Nine Connections Between Wisconsin and the Super Bowl Teams - Yahoo Sports

Wisconsin connections head to Super Bowl LVIII, with former Packers and Wisconsin players playing big roles in the championship game.

The Green Bay Packers may have suffered a narrow loss to the San Francisco 49ers, but there are several Wisconsin connections heading to Super Bowl LVIII in two weeks.

The Chiefs and 49ers, who will meet in Las Vegas for the championship game on Feb. 11, have notable ties to Wisconsin.

Andy Reid, who served as a Green Bay Packers assistant offensive line and tight ends coach from 1992 to 1998, has had a successful coaching career. He became head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles in 1999, leading the team to a Super Bowl, and later took over the Chiefs in 2013. He has had four Super Bowl appearances and two rings.

The linebacker from Grantsburg and standout at the University of Wisconsin made 10 starts in the regular season, finishing with three sacks, eight tackles for loss and 65 total tackles. He has also made two playoff starts in three appearances, with nine tackles.

The home-run threat receiver, who signed with the Chiefs before the 2022 season, has made big plays in back-to-back conference title games. He caught six passes for 116 yards against the Bengals in last year's AFC title game to reach the Super Bowl, and against Baltimore on Sunday, his output was more modest, but his 32-yard reception on the final drive essentially iced the game for the Chiefs.

The Brookfield East alumnus appeared in eight games for the Chiefs this year and all three playoff games, seeing the field for roughly 12% of offensive snaps and 17% on special teams in the regular season. He was part of Kansas City's Super Bowl team in the 2019 season and played in the Super Bowl again in 2020.

Holland, who played seven seasons with the Packers and registered 100 or more tackles in each of his last six seasons, became part of the Packers Hall of Fame in 2001. Today, he's the 49ers linebackers coach and a coaching veteran, beginning as a defensive quality control coach for the Packers teams that went to two Super Bowls during a run from 1995-97.

The former Packers linebacker in his second season with the 49ers playing on special teams and defense. He has one sack, one interception and a career-best 46 tackles this season.

The long snapper appeared in four games for the Packers in 2017. He's been with the 49ers since 2020, playing in all 17 games the past three seasons.

The second-team All-Pro receiver has had an outstanding season, with 1,342 yards receiving and seven touchdowns, and all of that was before his incredible catch off of a defender's facemask in the NFC championship game and subsequent touchdown catch.

A report at the time indicated the 49ers were nervous that the Packers would snag the Arizona State standout Aiyuk, and so San Francisco traded up to the 25th pick. With Aiyuk off the board, the Packers traded up to spot No. 26 ... and took Jordan Love.

The Packers have famously eschewed drafting receivers in the first round, though the past two drafts demonstrate why that's been sound. The Packers have loaded up on pass catchers outside the first round like Jayden Reed (second round), Christian Watson (second), Luke Musgrave (second), Tucker Kraft (third), Romeo Doubs (fourth) and Dontayvion Wicks (fifth).

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