Stanford in the NFL: Super BowlStanford in the NFL: Super Bowl
Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Football

Stanford in the NFL: Super Bowl

LAS VEGAS -- Kansas City Chiefs safety Justin Reid '19 became the fourth Stanford alum to win back-to-back Super Bowls, joining John Elway, Darrien Gordon, and Ed McCaffrey of the 1997 and 1998 Denver Broncos.  

The Chiefs beat the San Francisco 49ers and Reid's Stanford teammate Christian McCaffrey, 25-22, in overtime in Super Bowl LVIII at Allegiant Stadium on Sunday.

Reid, who started at strong safety, made nine tackles and shared Kansas City's only sack. Reid had a quarterback hurry and four solo tackles while playing 73 of the Chiefs' 75 defensive snaps, plus five special teams plays.

Reid needs one more title to join Ed McCaffrey and Hampton Pool of the 1940s Chicago Bears as Stanford alums to have played on the most NFL championship teams, with three. 

 

Justin Reid. Photo by Kyle Terada/USA TODAY Sports.


Christian McCaffrey '17 became the 43rd Stanford alum to play in a Super Bowl and was part of the second Cardinal father-son combination to play in NFL championship games, joining the McColls. Bill McColl was an end for the 1956 Bears and Milt McColl was a linebacker for the 1984 49ers. 

McCaffrey, named NFL Offensive Player of the Year by the Associated Press, gained a game-high 160 yards from scrimmage and scored on a second-quarter 21-yard pass from receiver Jauan Jennings to give the 49ers a 10-0 lead. Including the postseason, McCaffrey, the NFL touchdown leader, scored 26 touchdowns this season. 

The NFL rushing leader gained 80 yards on 22 carries and caught eight passes for 80 yards. McCaffrey became the first player to record at least 80 rushing yards and 80 receiving yards in a Super Bowl. Including the postseason, McCaffrey gained 2,443 yards from scrimmage this season.

 

Christian McCaffrey. Photo by Mark J. Rebilas/USA TODAY Sports.


Curtis Robinson '20 was on the 49ers' practice squad and did not play. All three – Reid, McCaffrey, and Robinson -- were teammates in 2016 when the Cardinal capped off a 10-3 season with a 25-23 victory over North Carolina in the Sun Bowl and finished with a No. 12 ranking.

The 49ers were built by alum John Lynch, the NFL Hall of Famer and S.F. General Manager and President of Football Operations. Keena Turner, Stanford's linebackers coach from 1992-94, is the 49ers' Vice President and Senior Advisor the General Manager. 

This marked the fourth consecutive Super Bowl with Stanford player representation. Forty-three different alums have played in 39 different Super Bowls. Of those, 22 have played in a Super Bowl and won. They are among 26 different alums to have played in and won NFL championship games.

Fifty-two alums have played in league title games, including the Super Bowl and in the pre-Super Bowl championship games of the NFL and American Football League, and All-America Football Conference.