7 football players with Bradenton ties kickoff Super Bowl quest as NFL playoffs start

Manatee County’s history with the Super Bowl is steep.

Henry Lawrence won three Super Bowl rings with the Raiders.

Alvoid Mays won a ring with the Washington Redskins.

Tyrone Williams won one with the Green Bay Packers.

Those are just a sample of players who played high school football in Manatee County, made it to the NFL and won a Super Bowl.

There are several others throughout the years that played in the Super Bowl.

What about this year?

Saint Stephen’s alum Sydney Brown gets a homecoming of sorts during the NFL’s Wild Card round. Brown is a rookie safety with the Philadelphia Eagles.

The Eagles face the Buccaneers in Tampa on Monday in a first-round NFC playoff game. In Week 17, Brown returned an interception 99 yards for a touchdown. It was his first career interception and touchdown.

The last time a former Manatee County high school player tallied a pick-six covering 99 yards was when Lakewood Ranch alum Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie did it in 2008 against the St. Louis Rams.

DRC was a rookie that season for the Arizona Cardinals. That season also saw the Cards reach the Super Bowl.

Aside from Brown, there are several former IMG Academy players on NFL rosters.

Here’s the status of IMG Academy alums by team:

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Robert Hainsey, center

Philadelphia Eagles

Nolan Smith II, linebacker

Eli Ricks, cornerback

Cleveland Browns

Greg Newsome, nickelback

Grant Delpit, safety (injured reserve)

Baltimore Ravens

Daniel Faalele, tackle