Coming Sunday, another Gophers Super Bowl champion

With at least one former Gopher player on both the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks, Minnesota’s football program will add another Super Bowl champion come Sunday night.

In Super Bowl LX in Santa Clara, Calif., the U has representatives in defensive end Boye Mafe and tight end Nick Kallerup on the Seahawks, and linebacker Jack Gibbens on the Patriots.

Seattle Seahawks tight end Nick Kallerup walks onto the field during practice at the team’s facilities ahead of the NFL football NFC Championship game against the Los Angeles Rams, Friday, Jan. 23, 2026, in Renton, Wash. (AP Photo/Maddy Grassy)

The Gophers’ last Super Bowl champion was kicker Ryan Santoso with the Rams in 2022, but he was on L.A’s practice squad. The last Super Bowl champs to play in the big game were safety Antoine Winfield Jr. and receiver Tyler Johnson with the Buccaneers in 2021. Before that, linebacker Damien Wilson won a ring with the Chiefs in 2020.

Mafe, a Hopkins High School graduate, was a second-round draft pick in 2022, while Kallerup, of Wayzata, was an un-drafted free agent last spring. Gibbens, of Bulverde, Texas, went undrafted in 2022 but then signed with the Tennessee Titans.

After three years in Nashville, Gibbens followed head coach Mike Vrabel to New England last offseason. With the Pats this season, he totaled 81 tackles, eight tackles for lost yards and one sack in 17 games.

Gibbens totaled 901 snaps, 573 on defense and at least 60 on five different special teams units. He went viral this week after sitting on the ground to accommodate reporter Dave Stevens, who was born without legs, during a media day interview.

“You’re a linebacker and used to putting people on their butts,” Stevens said in a video reposted widely on social media. “So, thank you for coming down to my level for a little bit.”

Gibbens had a humble start to his college career, playing his first four year at FCS-level Abilene Christian. He transferred to Minnesota for his final year and was outstanding, leading the team with 92 total tackles, 4½ for loss, three pass breakups and one forced fumble.

New England Patriots linebacker Jack Gibbens (51) blocks Los Angeles Chargers safety Tony Jefferson (23) during the second half of an NFL wild card playoff football game, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Greg M. Cooper)

Vrabel was so impressed with Gibbens during the Titans rookie minicamp in 2022 that he nicknamed him “Dr. Gibby” for his ability to respond to Vrabel’s quizzes.

On the Seattle side, Mafe had 31 total tackles and two sacks in the regular season and played 666 total snaps into the playoffs this year. He had 25 total snaps in the NFC Championship game against L.A. Rams last Sunday. He had a strong overall grade from PFF (69.2) this season and was credited with 41 total pressures.

Kallerup played 204 total snaps this season, including 13 in the NFC title game last weekend. He has primarily been used as a run blocker, but has two tackles and one target on the season.

Minnesota has had a total of 20 Super Bowl champions, with Tony Dungy winning one as a player with Pittsburgh in 1979 and one as a head coach in Indianapolis in 2007.

Four other players won multiple Super Bowls, including Gale Gillingham with Green Bay (1967, ’68), Keith Fahnhorst with San Francisco (1982, ’85), Jim Fahnhorst with San Francisco (1985, ’89 and 1990) and Tyrone Carter with Pittsburgh (2006, ’09).

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