Syracuse’s history of Orange alumni playing or coaching in the Super Bowl will grow this Sunday. Former Orange gridders Tom Coughlin, the New York Giants head coach, and Markus Paul, the Giants assistant strength and conditioning coach, are preparing for the sport’s biggest day of the year.  It is the second Super Bowl appearance for the pair with the same team. Coughlin, once a running back for the Orange, and Paul, an All-American SU safety, worked the sidelines for the Giants when they defeated the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLII and dashed the Patriots’ hopes for a flawless season.  Of course, another Syracuse alumnus had a hand – or a head rather – in that Giants victory:  David Tyree’s “helmet catch” is one of the great plays in Super Bowl history.  Tyree ended the game having gained three catches for 43 yards and a touchdown, as well as the adoration of Giants supporters and the ire of Patriots fans.

Though 2008 was a proud moment for the Orange in the Super Bowl, it is not the only time that former Syracuse players have influenced the NFL’s championship game.  In fact, this will be the fifth Super Bowl for Paul, who was an assistant strength coach for the Patriots when they won in 2001, 2004 and 2005.  Beyond the sideline, former Orange greats including John Mackey, Larry Csonka, Art Monk, Daryl Johnston, Marvin Harrison, Donovan McNabb and Dwight Freeney have all played and contributed in Super Bowl games.

The First Orange in the Super Bowl: John Mackey
Legendary tight end John Mackey was the first Syracuse alumnus to play in the game, catching three passes (35 yards) for the Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III – one of the most anticipated matchups in Super Bowl history between the Colts and the Jets – in 1968.  Two years later the Colts returned to the Super Bowl, beating the Dallas Cowboys 16-13, with the help of Mackey’s 75 yard touchdown catch.

Three in a Row for Csonka
Miami Dolphins running back, and a former two-time All-American for the Orange, Larry Csonka played in three consecutive Super Bowls during the Dolphins’ domination of the NFL in the early 1970s.  Csonka’s Dolphins won in 1972 and in 1973, the latter completing the NFL’s only undefeated season.  Csonka rushed for over 100 yards in both games, but he was truly dominant in the 1973 game.  In Super Bowl VIII, Csonka destroyed the Minnesota Vikings, as he rushed 33 times for 145 yards and two touchdowns and earned Super Bowl MVP honors.  He became the first running back to earn the award and is one of seven running backs to ever do so.

Three Victories for Monk and Johnston
Art Monk and Daryl Johnston also played in three Super Bowls each.  Monk, a Hall-of-Famer and former All-American receiver, won twice with the Washington Redskins, while Johnston was the bruising fullback and lead blocker for Emmitt Smith and the Dallas Cowboys during the team’s dynasty years of the early-to-mid 1990s.  Johnston and the Cowboys won in all three of their appearances.

The Colts Connection: Harrison and Freeney
More recently, All-Americans wide receiver Marvin Harrison and defensive end Dwight Freeney were both members of the Super Bowl XLI Indianapolis Colts team, which beat the Chicago Bears.   That winning 2006 Colts team boasted not just Harrison and Freeney, but a total of five former Syracuse players.  Freeney also went on to play in the 2009 Super Bowl, where the Colts lost in thrilling fashion against the New Orleans Saints.

In total, Syracuse has sent 34 of its former football players to compete in 32 different Super Bowls, with 49 overall appearances. Thirty of those aggregate appearances have resulted in wins, with the possibility to add to that total on Sunday.

Article source: http://suathletics.syr.edu/news/2012/2/3/FB_0203123859.aspx

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