Four Former Gators Clinch Spot in Super Bowl LVII

Four former Florida players, as well as a former Gators assistant coach, will take part in Super Bowl LVII.

The stage is set for a battle of No. 1 seeds as the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles will meet in Super Bowl LVII next month.

Four former Florida players, as well as a recent Gators assistant coach, will play in the NFL's championship game.

Kansas City boasts three former UF players on its roster, each being a significant contributor. 2022 First-Team All-Pro punter Tommy Townsend is the longest-tenured Gator with the Chiefs, near the completion of his third and best statistical season in the pros.

Townsend is joined by former Gators in wide receiver Kadarius Toney and Carlos Dunlap, both of which connected with the Chiefs this season as Toney was traded from the New York Giants in Oct. 2022 while Dunlap signed with the squad last July.

Since being acquired, Toney has hauled in 14 receptions for 171 yards and two touchdowns, adding five rushes for 59 yards and a score on the ground. He's taken seven touches for 59 yards and averaged 8.8 yards per punt return on four attempts in the postseason.

Dunlap, a seasoned veteran at 33 years old, will make his first Super Bowl appearances after 13 seasons in the pros. He previously spent over ten seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals before being traded to the Seattle Seahawks in 2020. He stayed in the Pacific Northwest for a season and a half before moving to the midwest to join the Chiefs.

In a rotational role on Kansas City's defensive line, Dunlap compiled 39 tackles, four sacks and six tackles for loss in 2022. He also has two tackles in this year's playoffs.

On the Eagles' side, arguably the biggest move Philadelphia made prior to its Super Bowl run was trading for former Florida defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson. Sending two day-three picks to the New Orleans Saints netted Philadelphia a league-leading six interceptions from Gardner-Johnson in 2022, to go with 67 tackles, five tackles for loss and eight pass breakups.

Gardner-Johnson has posted eight tackles and a defended pass so far this postseason.

While they only spent the 2018 season together at UF, Garnder-Johnson reunited with a familiar face in Philadelphia as a result of his trade: Former Gators offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, and now Eagles quarterbacks coach, Brian Johnson.

Johnson has been the subject of several offensive coordinator interviews elsewhere this postseason for the success he's found paired with quarterback Jalen Hurts in Philadelphia. Over two seasons with Johnson's guidance, Hurts has thrown for 6,845 yards, 38 touchdowns and 15 interceptions and rushed for 1,544 yards and 23 scores. 

Super Bowl LVII will take place at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz. on Sunday, Feb. 12 at 6:30 p.m. ET.

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