Super Bowl XLV is only eight days away which means that, barring an early start to the potential lockout, a former Penn State player will be a Super Bowl champion on Monday, February 7.
Steelers punter Jeremy Kapinos was signed this year following the injury that sidelined Daniel Sepulveda eight weeks ago. Kapinos punted for Penn State for four years, becoming the all-time leader in punts and punt yardage in the process. Ironically, Kapinos spent all of 2009 as the Green Bay Packers regular punter, kicking 66 times with a net average of 34.1 yards.
On the other sideline, rookie tight end Andrew Quarless will be playing in his first Super Bowl next Sunday. Quarless spent four years playing at Penn State, including a breakout freshman year in 2007. Quarless caught 23 balls for the Packers in 2010, amassing 238 yards and one touchdown.
A Penn State player has appeared in 40 of the 45 Super Bowls, including Super Bowl XXX, where former Penn State defensive back and current Green Bay Packers safeties coach Darren Perry played for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The only other former local player on either roster is backup Steelers safety Ryan Mundy, a former West Virginia Mountaineer.