Who doesn’t love an Alabama football reunion on the grandest stage in sports?
Three of the four ex-Crimson Tide standouts that will play in Super Bowl 51 on Feb. 5 at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas hail from Nick Saban’s first No. 1-ranked signing class and BCS national championship team.
After watching receiver Julio Jones and defensive end Courtney Upshaw help the Atlanta Falcons secure a spot in the big dance, linebacker Dont’a Hightower assisted New England in registering its ticket.
He recorded three tackles, while helping the Patriots’ secondary limit receiver Antonio Brown to 66 yards on six catches in Sunday’s 36-17 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC Conference championship game.
Behind Hightower, New England’s defense allowed one red zone touchdown and two plays in excess of 20 or more yards. Prior to the match-up, the Patriots carried the NFL’s top-ranked scoring defense (15.6 ppg) and third-ranked rushing defense (88.6 ypg). It forced two Steelers turnovers, including an interception off quarterback Ben Roethlisberger in the second half.
Jones, Upshaw and Hightower each captured at least one Southeastern Conference championship and one national championship at the University of Alabama. While Jones seeks his first Super Bowl ring, Upshaw (2012, Baltimore Ravens) and Hightower (2014) are search for a second pro football championship.
Cyrus Jones is also in the conversation for Super Bowl hardware. The second-round pick of the Patriots hasn’t played much down the stretch—yet and still, he is on the roster for a shot to hold the Vince Lombardi Trophy.
Stephen M. Smith is a senior analyst and columnist for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @Smsmith_TDALMag.
