When building a roster capable of winning a Super Bowl, it doesn’t hurt to put a Missouri defender or two on the field.
The St. Louis Rams can thank former Missouri linebacker Mike Jones for their first Super Bowl ring. Jones tackled Tennessee wide receiver Kevin Dyson at the St. Louis 1-yard line on the final play of the 2000 Super Bowl to preserve a 23-16 victory over the Titans. Jones made 68 tackles and scored three defensive touchdowns in 1999 to help the Rams reach that Super Bowl.
San Francisco 49ers drafted cornerback Eric Wright in the second round out of Missouri in 1981 and he became one of three rookie starters in the secondary for the 49ers. San Francisco went on to win the first of four Lombardi Trophies in the decade that season. Wright intercepted 18 passes in his 10-year career, all with the 49ers, and went to two Pro Bowls. He added two more interceptions in Super Bowls.
Linebacker Andy Russell won two Super Bowl rings with the 1970s Steelers. He led the team with four tackles and broke up two passes in that first Super Bowl victory over the Minnesota Vikings in 1976 and added nine tackles in the second Super Bowl victory the following year over the Dallas Cowboys.
Cornerback Otis Smith also won a Super Bowl ring with the 2001 New England Patriots when he and his Hall-of-Fame cornerback running mate Ty Law mugged St. Louis receivers Isaac Bruce and Torry Holt in an upset of the St. Louis Greatest how on Turf.
In addition, linebacker Gus Otto played in a Super Bowl with the Oakland Raiders in 1968, defensive tackle Evander Hood played in a Super Bowl with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2011 and defensive end Justin Smith played in a Super Bowl with the San Francisco 49ers in 2013.
You can find all but Otis Smith on the all-time Missouri NFL team. The cornerback spot opposite Wright went to Hall-ofFamer Roger Wehrli. The Missouri offense features two key figures of the Air Coryell era in San Diego in the 1980s, Hall of Fame tight end Kellen Winslow and offensive tackle Russ Washington.
Here is the all-time Missouri NFL team:
*-QB—Blaine Gabbert, 10 seasons, 48 starts, 50 TD passes
HB—Johnny Roland, 2 Pro Bowls, 9 seasons, 3,750 rushing yards, 34 TDs
FB—James Wilder, Pro Bowl, 10 seasons, NFL-leading 407 carries in 1984
WR—Mel Gray, 4 Pro Bowls, 12 seasons, 45 TDs, 18.9 yards per career catch
WR—Henry Marshall, 12 seasons, 416 catches, 33 touchdowns
TE—Kellen Winslow, Hall of Fame
T—Russ Washington, 5 Pro Bowls, 15 seasons, 196 starts
T—Francis Peay, 9 seasons, 63 starts
G—Bruce Van Dyke, Pro Bowl, 11 seasons, 121 starts
G—Brad Edelman, Pro Bowl, 9 seasons, 87 starts
*-C—Mitch Morse, 7 seasons, 96 starts
DE—Justin Smith, 5 Pro Bowls, 14 seasons, 87 sacks
DE—Jeff Cross, Pro Bowl, 8 seasons, 60 sacks
*-DT—Sheldon Richardson, Pro Bowl, 9 seasons, 34 sacks
DT—Evander Hood, 10 seasons, 14 sacks, 5 fumble recoveries
LB—Andy Russell, 7 Pro Bowls, 12 seasons, 162 starts, 2 Super Bowl rings
LB—Gus Otto, Pro Bowl, 8 seasons, 95 starts, 6 interceptions
LB—Mike Jones, made Super Bowl-saving tackle for Rams in 2000
CB—Roger Wehrli, Hall of Fame
CB—Eric Wright, 2 Pro Bowls, 10 seasons, 18 interceptions, 4 Super Bowl rings
S—Erik McMillan, 2 Pro Bowls, 6 seasons, 7 defensive touchdowns
S—William Moore, Pro Bowl, 7 seasons, 20 takeaways
K—Jeff Brockhaus, 19 career placement kicks, 20 points
KR—Leo Lewis, 209 combined kick and punt returns, 1 touchdown
ST—Andrew Gachkar, 7 seasons, 64 career special-teams tackles
LS—Beau Brinkley, 10 seasons, 138 career games
*-Still active
