There have been a lot of good moments during the Super Bowl’s 52-year history involving Clemson players.
The first one that comes to my mind is Super Bowl XIV when former Tiger Bennie Cunningham, Clemson’s first two-time All-American, was the lead blocker that sprung Franco Harris into the end zone for the Pittsburgh Steelers’ first touchdown in their win over the Los Angeles Rams.
Then there is Levon Kirkland’s sack of Troy Aikman in Super Bowl XXX that gave the ball back to the Steelers with a chance to beat the Dallas Cowboys. Unfortunately, the Cowboys won the game, but Kirkland, considered the best linebacker in the game at the time, played his best game as a Steeler.
My moments just are not centered around my beloved Pittsburgh Steelers, though. I loved watching former Clemson star Grady Jarrett, who I covered for four years here, spin and slam Tom Brady to the ground in Super Bowl XLI two years ago.
Jarrett finished the game with three sacks, tying a Super Bowl record. If the Falcons would have won the game, I think he would have earned MVP honors.
Byron Maxwell was a key member of Seattle’s Legion of Boom in 2013, and he had a bone-jarring tackle in Super Bowl XLVIII that caused a fumble in the third quarter during their 43-8 win over Denver.
Of course, the best moment by a former Clemson player in the Super Bowl came in Super Bowl XX in New Orleans. William “The Refrigerator” Perry scored on a 1-yard plunge in the third quarter to give the Chicago Bears a 44-3 lead at the time in their win over the New England Patriots.
The touchdown, however, came with some controversy at the end because Bears’ head coach Mike Ditka gave the football to Perry on a gimmick play instead of allowing Hall of Fame running back Walter Payton, the NFL’s all-time leading rusher at the time, score the touchdown.
Many, including Payton himself, felt Payton deserved to score a touchdown in a Super Bowl after he suffered through so many bad seasons with the Bears and never asked to be traded. Payton never got back to another Super Bowl and many years later, Ditka admitted when looking back he should have given Payton the ball in that situation instead of Perry.
Perry, a rookie at the time, had scored a couple of touchdowns earlier that season for the Bears and with his loveable personality and country charm, he became a fan favorite in Chicago. Perry also started at defensive tackle in Super Bowl XX and was a part of the most famous defense for one season in NFL history.
On his touchdown, Perry plowed right through the Patriots’ defensive line with little residence and then spiked the football in the end zone.
“That one registered 3.8,” the late great play-by-play personality Dick Enberg said on NBC’s telecast of the game. “Another Super Bowl record, the first refrigerator to score.”
“And the largest running back to ever score a touchdown,” color analyst Merlin Olson said.
Perry weighed more than 300 pounds at the time he scored his touchdown.
Tonight, former Clemson All-American Dwayne Allen will try to become the second Tiger to score a touchdown in a Super Bowl when his Patriots take on the Rams in Super Bowl XLIII in Atlanta. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m., and will be televised by CBS.
—Above photo: USA TODAY Sports
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