How former Clemson football players performed in Super Bowl LV
Clemson football fans had the opportunity to see four former Tigers compete in Super Bowl LV Sunday evening down in Tampa Bay, Florida, a game in which we saw the Tampa Bay Buccaneers come away with a dominant 31-9 victory.
Tom Brady was himself and the Bucs’ defense was dominant in the win over the Chiefs, but the storyline many Tiger fans were watching had to do with former Clemson football players looking for a ring.
While three Tigers were on the losing side of the equation, we did see one former Tiger earn a Super Bowl ring: Punter Bradley Pinion.
Grading the performance of Clemson football players in Super Bowl LV
- Bradley Pinion, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Let’s go ahead and start with the lone Super Bowl champion of the group. Bradley Pinion punted four times for an average of 37.5 yards per punt. It certainly wasn’t his best effort and his long of the night was just 40 yards. He had one punt inside the 20, but the good news is that the Bucs didn’t need him to play perfect to win.
Pinion was the holder on field goals and extra points, as well.
Grade: D+
- Bashaud Breeland, Kansas City Chiefs
It wasn’t exactly the night that Bashaud Breeland wanted, but he still had some high spots before it was all said and done. He was called for pass-interference on a play that Chiefs fans will swear up-and-down was uncatchable. He was beaten on a few occasions and finished the night with three tackles.
It wasn’t a great night for Breeland by any means as those Bucs wide receivers- paired with Brady- lit up the Chiefs’ secondary.
Grade: C-
- Dorian O’Daniel, Kansas City Chiefs
Dorian O’Daniel was on the field, but only registered one tackle- the first tackle of game- for the Chiefs. He was quiet for most of the night. He didn’t exactly make any positive plays to let you know he was on the field, but he also didn’t make many mistakes that cost the team.
Grade: D+
- Sammy Watkins, Kansas City Chiefs
Sammy Watkins returned after dealing with a calf injury the last few weeks. Many Clemson football fans were hoping he was ‘due’ for a big-time performance on the biggest stage of them all, but that didn’t really happen.
Watkins finished the night with one catch for 13 yards.
He didn’t have that overall explosiveness that we are used to seeing from him and that may have to do with lingering affects from the injury.
Grade: D+
It wasn’t the night we were hoping for in terms of performances, but in the end, we got to see another Clemson football player earn a ring. More importantly, we got to see a College Football season ended with a National Championship and an NFL season ended with a Super Bowl in a year where many said it was impossible.