The 49 Super Bowls with at least one USC football player
The USC Trojans have left a very large imprint on the Super Bowl. JuJu Smith-Schuster was a pivotal player in the Kansas City Chiefs’ victory over the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LVII one year ago. Ronald Jones of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers won a Lombardi Trophy in Super Bowl LV, the other Super Bowl trophy won by a Trojan this decade. All in all, USC players have played in 49 of 57 Super Bowls. That’s a very high percentage of times in which the Men of Troy have rostered at least one player for the NFL’s ultimate showcase.
As the Super Bowl moves closer to 60 games, the histories and retrospectives we remember from earlier decades seem smaller by comparison. I can remember my mom buying me the Official Encyclopedia of Pro Football, a thick, tall, black book with massive photo spreads… of the first 16 Super Bowls. Super Bowl history wasn’t very lengthy when I was a kid.
Now, though, we have 57 games in the books, with a 58th game to come on Feb. 11 in Las Vegas.
USC is a top-three program in all-time Super Bowl appearances among players. This refers to total appearances by players, as opposed to the number of players who have made an appearance. (In other words, this counts repeat/return appearances by individual players. Lynn Swann, Ronnie Lott, Ron Yary, Anthony Munoz, and many other Trojans returned to the Super Bowl after making their first trip.)
After Super Bowl LIII between the Los Angeles Rams and New England Patriots in 2019, the USC sports information department put the number of total Trojan Super Bowl appearances at 114. Ronald Jones put that number at 115 in Super Bowl LV, but other outlets put that number higher. A 2014 review put USC’s appearance total at 111, just to provide some context on this point. Given the number of USC appearances since Super Bowl XLVIII (Seahawks-Broncos) in February of 2014, when that review was published, USC’s total went to 121 with Ronald Jones’ appearance. JuJu Smith-Schuster and Ronald Jones were both rostered and active for Super Bowl LVII with the Chiefs. Robert Woods won a Super Bowl ring with the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LVI, but he was injured and not active for the game. You get the idea: There might be disputes about who officially counts as a rostered player.
Former USC quarterback Rob Hertel has an NFL player page, but he is not on the Pro Football Reference page for the 1980 NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles, who played in Super Bowl XV versus the Oakland Raiders in January of 1981. That explains the discrepancy between some final tallies and others.
It’s worth knowing that, just so we’re clear.
Now, enjoy this gallery of the 49 Super Bowls in which at least one USC football player was on a team roster.
SUPER BOWL I -- STAR TROJAN: WILLIE WOOD, PACKERS
ADDITIONAL TROJANS IN THIS GAME: Mike Garrett, Chiefs; Pete Beathard, Chiefs
SUPER BOWL II -- STAR TROJAN: WILLIE WOOD, PACKERS
OTHER TROJANS: Ben Wilson, Packers; Bob Svihus, Raiders; Rod Sherman, Raiders
SUPER BOWL IV -- STAR TROJAN: MIKE GARRETT, CHIEFS
OTHER TROJANS: Jim Vellone, Vikings; Ron Yary, Vikings
SUPER BOWL V -- ONLY TROJAN: RAY MAY, COLTS
Baltimore beat Dallas, 16-13.
SUPER BOWL VI -- ONLY TROJAN: TODY SMITH, COWBOYS
Dallas 24, Miami 3.
SUPER BOWL VII -- ONLY TROJAN: MIKE HULL, REDSKINS
Miami 14, Washington 7. The Dolphins completed the only perfect season in the Super Bowl era at 17-0.
SUPER BOWL VIII -- ONLY TROJAN: RON YARY, VIKINGS
Miami 24, Minnesota 7.
SUPER BOWL IX -- STAR TROJAN: GERRY MULLINS, STEELERS
OTHER TROJANS: Lynn Swann, Steelers; Ron Yary, Vikings; Steve Riley, Vikings
SUPER BOWL X -- STAR TROJAN: LYNN SWANN, STEELERS
OTHER TROJANS: Gerry Mullins, Steelers
SUPER BOWL XI -- STAR TROJAN: CLARENCE DAVIS, RAIDERS
OTHER TROJANS: Willie Hall, Raiders; Manfred Moore, Raiders; Charlie Phillips, Raiders; Mike Rae, Raiders; John Vella, Raiders; Skip Thomas, Raiders; Steve Riley, Vikings; Ron Yary, Vikings
SUPER BOWL XII -- ONLY TROJAN: JOHN GRANT, BRONCOS
Dallas 27, Denver 10.
