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News Brief

Feb. 1, 2019ATLANTA, Ga.

Former Bearcat set for 1st Super Bowl appearance

Matt Longacre makes his Super Bowl debut this Sunday for the Rams.

Sunday marks an unofficial holiday for football fans around the world, and it also marks a milestone for Northwest Missouri State University.

For the third time since 2007, a former Bearcat will play in the Super Bowl.

Matt Longacre will take the field for the Los Angeles Rams in Atlanta in a Super Bowl matchup with the New England Patriots.

Longacre has spent all four seasons of his professional football career with the Rams, and now he finds himself on the game's biggest stage.

One more win for the Rams will put the Omaha, NE native in an exclusive club with Dave Tollefson: former Northwest defensive linemen with Super Bowl rings.

Each player honed their skills at Northwest and were mentored by head coach Rich Wright.

Longacre said the NFL was not always his plan, but the guidance from Wright allowed him to get there.

"It's just a testament to what they have going at Northwest, and more specifically what Coach Wright has done. This was never really the goal. After my senior season, Coach Wright and I sat down and talked about what I have to do, got me in touch with the right people, and four years later here I am."

Tollefson won a pair of Super Bowls for the New York Giants when they beat the New England Patriots in 2007 and 2011.

Longacre and the Rams face the same challenge Sunday, beating Tom Brady and the Patriots.

To hear the full interview with Longacre on Northwest and the matchup with the Patriots, click here.