The Super Bowl LVIII matchup is set in stone and there are several HBCU connections on both franchises who will meet in the game to decide this season’s NFL champion.
The Kansas City Chiefs punched their ticket to the Super Bowl by knocking off the Baltimore Ravens at home 20-10 in Baltimore on Sunday. That means former Fayetteville State defensive back Joshua Williams will be making his second appearance in the Super Bowl in as many seasons and looking for another ring. Williams had three tackles in the AFC Championship Game against the Ravens. He had 18 total tackles this season, defending five passes.
His teammate, former Howard defensive back Bryan Cook, is currently on injured reserve.
San Francisco 49ers defensive tackle Javon Hargrave will be heading back to the Super Bowl for the second year in a row. Hargrave finished Sunday’s game against the Detroit Lions with four tackles after compiling 44 tackles and seven sacks on the season. The former South Carolina State star made his Super Bowl debut last year as he helped the Philadelphia Eagles win the NFC Championship before falling to the Chiefs.
Beyond the players on the field, both the Chiefs and 49ers have members of their coaching staff with HBCU ties. San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Steve Wilks served as the defensive coordinator for Johnson C. Smith and Savannah State in the 1990s, and spent one season as Savannah State head coach.
On the opposite sideline will be Terry Bradden Jr., an assistant defensive line coach for the Chiefs. Braden played his college football at Howard University and Tuskegee University and was a member of the Bethune-Cookman coaching staff previously.
Super Bowl LVIII is set for February 11, 2023.
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