YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) – The Super Bowl is on Sunday, so you might be wondering how many Penguins have played on the NFL’s biggest stage.
According to Pro Football Reference, 29 Youngstown State University football players have gone on to the NFL. Out of those players, only nine of them have played in a Super Bowl.
One of these Penguins is a Youngstown native.
Do you remember any of these names?
Ron Jaworski: The ESPN sports television personality used to be a Penguin. Jaworski ranks first in pass completions in a season (139), pass completions in a career (325), passing yardage in a season (2,123), passing yardage in a career (4,612), most touchdown passes in a single game (4), and most touchdown passes in a season (18). He was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams in the 1973 NFL Draft. However, Jaworski lost Super Bowl XV to the Oakland Raiders when he was the QB of the Philadelphia Eagles.
Tim Johnson: The linebacker from Alabama made the most of his two seasons in Youngstown. According to the YSU Athletic Hall of Fame, Johnson had at least nine tackles in every game and 12 or more in 10 contests. Johnson played five seasons in the NFL with the Raiders and Ravens. He was a member of the Raiders team that lost the Super Bowl to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2003.
Quentin Lowry: A 1978 YSU graduate, Lowry finished his college career as a Division II All-American with 231 career tackles, including 123 solo tackles, eight fumble recoveries, 34 tackles for loss and one interception. He played three seasons in the NFL and won the Super Bowl with the Washington Redskins in 1983. The Redskins lost in the Super Bowl the following season.
Ed McGlasson: McGlasson was a member of the Penguins’ 1978 NCAA Division II Playoffs Semifinal team. He was the Penguins’ “Most Valuable Player” as a senior and was the team’s offensive “Lineman of the Year.” The center played three seasons in the NFL. McGlasson and the Rams lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XIV.
Derek Rivers: The defensive end finished fourth in YSU history in career tackles for loss. He also holds the YSU career sack record with 41. A teammate of Patterson’s, Rivers also won a ring in 2019 with New England. Rivers has 3.5 sacks in 24 NFL games with the Patriots, Rams and Texans.
Cliff Stoudt: An Ohio native, Stoudt led the Penguins to their first playoff appearance in 1974. He then went on to win two Super Bowl rings with the Steelers (XIII and XIV). Stoudt finished with 4,506 yards, 23 touchdowns and 43 interceptions in his career with the Pittsburgh Steelers, St. Louis Rams, Phoenix Cardinals and Miami Dolphins
Russell Stuvaints: The McKeesport, Pennsylvania-born defensive back played all three of his NFL seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He finished with 40 tackles in 23 games. Stuvaints was a member of the Steelers Super Bowl XL championship team in 2006.
Bob Thompson: The Hollywood, Florida native played for one season in the NFL. Thompson, a wide receiver, played two games with the Denver Broncos. Thompson and the Broncos lost to Washington in the Super Bowl in 1988.
Jeff Wilkins: The only player on this list who is a Youngstown native, Wilkins is the all-time leading scorer for YSU. He scored 373 points to set the school record for points by kicking and total points by a Penguin. He was a member of the 1991 and 1993 YSU National Championship teams. He also was a member of the 1992 National Championship runner-up team. Wilkins won his first Super Bowl with the Rams in 2000, but he lost his second opportunity for a ring in 2002.
WKBN also compiled a list of players who were born in the Youngstown area and who also played in a Super Bowl.
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