Illini in the NFL Weekly Archive | Illini in the NFL Website
A pair of Fighting Illini NFL rookies are in New Orleans this week for Super Bowl XLVII, which takes place this Sunday, Feb. 3, at 5:30 pm CT on CBS. Wide receiver A.J. Jenkins of the San Francisco 49ers and offensive lineman Jack Cornell of the Baltimore Ravens practice squad have been in the "Big Easy" all week going through all the usual Super Bowl week events while also getting ready, and helping their teams get ready, for the big game. It marks the seventh straight year and the 11th time in the last 12 years that at least one Illini has played in the Super Bowl.
AJ Jenkins has
been active for both 49ers playoff victories but did not see any action during
San Francisco's 28-24 win over the Atlanta Falcons in the NFC Championship
game. Selected by the 49ers with the 30th pick in the first round of the
2012 NFL Draft, Jenkins has yet to catch a pass during his rookie season,
despite seeing playing time in several games.
Jack Cornell has
spent the entire season on the Ravens practice squad after joining the team as
an undrafted free agent last summer. Though he doesn't suit up for the games,
he'll be there on the sideline and has been helping the team prepare for the
49ers during practice as he's done all season.
Check out Cornell's sweet Super Bowl jersey:
The Super Bowl jersey twitter.com/JackCornell73/...
-- Jack Cornell (@JackCornell73) January 29, 2013
ILlini History in the Super Bowl
Ed Brady (1):
Cincinnati XXIII
Bill Brown (3):
Minnesota IV, VIII, IX
Darryl Byrd (1): L.A.
Raiders XVIII
Jameel Cook (1): Tampa
Bay XXXVII
Carey Davis (1):
Pittsburgh XLIII
Dave Diehl (2): New
York Giants XLII, XLVI
Ken Dilger (1): Tampa
Bay XXXVII
Tony Eason (1): New
England XX
Greg Engel (1): San
Diego XXIX
Jim Grabowski (2): Green
Bay I, II
Howard Griffith (2): Denver
XXXII, XXXIII
Kelvin Hayden (2):
Indianpolis XLI, XLIV
Nathan Hodel (1): Arizona
XLIII
Robert Holcombe (2): St.
Louis XXXIV, XXXVI
Brad Hopkins (1):
Tennessee XXXIV
Henry Jones (3): Buffalo
XXVI, XXVII, XXVIII
Jim Juriga (1): Denver
XXIV
Greg Lewis (1):
Philadelphia XXXIX
Adam Lingner (4): Buffalo
XXV, XXVI, XXVII, XXVIII
Rashard Mendenhall (2): Pittsburgh
XLIII, XLV
Aaron Moorehead (1): Indianapolis
XLI
Ray Nitschke (1): Green
Bay I, II
Preston
Pearson (5): Baltimore III; Pittsburgh
- IX; Dallas - X, XII, XIII
Neil Rackers (1): Arizona
XLIII
Simeon Rice (1):Tampa
Bay XXXVII
Jack Squirek (1): L.A.
Raiders XVIII
Calvin Thomas (1): Chicago
XX
Pierre Thomas (1): New
Orleans XLIV
Steve Weatherford (1): New York
Giants XLVI
Eugene Wilson (3): New
England XXXVIII, XXXIX, XLII
Walter Young (2): Carolina XXXVIII
Other Illini Performances during Conference Championship Week
Brandon Lloyd, WR, New England Patriots - Had seven catches for 70 yards, including a long of 16 yards, in the Patriots' 28-13 loss to the Ravens in the AFC Championship game. Lloyd finished the playoffs with 12 catches for 102 yards and one touchdown, after racking up 74 receptions for 911 yards and four touchdowns in the regular season.
Tavon Wilson, FS, New England Patriots - Wilson played in the Patriots' AFC Championship game loss to the Ravens, but did not record a statistic. The rookie made three tackles in two playoff games after posting 41 tackles, six passes defended, four interceptions and two fumble recoveries in the regular season.
Michael Hoomanawanui, TE, New England Patriots - Hoomanawanui started and saw
plenty of action, but did not record any stats in the Patriots AFC Championship
game loss to the Ravens. He made six starts and recorded five catches for 109
yards, including a long of 41, in the regular season.
Leave a comment