The Kansas City Chiefs are headed back to the Super Bowl and a pair of rookies from HBCUs made a big play that helped get them there.
With the AFC Championship Game against the Cincinatti Bengals tied at 20 late in the fourth quarter, Chiefs rookie defensive back Bryan Cook tipped a Joe Burrow pass that landed in the hands of Joshua Williams. The interception stopped a potential go-ahead scoring drive for the Bills and gave the Chiefs the ball back.
The Chiefs wouldn’t score on that possession, but they would go on to win the game on a 46-yard field goal by Harrison Butker following a late-hit against quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
That gave the Chiefs a 23-20 lead with three seconds remaining. The Bengals got the ball on the ensuing kickoff with little time left, and Williams made the tackle that officially ended the game.
That sends the Kansas City Chiefs back to the Super Bowl. It will obviously be the first trip for Cook and Joshua Williams.
Cook finished his career at the University of Cincinnati, but started out at Howard University. He recorded 93 tackles, five tackles for a loss and five interceptions over two seasons. He eventually transferred and was picked in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft. He recorded 21 tackles and a sack during the regular season.
Williams was a fourth round pick in 2022, becoming the highest of four HBCU players drafted into the NFL. He did so after a stellar career at Fayetteville State in which he helped win four-consecutive CIAA Southern Division championships. A part-time starter during the 2022 season, Williams put together 27 tackles and one interception.
Now both men will be heading to the Super Bowl as the Kansas City Chiefs take on the Philadelphia Eagles on Feb. 12.