The Super Bowl is like a movie. Every year we gather around to watch the Tom Brady’s of the world put on a great performance, just to be left in awe by what David Tyree did in his limited screentime. That’s because there’s no game in sports that’s more analyzed than the Super Bowl. With more eyes watching the event than ever nothing gets missed, and you really begin to realize who’s truly having a quiet, yet crucial performance. Out of nowhere, legends are born and players go down in the history books for a one-game show-stealer. Below are four players who have a chance to be unlikely Super Bowl heroes.
Daniel Sorensen
If you’ve paid close attention to the Chiefs’ playoff run so far, Daniel Sorensen might be someone you already know. Against the Texans, in a game that was riddled with important special teams plays, he made a tremendous tackle on a fake punt to prevent a first down and forced a fumble on the ensuing kickoff after the Chiefs scored. You can argue that those two plays alone are what brought Kansas City back into the game. Sorensen had a less obvious game against the Titans but nevertheless was still an important part of holding Derrick Henry to under 70 yards.
The 49ers are going to approach Kansas City in a similar way that Tennessee did. They ran the ball 42 times to just eight passes against Green Bay, and at least for some time, will try to establish the run. Sorensen, a safety, will be called into the box to prevent Raheem Mostert from breaking off big plays until San Francisco shows more willingness to throw the football. That could be when Sorensen ultimately makes his big play and establishes himself as one of the unlikely Super Bowl heroes.
Dre Greenlaw
The 49ers defense is chock-full of big names and bigger personalities that ultimately have been the driving force behind this Super Bowl journey. Behind the most talked-about front four in the league, in front of the games loudest cornerback, and next to the team’s most consistent contributor is Dre Greenlaw. When Kwon Alexander joined the Niners this past offseason, he and Fred Warner were supposed to lead this group from the middle together. However, after Alexander tore his pectoral, it was Greenlaw who filled his space and more. And, despite Alexander’s return, Greenlaw appears to have carved out his own playing time.
That’s partially because, in Week 17 against Seattle, he made arguably the biggest play of the season for the 49ers. By stopping Jacob Hollister just short of the goal line on fourth down, he granted the Niners home field throughout the NFC playoffs (a big reason why they’re still playing). Against a Kansas City offense that makes very few mistakes, the biggest play for the 49ers might end up being an important tackle or a deflection that goes the other way. That’s exactly what Greenlaw will be hunting for in the middle of the field. Andy Reid can only gameplan so much for the Niners’ stars on defense, and it’s possible that the’ll find a way to slip through the cracks.
Sammy Watkins
There’ll never be a day where everyone has lost all faith in Sammy Watkins. The former fourth pick in 2014 was supposed to be one of the best receivers in the league by now. Instead, he watched guys from his draft class like Odell Beckham Jr, Mike Evans, Brandin Cooks, Allen Robinson, Jarvis Landry, and Davante Adams surpass him as some of the game’s elite wideouts. Watkins has never made a Pro Bowl and has only gone over 1000 yards once, but he has the chance to be part of something special in Sunday’s game. None of those guys above have had the opportunity to play in the Super Bowl.
Watkins caught just three touchdowns in the regular season, all of which occurred in Week 1. He hadn’t scored again until the AFC Championship where he had 114 yards and a TD. Amongst Patrick Mahomes, Tyreek Hill, and Travis Kelce, Watkins can get lost in the shuffle and will look to provide some chunk plays when the opportunity is right. He did it against New England in the AFC Championship last year as well and would’ve been one of the heroes of that game had they won. If he and Mahomes can get on the same page for just a couple of plays, he could revise his stigma from a Buffalo bust to a Kansas City legend.
Mike McGlinchey
An offensive tackle isn’t going to win Super Bowl MVP. But, everyone around the league knows just how important San Francisco’s offensive line has been to their success this season. Opposite of legendary left tackle Joe Staley is McGlinchey, a second-year tackle out of Notre Dame, who has stepped up immensely. Coming out of college, he was viewed as a complete tackle with no real weakness, and even though Kyle Shanahan asks his line to do more than most, McGlinchey has continued to live up to that standard. However, he’s going to have his hands full on Sunday.
Chiefs edge rusher Frank Clark lines up over the right tackle just about every play and will, in all likelihood, continue that trend against McGlinchey. Clark already has four sacks in these playoffs and would certainly love a couple more against his former division rival. Now, for the most part, Kansas City defenders will be guessing run, but on those plays where Garoppolo drops back to pass, they have to keep him clean. If Clark is held without many pressures and the Niners go on to win, McGlinchey will get a ton of praise from his coaches and be considered one of the unlikely Super Bowl heroes.
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