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Tennessee football: How former Vols played in NFC, AFC championships

By Caleb Calhoun

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - JANUARY 20: Alvin Kamara #41 of the New Orleans Saints looks on during the game against the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Championship game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on January 20, 2019 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - JANUARY 20: Alvin Kamara #41 of the New Orleans Saints looks on during the game against the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Championship game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on January 20, 2019 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images) /
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Photo by Michael Chang/Getty Images
Photo by Michael Chang/Getty Images /

Super Bowl: Los Angeles Rams vs. New England Patriots

Rams: John Kelly 

Patriots: Cordarrelle Patterson

Here we go. Tennessee football has a player from each team in the Super Bowl, so it’s pretty obvious somebody is going to come away with a win. However, it’s not clear how much either player will contribute to that ring.

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Last year, Derek Barnett was silent all game but had the fumble recovery to clinch the Super Bowl for the Philadelphia Eagles against the New England Patriots. That was a huge deal, and it’ll be hard for any former Vol to match that this year.

John Kelly saw some significant action towards the end of the season as the Los Angeles Rams were resting Todd Gurley, but with Gurley back and fully healthy and the signing of CJ Anderson making a huge impact, it’s hard to see him getting any real action. But, as we keep saying, his play is unpredictable.

Meanwhile, Cordarrelle Patterson doesn’t fit the New England Patriots’ system, but he’s so good with the ball in his hands they have to find ways to use him. So he’ll get a few touches, and watch for what he does on kickoff returns.

Altogether, these are two former Vols whose final years on Rocky Top were years in which the last two Tennessee football coaches got fired. Patterson was a star for the Vols, and Jim Chaney of all people, the year Derek Dooley got fired in 2012. Kelly was the best offensive weapon for a team that grossly misused him the year Butch Jones got fired in 2017.

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When it comes to team success, it’s clear that both are in a better place than they were during those final years with the Vols. But only one is going to come home with a ring. At least the Vols can brag about the fact that not only will this be the 10th straight year one of their own plays in the Super Bowl. It’ll also be the 10th straight year that one wins a Super Bowl Championship.

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