While the focus of Super Bowl 60 is usually on star players like Drake Maye and Jaxon Smith-Njigba, history suggests this Sunday’s clash between the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks may be decided by individuals who receive less attention.
Over the years, countless unheralded players have stepped up to make clutch plays on American football’s biggest stage.
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Milton Williams played a dominant defensive role for the Philadelphia Eagles against Kansas City last year, earning him a lucrative free-agent contract with New England in the offseason.
The Kansas City Chiefs won back-to-back championships with unexpected heroes. Mecole Hardman scored the decisive touchdown in overtime against San Francisco in Super Bowl 58, while Kadarius Toney’s touchdown reception and key long punt return played a key role in last year’s win over the Eagles.
Mecole Hardman is the unexpected hero of Super Bowl 58 (Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)
The annals of Super Bowl history are filled with stories like this, from surprise MVPs like Larry Brown, Dexter Jackson and Malcolm Smith to Jack Squilic’s interception touchdown for the Raiders in Super Bowl XVIII.
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Timmy Smith rushed for 204 yards in his first start for Washington in Super Bowl 22, and David Tyree’s iconic “helmet catch” derailed New England’s pursuit of an undefeated season in Super Bowl 42, all of which underscored this enduring story.
As the Super Bowl approaches this Sunday, here are some under-the-radar players who could become unlikely heroes:
New England WR Mike Hollins
Now on his fifth team in as many years, Hollins has been a quiet contributor throughout his career, known for unconventional habits like going barefoot and not using cutlery.
Initially emerging as a valuable special teams player, he also had 46 catches for 550 yards in his second productive season.
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Hollins caught five deep catches and converted eight of his nine third or fourth downs into first downs.
Seattle linebacker Derek Thomas
The third-year undrafted linebacker has become a key cog in Seattle’s strong defense, starting 16 regular season and postseason games.
Thomas threw an interception in the red zone and orchestrated one of the most pivotal defensive plays of the season to help the Seahawks beat San Francisco in Week 18 and secure the division title and top seed.
He has 3.5 sacks, 10 tackles for loss, and eight passes defensed this season, and he has proven to be effective against both the run and the pass.
Derek Thomas could become key player for Seahawks (AP)
New England S Craig Woodson
The fourth-round pick out of Cal State immediately became a fixture on New England’s defense, recording more snaps than any other player on the team during the regular season.
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Woodson excelled against both the run and pass, which improved his performance in the postseason.
He made a key defensive play on RJ Harvey on a crucial fourth-down play in the AFC Championship Game that changed New England’s momentum.
Craig Woodson could play a crucial role (Getty Images)
Seattle P Michael Dixon
The Seahawks’ longest-tenured player earned second-team All-Pro honors this season and had a stellar playoff run.
In the NFC Championship Game, he limited the Rams to the 20-yard line on four of his five punts, including a fifth that was stifled, leading to a Seattle recovery at the 17-yard line.
The average opponent’s punt kickoff in the playoffs has started inside the 15-yard line, and Dickerson has recorded just three touchdowns all season and just one in the last 13 games.
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New England DT Khiris Tonga
Tonga became an integral part of New England’s strong run defense in his first season with the Patriots, playing a strong role in the middle of the defensive line. He had a sack in the divisional round and occasionally played as a blocking back in the offense.
Kairis Tonga could take center stage (Getty Images)
Seattle RB George Holani
The second-year player saw limited offensive action during the regular season, but was thrust into a larger role after Zach Charbonnet suffered a season-ending knee injury in the divisional round.
Holani played a career-best 23 offensive snaps in the NFC Championship Game against the Rams, and his three catches equaled his total in the previous two seasons combined.
He could be used extensively on third down, especially considering he’s a better pass-blocker than starter Kenneth Walker.
