In Super Bowl XXX, Brentson Buckner played in front of 76,347 fans at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona as a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers. In Super Bowl XXXVIII, as a member of the Carolina Panthers, he played in front of 71,525 fans at Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas.
However, playing on Super Sunday, twice, in front of millions of people watching on television are not the biggest moments of his playing career.
“Playing in two Super Bowls was great because that is the pinnacle of what we do. It does not get any higher than that in your profession, but my greatest moment was running down that hill and playing in front of 85,000 people,” Buckner said as he looked over at Memorial Stadium and reminisced about all the good moments he spent as a Clemson Tiger.
Buckner was a two-time All-ACC defensive tackle at Clemson from 1990-’93, including a first-team selection in 1993. He was also a part of arguably the greatest defense in Clemson history.
In 1990, the Tigers led the country in total defense as they held their opponents to just 219.2 yards per game, including just 70.9 yards on the ground. The defense that year had seven players earn All-ACC honors and two—Rob Bodine and Levon Kirkland—were All-Americans. Eleven players from that defense, including Buckner, went onto play and start in the NFL.
Buckner experienced a lot of good memories in Death Valley, like when they wore purple jerseys for the first-time since 1939 against NC State in a 29-19 victory, or win they clinched the program’s 13th ACC Championship with a 40-7 win over Maryland also in 1991, or when they humbled an 18th-ranked North Carolina team, 40-7, in 1992.
However, Buckner’s favorite memory came on September 12, 1992, when the Tigers hosted Florida State in Death Valley’s first night game since 1956.
“Playing in the very first night game here in almost forty something years against Florida State, there was nothing like it,” the former Clemson star said. “Running down the hill that night … just running down the hill, there is nothing like it in college football.”
Buckner’s favorite Clemson experience, however, is something few former and current players have spoken about. As most know, the Clemson football team always spends the night before each home game in an Anderson, South Carolina hotel. That ride back into Clemson on game days is an experience Buckner says is something he still cherishes today.
The former defensive tackle described how the streets are lined with Clemson fans as the buses come into town. Car flags flying in the wind. Tailgates are all around with people cheering for them and pounding on the bus as they go by.
“That ride from Anderson, South Carolina to Clemson on game day is the greatest feeling you can ever have in football,” he said. “I don’t care if you went to Notre Dame or Miami or wherever. You need to make that ride at least one time in your life.
“It unlike anything else I ever experienced.”
—photo courtesy of Clemson Athletic Communications
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