Bulls in the NFL: Playoff Update
By TOM ZEBOLD
USF Senior Writer
TAMPA, JAN. 15, 2019 – Former star USF center
Austin Reiter and the Kansas City Chiefs are one more win away from making their Super Bowl dream become a reality.
Reiter could become the 12
th player in USF history to be on a Super Bowl team if the Chiefs get past the New England Patriots in Sunday's AFC Championship that kicks off at 6:40 p.m. in Kansas City (TV: CBS). Kansas City punched its ticket to the AFC title game with a 31-13 victory over the Indianapolis Colts in last weekend's divisional round matchup that featured two Bulls.
Reiter saw seven snaps of action in his 12
th appearance of the season while former standout USF back
Marlon Mack rushed for 46 yards (5.1 ypc) with a long of 20 yards for the Colts. Mack finished his solid second NFL season with 1,102 rushing yards (4.8 ypc) and 11 total touchdowns with 10 scores produced on the ground.
On the NFC side of the playoff bracket, former USF defensive tackle
Bruce Hector was on Philadelphia's 53-man roster but was inactive for the Eagles' 20-14 loss at New Orleans last weekend. Hector was an inspiration to many players this season, going from an undrafted rookie to making the Eagles' initial 53-man roster and playing in eight games with two tackles and a half-sack.
With a Chiefs victory on Sunday, Reiter would become the ninth Bull on an active NFL roster to make a Super Bowl appearance, joining
Eric Lee (2017 season, Patriots),
Kayvon Webster (2014, 2016, Broncos),
Jason Pierre-Paul (2012, Giants),
Jacquian Williams (2012, Giants),
Kawika Mitchell (2008, Giants),
J.R. Reed (2005, Eagles),
Ryan Benjamin (2003, Buccaneers) and
Kenyatta Jones (2002, Patriots). Bulls on Super Bowl teams' practice squads have included
B.J. Daniels (2014-15 seasons, Seahawks),
Sampson Genus (2011, Packers) and
Scott McCready (2002, Patriots).
A total of nine Bulls have been a part of Super Bowl champion squads – Webster, Daniels, Pierre-Paul, Williams, Genus, Mitchell, Benjamin, Jones and McCready.
Find out how other former USF stars fared in the 2018 regular season below.
DE JASON PIERRE-PAUL: The ninth-year pro finished his stellar first season in Tampa Bay with 58 tackles (48 solo), 12.5 sacks, 16 tackles for loss, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery in 16 games (16 starts).- WR MARQUEZ VALDES-SCANTLING: The first-year pro was a playmaker with Green Bay, totaling 38 receptions for 581 yards (15.3 ypc) and two touchdowns. Valdes-Scantling also had two rushes for 29 yards (14.5 ypc), one kickoff return for 21 yards and made two special teams tackles in 16 games (10 starts).
LB AARON LYNCH: The fifth-year pro posted 16 tackles, three sacks and an interception in his first season with Chicago. Lynch missed the Bears' playoff game with an elbow injury and played in 13 total games this season with three starts.- DT DEADRIN SENAT: The third-round draft pick showed lots of potential with Atlanta, totaling 30 tackles (15 solo) and two tackles for loss in 15 games (two starts).
- DT TERRELL MCCLAIN: The eighth-year pro registered 17 tackles (nine solo) and a sack in 13 games (five starts) with Atlanta.
- DE MIKE LOVE: The rookie spent most of the season on Buffalo's practice squad and made an impact in the final three games with five tackles.
- DE ERIC LEE: The second-year pro totaled six tackles (four solo) in nine games with the Detroit Lions.
- CB KAYVON WEBSTER: The sixth-year pro made one tackle in two games (two starts) and was on Houston's injured reserve for most of the season.
- LB NIGEL HARRIS: The second-year pro saw action in two games for the Titans after spending most of the season on Tennessee's practice squad.
- RB QUINTON FLOWERS: USF's former record-breaking quarterback joined Cincinnati's 53-man roster for Week 17 but was not active for the Bengals' 16-13 loss at Pittsburgh. Flowers had been on the Bengals' practice squad throughout the season.
- CB DEATRICK NICHOLS: The first-year pro posted one tackle in two games with Arizona and was on the practice squad for most of the season before being released on Dec. 29.
- LB RESHARD CLIETT: The sixth-round pick in the 2015 NFL Draft was on the Minnesota Vikings' practice squad.
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ABOUT USF FOOTBALL
In just its 22nd season of football, and 19th at the FBS level, the USF football program has earned 10 bowl appearances, including a current run of four straight, and owns a record of 6-3 in bowl games. The Bulls have appeared in the national top 25 rankings in each of the past three seasons, including a program record run of 20 straight weeks in the top 25, and in 2018 reached the program's 150th win faster than any FBS program in state of Florida history. USF has posted a pair of 10-plus win seasons in the last three years, including a program-record 11 wins (11-2) in 2016, and logged 15 winning seasons overall. Since first taking the field in 1997, the USF program has reached as high as No. 2 in the national rankings (2007), seen 30 players selected in the NFL Draft, 14 named All-American and 29 earn first-team all-conference selection.
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