At its peak, the University of Miami’s great run of churning out elite football players lasted a quarter-century. But that’s half of 50, and it’s enough to carry the Hurricanes to having the most players who have suited up in the Super Bowl.
Thanks to Carolina Panthers’ tight end Greg Olsen, Miami will have 117 players who have donned a jersey in the World Championship of professional football. USC is right behind with 116.
Before we go much farther, a couple of trivia questions to test your Canes’ knowledge:
- What two Hurricanes have been named Super Bowl MVP?
- Who are the nine Miami players to have scored TDs in the Super Bowl?
Answers are below.
From the 1983 season to 2001, Miami won five national championships. They were a top-five team six other times. From drafts of 1983 (Jim Kelly) to 2008 (Kenny Phillips), the Hurricanes had 47 players who were drafted No. 1. Another 121 were drafted in later rounds. That run of talent led to an amazing streak: for 149 straight weeks in the NFL – from 2002-11 – at least one Miami Hurricane had scored a touchdown in a regular-season game. Many of those Hurricanes also played in the big game. And coached in the big game.
Jimmy Johnson, who went 44-4 in his last four years at Miami, took the Dallas Cowboys to a pair of Super Bowl victories. The roster had a distinct Canes’ look.
While Super Bowl victories hold special memories for former Canes like linebacker Ted Hendricks (four titles, three with the Raiders, one with Baltimore), wide receiver Michael Irvin (three with Dallas), defensive lineman Russell Maryland (three with Dallas), linebacker Darrin Smith (two with Dallas), defensive lineman Jimmie Jones (two with Dallas), defensive lineman Jim Burt (two, one with San Francisco, one with the Giants), running back Ottis Anderson (two with the Giants), defensive lineman Gary Dunn (two with the Steelers), linebacker Ray Lewis (two with Baltimore), defensive lineman Daniel Stubbs (two with San Francisco) and defensive lineman Vince Wilfork (two with New England) they hold painful ones for Buffalo quarterback Jim Kelly and Minnesota running back Chuck Foreman, who lost four and three Super Bowls, respectively. Very respectively.
Yes, it’s all about the U. But it’s also about I to X to XXIV to XXX to XL to L. Super Bowl officials are using 50 this year instead of L. The Roman numerals will return. And so will the Canes.
Trivia answers:
- The Canes two Super Bowl MVPs – Ottis Anderson and Ray Lewis.
- The nine Canes who scored touchdowns – Pete Banaszak (Oakland); Anderson; Irvin; Jones; Duane Starks (Baltimore); Devin Hester (Chicago); Reggie Wayne (Indianapolis); Jeremy Shockey (New Orleans); Frank Gore (San Francisco).