12 Super Bowl Champions From Wyoming
Over the years, 17 players with Wyoming roots have represented the Cowboy State on the biggest stage in sports.
Of those, 12 former players, either Wyoming natives of University of Wyoming alums, have gone on to win the Super Bowl.
Jay Novacek – The only three-time Super Bowl Champion in Wyoming history, Novacek starred at the University of Wyoming before winning three titles in four years with the Dallas Cowboys from 1993 to 1996.
Boyd Dowler – Born in Rock Springs, Dowler was a three-sport athlete at Cheyenne High School (now Cheyenne Central) before accepting a football scholarship at the University of Colorado. Drafted by the Green Bay Packers, Dowler was part of five NFL Championship teams and won Super Bowl I and II.
Jim Kiick – A star running back at UW, Kiick went on to play in three Super Bowls, winning two of them. He is a proud member of the 1972 Miami Dolphins, the only undefeated team in NFL History, winning back-to-back titles in Super Bowl VII and VIII.
Derrick Martin – The only other member of Wyoming’s back-to-back Super Bowl Champion club, Martin played safety at UW before winning his first ring as a Green Bay Packer in Super Bowl XLV. The following year, Martin joined the New York Giants, who upset the New England Patriots to win Super Bowl XLVI.
Brett Keisel – Before growing his trademark beard, Keisel honed his skills at Greybull High School. After attending Brigham Young University, he was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers, who went on to win Super Bowl XL and XLIII.
Jerry Hill – Born in Torrington, Hill attended Lingle High School before enrolling at the University of Wyoming. The fullback appeared in two Super Bowls with the Baltimore Colts, falling to the New York Jets in Super Bowl III before avenging that loss two years later in Super Bowl V.
Mark Smolinski – Hill’s former college teammate was on the other sideline in Super Bowl III. The running back was part of the biggest upsets in NFL history when Joe Namath guaranteed, and delivered, a victory over the heavily favored Colts.
Tony McGee - A member of the infamous "Black 14" scandal in 1969, McGee finished his collegiate career at Bishop College after being dismissed by Wyoming coach Lloyd Eaton. "Mac the Sack" went on to play in three Super Bowls during his 14 year NFL career, winning a ring with the 1983 Washington Redskins in Super Bowl XVII.
Aaron Kyle – A star defensive back at UW, Kyle was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys, where he appeared in back-to-back Super Bowls. His Cowboys team defeated Denver to win Super Bowl XII and came up just short the following year, when they fell to the Pittsburgh Steelers by a score of 35-31.
Joe Williams - Williams was a senior co-captian for Wyoming when he was one of 14 black players kicked off the team in 1969. He was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in 1971 and was part of the Super Bowl VI championship team in his rookie season.
Brady Poppinga – The pride of Evanston, Wyoming, played his college ball at Brigham Young before entering the NFL. The linebacker was a member of the Green Bay Packers team that won Super Bowl XLV in 2011.
Joe Ramunno – After being named an Honorable Mention All-American in his junior and senior citizens, the Pokes offensive lineman only played one year in the NFL, earning a Super Bowl XX ring as a member of the Chicago Bears. He was inducted into the University of Wyoming Athletics Hall of Fame in 2015.
There have also been several Wyoming products who made it to the Super Bowl, but came up just short.
Worland native Gail Cogdill was a member of the Baltimore Colts team that was upset by the New York Jets in Super Bowl III.
University of Wyoming linebacker Guy Frazier played for the Cincinnati Bengals, who lost Super Bowl XVI to the San Francisco 49ers.
Cheyenne native Doug Miller was a linebacker for the San Diego Chargers, who were defeated by the 49ers in Super Bowl XXIX.
John Burrough, who was born in Laramie, raised in Pinedale and played at UW, was a member of the Atlanta Falcons team that lost to John Elway’s Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XXXIII.
University of Wyoming defensive tackle Mitch Unrein played for the Broncos, who were blown out by the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XLVIII.