SUPER BOWL XIII -- STAR TROJAN: LYNN SWANN, STEELERS
OTHER TROJANS: Gerry Mullins, Steelers; Dennis Thurman, Cowboys
SUPER BOWL XIV -- STAR TROJAN: LYNN SWANN, STEELERS
OTHER TROJANS: Pat Haden, Rams; Bill Bain, Rams; Ricky Odom, Rams; Charle Young, Rams; Gerry Mullins, Steelers
SUPER BOWL XV -- STAR TROJAN: ROD MARTIN, RAIDERS
OTHER TROJANS: Bob Chandler, Raiders; Mario Celotto, Raiders; Rob Hertel, Eagles
SUPER BOWL XVI -- STAR TROJAN: RONNIE LOTT, 49ERS
OTHER TROJANS: Charle Young, 49ers; Anthony Munoz, Bengals
SUPER BOWL XVII -- ONLY TROJAN: ROY FOSTER, DOLPHINS
Washington 27, Miami 17
SUPER BOWL XVIII -- STAR TROJAN: MARCUS ALLEN, RAIDERS
OTHER TROJANS: Rod Martin, Raiders; Don Mosebar, Raiders
SUPER BOWL XIX -- STAR TROJAN: RONNIE LOTT, 49ERS
OTHER TROJANS: Roy Foster, Dolphins; Riki Ellison, 49ers
SUPER BOWL XX -- STAR TROJAN: KEITH VAN HORNE, BEARS
OTHER TROJANS: Larry McGrew, Patriots; Mosi Tatupu, Patriots
SUPER BOWL XXI -- STAR TROJAN: DENNIS SMITH, BRONCOS
OTHER TROJANS: Tony Colorito, Broncos
SUPER BOWL XXII -- STAR TROJAN: DENNIS SMITH, BRONCOS
OTHER TROJANS: Zeph Lee, Broncos
SUPER BOWL XXIII -- STAR TROJAN: RONNIE LOTT, 49ERS
OTHER TROJANS: Anthony Munoz, Bengals; Riki Ellison, 49ers; Jeff Bregel, 49ers
SUPER BOWL XXIV -- STAR TROJAN: RONNIE LOTT, 49ERS
OTHER TROJANS: Jeff Bregel, 49ers; Riki Ellison, 49ers; Dennis Smith, Broncos; Paul Green, Broncos
SUPER BOWL XXV -- STAR TROJAN: LARRY MCGREW, GIANTS
OTHER TROJANS: Chris Hale, Bills
SUPER BOWL XXVI -- STAR TROJAN: RICKY ERVINS, REDSKINS
OTHER TROJANS: Chris Hale, Bills
SUPER BOWL XXVII -- ONLY TROJAN: CHRIS HALE, BILLS
Dallas 52, Buffalo 17
SUPER BOWL XXVIII -- ONLY TROJAN: SCOTT GALBRAITH, COWBOYS
Dallas 30, Buffalo 13
SUPER BOWL XXIX -- STAR TROJAN: TIM MCDONALD, 49ERS
OTHER TROJANS: Junior Seau, Chargers; Derrick Deese, 49ers
SUPER BOWL XXX -- ONLY TROJAN: EDWARD HERVEY, COWBOYS
Dallas 27, Pittsburgh 17
SUPER BOWL XXXI -- STAR TROJAN: KEN RUETTGERS, PACKERS
OTHER TROJANS: Willie McGinest, Patriots; John Michels, Packers; Lamont Hollinquest, Packers; Brian Williams, Packers; Kyle Wachholtz, Packers
SUPER BOWL XXXII -- STAR TROJAN: JOHN MICHELS, PACKERS
OTHER TROJANS: Lamont Hollinquest, Packers; Brian Williams, Packers
SUPER BOWL XXXIV -- ONLY TROJAN: BRUCE MATTHEWS, TITANS
St. Louis 23, Tennessee 16
SUPER BOWL XXXV -- ONLY TROJAN: JASON SEHORN, GIANTS
Baltimore 34, New York Giants 7
SUPER BOWL XXXVI -- ONLY TROJAN: WILLIE MCGINEST, PATRIOTS
New England 20, St. Louis 17
SUPER BOWL XXXVII -- STAR TROJAN: KEYSHAWN JOHNSON, BUCCANEERS
OTHER TROJANS: David Gibson, Buccaneers; Rob Johnson, Buccaneers; Brian Kelly, Buccaneers
SUPER BOWL XXXVIII -- STAR TROJAN: WILLIE MCGINEST, PATRIOTS
OTHER TROJANS: Rodney Peete, Panthers; Matt Willig, Panthers
SUPER BOWL XXXIX -- ONLY TROJAN: WILLIE MCGINEST, PATRIOTS
New England 24, Philadelphia 21
SUPER BOWL XL -- STAR TROJAN: TROY POLAMALU, STEELERS
OTHER TROJANS: Lofa Tatupu, Seahawks
SUPER BOWL XLII -- STAR TROJAN: JUNIOR SEAU, PATRIOTS
OTHER TROJANS: Steve Smith, Giants; Manuel Wright, Giants; Matt Cassel, Patriots
SUPER BOWL XLIII -- STAR TROJAN: TROY POLAMALU, STEELERS
OTHER TROJANS: Matt Leinart, Cardinals; Deuce Lutui, Cardinals
SUPER BOWL XLIV -- STAR TROJANS: SEDRICK ELLIS AND REGGIE BUSH, SAINTS
OTHER TROJANS: Fili Moala, Colts
SUPER BOWL XLV -- STAR TROJAN: CLAY MATTHEWS JR., PACKERS
OTHER TROJANS: Troy Polamalu, Steelers
SUPER BOWL XLVIII -- STAR TROJAN: MALCOLM SMITH, SEAHAWKS
OTHER TROJANS: Allen Bradford, Seahawks; Mike Morgan, Seahawks; Winston Justice, Broncos
SUPER BOWL XLIX -- STAR TROJAN: MALCOLM SMITH, SEAHAWKS
OTHER TROJANS: Allen Bradford, Seahawks; Mike Morgan, Seahawks
SUPER BOWL 50 -- STAR TROJAN: RYAN KALIL, PANTHERS
OTHER TROJANS: Wes Horton, Panthers
SUPER BOWL LII -- STAR TROJAN: NELSON AGHOLOR, EAGLES
Philadelphia 41, New England 33
SUPER BOWL LIII -- STAR TROJAN: NICKELL ROBEY-COLEMAN, RAMS
OTHER TROJANS: Robert Woods, Rams; Justin Davis, Rams
SUPER BOWL LV -- ONLY TROJAN: RONALD JONES, BUCCANEERS
Buccaneers 31, Chiefs 9
SUPER BOWL LVII -- STAR TROJAN: JUJU SMITH-SCHUSTER, CHIEFS
OTHER TROJAN: Ronald Jones, Chiefs (Marlon Tuipulotu was inactive for the Philadelphia Eagles)
