Odds are for representation of Middle Georgia in Super Bowl
Of all the items that sports books in Las Vegas will list as something to bet on, one thing absent is the odds that somebody from Middle Georgia will battle for a Super Bowl ring.
A year ago, former West Laurens standout Demaryius Thomas added to his ring collection when Denver beat Carolina 24-10, preventing community-oriented Hawkinsville grad Charles Johnson from getting a ring.
A year before that, former Fort Valley State standout Ricardo Lockette played a huge role for Seattle against New England, a role in history. He was the intended receiver on a pass that was picked off at the goal line by Malcolm Butler to seal the Patriots’ 28-24 win.
But Lockette’s NFL career — which included winning the Super Bowl after the 2013 season — came to a premature end when he suffered a neck injury in the middle of the 2015 season against Dallas. He announced his retirement the following May.
Thomas and Lockette were on opposite sides in Super Bowl XLVIII when Seattle rolled to a 43-8 win. And so on.
There will be a local connection back in the state on Saturday when Seattle visits Atlanta in an NFC Divisional playoff game. Seattle defensive line coach Travis Jones is a Wilkinson County graduate who played at Georgia and has coached Miami and New Orleans in the NFL before joining the Seahawks in 2013.
The most veteran and active of the remaining players from the area is Westside’s Kareem Jackson, who faces New England in Saturday’s night game. The former Alabama starter is in his seventh season with Houston and has been a starter from day one.
He had 62 tackles in the regular season, second on the Texans, and he returned an interception 42 yards for a touchdown against Jacksonville on Nov. 13, the third of his NFL career.
A trio of Middle Georgia alums will battle when Pittsburgh travels to Kansas City to open Sunday’s action.
Bud Dupree, another Wilkinson County grad, entered the postseason 14th on Pittsburgh’s defense with 24 tackles and is among the team leaders with 4.5 sacks.
On the other sideline is Steven Nelson, a Northside grad, in the secondary for Kansas City. The Oregon State product has had a superb second year in the NFL, ranking fourth with 65 tackles for Kansas City. He has 16 passes defended, but is looking for his first pro interception.
If that happens in the playoffs, the timing would be nice: He turns 24 on Jan. 22.
Peach County’s Demarcus Robinson left Florida after his junior season and a Gators career dotted with assorted disciplinary measures.
But the fourth-round draft pick last spring has been a steady citizen for the Chiefs in mostly special teams duty, with four tackles, although he did see some offensive snaps in the regular-season finale.
The Middle Georgia product with probably the best chance for a ring is one who already has a ring but hasn’t been in a uniform in almost a decade.
Westfield grad James Liipfert followed up his playing career at Georgia Tech by quickly joining New England as a scouting assistant. He was an area scout for five seasons and is in his second season as a national scout.
And according to Las Vegas, the area product with the best chance to be smiling on Feb. 5 is, in fact, Liipfert.
The next best chance is Dupree, with Pittsburgh the fourth pick, according to several lines. But after New England and Dallas as the consensus conference favorites, it’s pretty crowded with Atlanta, Green Bay and Pittsburgh.
The longest shot belongs to Jackson and Houston, who get the favorite on Saturday at New England.
This story was originally published January 12, 2017 at 1:46 PM with the headline "Odds are for representation of Middle Georgia in Super Bowl."