2 Gamecocks headed to this year’s Super Bowl
Ernest Jones’ rookie season will end with a trip to the Super Bowl.
The former South Carolina standout and Los Angeles Rams linebacker earned a spot in the big game with a 20-17 win over the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday in the NFC Championship.
The Rams will play the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl 56 on Feb. 13. The Bengals rallied to beat the Kansas City Chiefs 24-21 earlier on Sunday.
Jones was active Sunday after missing the past five games with an ankle injury against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 16. He had two tackles in Sunday’s win. One of those tackles was on former Gamecock Deebo Samuel, a receiver for the 49ers.
Samuel scored San Francisco’s first touchdown on a 44-yard TD catch in the first half. He finished with four catches for 72 yards and rushed for 26.
After the game, Rams receiver Odell Beckham Jr. was shown consoling Samuel on the sidelines.
Jones was a third round pick by the Rams in the 2021 NFL Draft. He had 61 tackles and two interceptions in 15 games during the regular season.
Jones won’t be the only former Gamecock to play for a Super Bowl team this year. Former Gamecocks running back coach Thomas Brown is the running backs coach for the Rams.
Elliott Fry was signed by the Cincinnati Bengals at the end of the season and played in the last game of the regular season. He was placed on the practice squad injury list the following week with a groin injury.
State of SC connections in Super Bowl 56
USC: Ernest Jones (Rams), x-Thomas Brown (Rams), Elliott Fry (Bengals)
Clemson: Tee Higgins (Bengals), DJ Reader (Bengals), Jackson Carman (Bengals), Tremayne Anchrum (Rams)
Other: Irmo native Auden Tate (Bengals)
x-Assistant Coach
FORMER GAMECOCKS IN RECENT SUPER BOWLS
2022 — Ernest Jones (Los Angeles Rams), Elliott Fry (Cincinnati Bengals - injured reserve)
2021 — Rashad Fenton and Chris Lammons (Kansas City Chiefs), Ryan Succop and Kobe Smith (Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
2020 — Deebo Samuel (San Francisco 49ers) and Rashad Fenton, Chris Lammons (Kansas City Chiefs)
2019 — Stephon Gilmore (New England Patriots)
2018 — Alshon Jeffery (Philadelphia Eagles) and Stephon Gilmore (Patriots)
2017 — Patrick DiMarco (Atlanta Falcons)
2016 — Darian Stewart (Denver Broncos)
2015 — Lemuel Jeanpierre (Seattle Seahawks)
2014 — Lemuel Jeanpierre (Seattle Seahawks) and Sidney Rice (Seahawks – injured reserve)
2013 — Emanuel Cook (Baltimore Ravens) and Chris Culliver (San Francisco 49ers)
2010 — Jamar Nesbit (New Orleans Saints)
This story was originally published January 30, 2022 at 9:41 PM with the headline "2 Gamecocks headed to this year’s Super Bowl."
