Super Bowl LIV will be the first in four years not to feature the New England Patriots. It will, however, feature a handful of former Patriots.
Here’s a rundown of the familiar faces Patriots fans will see when the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs square off on the first Sunday in February at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium:
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
Everyone knows the marquee name here: quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, whom Bill Belichick reluctantly traded to the 49ers midway through the 2017 season. Tom Brady’s former understudy, who missed most of the 2018 season with a torn ACL, enters Super Bowl LIV a career record of 23-5, including playoffs. Garoppolo guided San Francisco to a 13-3 mark and the NFC’s No. 1 seed this season — his first 16-game campaign as an NFL starter — but has taken a backseat to the Niners’ powerful running game in this postseason. He attempted just 27 total passes in comfortable victories over the Minnesota Vikings and Green Bay Packers, going 6-for-8 for 77 yards and no touchdowns in Sunday’s NFC Championship Game.
Beyond Garoppolo, the 49ers also employ a former Patriots star who’s seeking his first Super Bowl ring. That would be retired slot receiver Wes Welker, who’s now in his first year as the Niners’ wide receivers coach. Welker, New England’s all-time leader in career receptions, appeared in three Super Bowls during his playing career — two with the Patriots in 2007 and 2011, one with the Denver Broncos in 2013 — but lost all three.
One of Welker’s pupils is wideout Jordan Matthews, who had a cup of coffee with the Patriots during the 2018 offseason. 49ers kicker Robbie Gould failed to beat out Adam Vinatieri as an undrafted Patriots rookie in 2005 before embarking on a long and successful NFL career.
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
There aren’t many ex-Patriots currently playing or coaching for Kansas City, which lost at home to New England in last year’s AFC Championship Game before rebounding to take down the Tennessee Titans on that same stage Sunday.
The lone Chiefs player who’s suited up for both teams is defensive tackle Mike Pennel. Pennel was viewed as one of the Patriots’ top free-agent additions last spring, but he was unable to carve out a spot in New England’s new 3-4 defense and wound up being cut after the third preseason game. The 28-year-old landed with the Chiefs in October and has helped boost their run defense, playing a key role in limiting Titans back Derrick Henry to 69 rushing yards in the AFC title game.
Pennel’s position coach, Brendan Daly, joined the Chiefs last offseason after spending four seasons as the Patriots’ defensive line coach and another as a defensive assistant in New England. Daly also is Kansas City’s defensive run game coordinator. He’ll be coaching in his fourth consecutive Super Bowl.
The Chiefs also have another, more obscure former Patriot on staff: quarterbacks coach Mike Kafka, who was with the Pats in OTAs in 2013 before being released to make room on the roster for Tim Tebow.
