 | Randy Gradishar | LB | Denver Broncos | L, 27-10 |
| XIV | Jan. 20, 1980 | Doug France | T | L.A. Rams | L, 31-19 |
| XIV | Jan. 20, 1980 | Bob Brudzinski | LB | L.A. Rams | L, 31-19 |
| XV | Jan. 25, 1981 | Morris Bradshaw | WR | Oakland Raiders | W, 27-10 |
| XVI | Jan. 24, 1982 | Pete Johnson | FB | Cincinnati Bengals | L, 26-21 |
| XVI | Jan. 24, 1982 | Ray Griffin | CB | Cincinnati Bengals | L, 26-21 |
| XVI | Jan. 24, 1982 | Archie Griffin | RB | Cincinnati Bengals | L, 26-21 |
| XVII | Jan. 30, 1983 | Tom Orosz | P | Miami Dolphins | L, 27-17 |
| XVII | Jan. 30, 1983 | Bob Brudzinski | LB | Miami Dolphins | L, 27-17 |
| XIX | Jan. 20, 1985 | Bob Brudzinski | LB | Miami Dolphins | L, 38-16 |
| XIX | Jan. 20, 1985 | John Frank | TE | San Francisco 49ers | W, 38-16 |
| XX | Jan. 26, 1986 | Shuan Gayle | S | Chicago Bears | W, 46-10 |
| XX | Jan. 26, 1986 | Mike Tomczak | QB | Chicago Bears | W, 46-10 |
| XXI | Jan. 25, 1987 | William Roberts | T | New York Giants | W, 39-20 |
| XXI | Jan. 25, 1987 | Pepper Johnson | LB | New York Giants | W, 39-20 |
| XXIII | Jan. 22, 1989 | John Frank | TE | San Francisco 49ers | W, 20-16 |
| XXV | Jan. 27, 1991 | William Roberts | T | New York Giants | W, 20-19 |
| XXV | Jan. 27, 1991 | Pepper Johnson | LB | New York Giants | W, 20-19 |
| XXVI | Jan. 26, 1992 | Joe Staysniak | OL | Buffalo Bills | L, 37-24 |
| XXVI | Jan. 26, 1992 | Jim Lachey | T | Washington Redskins | W, 37-24 |
| XXX | Jan. 28, 1996 | Mike Tomczak | QB | Pittsburgh Steelers | L, 27-17 |
| XXXI | Jan. 26, 1997 | William Roberts | G | New England Patriots | L, 35-21 |
| XXXI | Jan. 26, 1997 | Terry Glenn | WR | New England Patriots | L, 35-21 |
| XXXI | Jan. 26, 1997 | Keith Byars | FB | New England Patriots | L, 35-21 |
| XXXI | Jan. 26, 1997 | Tom Tupa | P | New England Patriots | L, 35-21 |
| XXXIII | Jan. 31, 1999 | William White | S | Atlanta Falcons | L, 34-19 |
| XXXIV | Jan. 30, 2000 | Chris Sanders | WR | Tennessee Titans | L, 23-16 |
| XXXIV | Jan. 30, 2000 | Eddie George | RB | Tennessee Titans | L, 23-16 |
| XXXIV | Jan. 30, 2000 | Orlando Pace | T | St. Louis Rams | W, 23-16 |
| XXXIV | Jan. 30, 2000 | Lorenzo Styles | LB | St. Louis Rams | W, 23-16 |
| XXXIV | Jan. 30, 2000 | Joe Germaine | QB | St. Louis Rams | W, 23-16 |
| XXXVI | Feb. 3, 2002 | Orlando Pace | T | St. Louis Rams | L, 20-17 |
| XXXVI | Feb. 3, 2002 | Mike Vrabel | LB | New England Patriots | W, 20-17 |
| XXXVI | Feb. 3, 2002 | Ryan Pickett | DT | St. Louis Rams | L, 20-17 |
| XXXVII | Jan. 26, 2003 | Tom Tupa | P | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | W, 28-21 |
| XXXVII | Jan. 26, 2003 | Rickey Dudley | TE | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | W, 28-21 |
| XXXVIII | Feb. 1, 2004 | Mike Vrabel | LB | New England Patriots | W, 32-29 |
| XXXIX | Feb. 6, 2005 | Mike Vrabel | LB | New England Patriots | W, 24-21 |
| XL | Feb. 5, 2006 | Rodney Bailey | DE | Seattle Seahawks | L, 21-10 |
| XLI | Feb. 4, 2007 | Mike Doss | DB | Indianapolis Colts | W, 29-17 |
| XLI | Feb. 4, 2007 | Tyler Everett | S | Chicago Bears | L, 29-17 |
| XLII | Feb. 3, 2008 | Mike Vrabel | LB | New England Patriots | L, 17-14 |
| XLIII | Feb. 1, 2009 | Santonio Holmes | WR | Pittsburgh Steelers | W, 27-23 |
| XLIV | Feb. 8, 2010 | Malcolm Jenkins | CB | New Orleans Saints | W, 31-17 |
| XLIV | Feb. 8, 2010 | Will Smith | DE | New Orleans Saints | W, 31-17 |
| XLV | Feb. 6, 2011 | Will Allen | DB | Pittsburgh Steelers | L, 31-25 |
| XLV | Feb. 6, 2011 | AJ Hawk | LB | Green Bay Packer | W, 31-25 |
| XLV | Feb. 6, 2011 | Ryan Pickett | DL | Green Bay Packer | W, 31-25 |
| XLV | Feb. 6, 2011 | Matt Wilhelm | LB | Green Bay Packer | W, 31-25 |
| XLVI | Feb. 5, 2012 | Jim Cordle | C | New York Giants | W, 21- 17 |
| XLVI | Feb. 5, 2012 | Jake Ballard | TE | New York Giants | W, 21- 17 |
| XLVII | Feb. 3, 2013 | Alex Boone | OT | San Francisco 49ers | L, 31-34 |
| XLVII | Feb. 3, 2013 | Larry Grant | LB | San Francisco 49ers | L, 31-34 |
| XLVII | Feb. 3, 2013 | Ted Ginn | WR | San Francisco 49ers | L, 31-34 |
| XLVII | Feb. 3, 2013 | Donte Whitner | S | San Francisco 49ers | L, 31-34 |
| XLIX | Feb. 1, 2015 | Nate Ebner | DB | New England Patriots | W, 28-24 |
| L | Feb. 7, 2016 | Andrew Norwell | OL | Carolina Panthers | L, 24-10 |
| L | Feb. 7, 2016 | Ted Ginn Jr. | WR | Carolina Panthers | L, 24-10 |
| L | Feb. 7, 2016 | Corey Brown | WR | Carolina Panthers | L, 24-10 |
| L | Feb. 7, 2016 | Bradley Roby | DB | Denver Broncos | W, 24-10 |
| LI | Feb. 5, 2017 | Nate Ebner | DB | New England Patriots | W, 34-28 |
