State Alumni Inactive For 49ers in Super Bowl
The San Francisco 49ers have two former NC State players on their roster for Super Bowl LVI on Sunday.
Neither one of them played in the game, however.
Cornerback Donate Johnson was designated as inactive just before the start of the game in Miami against the Kansas City 49ers. Defensive end Kentavius Street is on injured reserve after after a recurrence of the knee injury he suffered during workouts prior to the 2018 NFL draft.
Johnson, a six-year veteran who played for the Wolfpack from 2010-13, has had an eventful season although not always on the field. After going through the preseason with the 49ers, he signed with the San Diego Chargers, but was released after just two games.
He was picked up by the 49ers on Oct. 3 only to be let go again on Nov. 11. Exactly one month later, though, Johnson re-signed with the 49ers and saw action in two games to finish the regular season.He was credited with two defensive tackles and three special teams stops.
In 73 career NFL games (22 starts), mostly with the 49ers, Johnson has been credited with 151 tackles and two interceptions — both of which he returned for touchdowns.
Street, meanwhile, had been dealing with injuries since being taken by San Francisco in the fourth round of the 2018 draft. He missed his entire rookie season after tearing his ACL in a predraft workout for the New York Giants.
He appeared to be fully recovered during the 2019 preseason when he recorded five tackles and 1.5 sacks in a preseason game against the Denver Broncos on Aug. 19. But a recurrence of the knee problem required an arthroscopic procedure and forced him back onto the injured reserve list.
Street was finally healthy enough to be activated on Dec. 14 and made his NFL debut in a game against the Atlanta Falcons that Sunday. But after playing in the final four regular season games — making four tackles — the 6-2, 287-pound native of Greenville suffered another setback with his knee and returned to the IR.
While neither of the two players is in uniform, the Wolfpack still has a presence in the game.
Umpire Barry Anderson, one of a record five minority members of the Super Bowl officiating crew, is a graduate of State.
