Washington State Cougars: Top-6 Super Bowl Cougs
Chip Clark
|
Drew Bledsoe, QB, 1990-92
Selected by New England with the first overall pick in 1993, Drew Bledsoe had a fantastic NFL career. He retired after 14 NFL seasons with 44,611 passing yards (17th all-time), 251 touchdown throws (23rd), 4 Pro Bowl selections, and a Super Bowl Championship ring. Most quarterbacks fantasize about that kind of production.
Then there is the other side of Bledsoe’s career. He may go down as the Wally Pipp of the NFL through no fault of his own. In Week 2 of the 2000 season, as he ran out of bounds, Bledsoe took a crushing hit from NY Jets linebacker Moe Lewis in the fourth quarter.
The result was fractured ribs and internal bleeding, which caused him to miss the remainder of the season. His backup, an unheralded rookie sixth-round pick from Michigan, Tom Brady, came in to finish the game, and the rest is history.
Although he won his ring as Brady’s backup in Super Bowl XXVI, Bledsoe started in a Super Bowl of his own. Playing against Brett Farve and an outstanding Green Bay defense in SB XXXI, Drew didn’t have his best day. He was 25 of 48 passing for 253 yards, 2 touchdowns, 4 picks, and was sacked 5 times in a 35-21 loss.
Mike Wilson, WR, 1978-80
There isn’t very much memorable about Jim Waldon’s early Washington State teams of the late 70s. That is, besides their Samoan quarterbacks, Jack Thompson and Samoa Samoa. Those passers needed someone to throw to, and that was Mike Wilson.
In the current wide-open offenses, Wilson’s career 48 receptions for 743 yards and 6 touchdowns isn’t much, but 45 years ago, it was good enough to get him to the next level. In 1978, he was among the Pac-10’s top ten for receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns.
Wison is also the answer to an odd bit of Super Bowl Trivia. A speedy wide receiver who could get deep, he was part of the great 1980s San Francisco 49ers dynasty. As for the trivia, Wilson played in and won four Super Bowls but made one catch.
His lone reception came in Super Bowl XVI, a Niners 26-21 win over Cincinnati. It was a 22-yard hookup with Joe Montana and was the game’s longest play.