Alabama Connections to Super Bowl XLV
2/4/2011 12:00:00 AM | Football
Feb. 4, 2011
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - Super Bowl XLV will be played this Sunday at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, and the University of Alabama football program will be well represented in this year's matchup between the Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers.
Five former Crimson Tide players and coaches will be participating in this year's event, including four Steelers and one Packer.
Former Tide defensive back Anthony Madison (CB, 2002-05) plays for the American Football Conference champion Steelers. Madison is in his fifth year in the NFL and fourth with the Steelers. He made one start this season while playing in 16 games. Madison has 24 tackles with one sack and one interception in 2010.
The Steelers also have three coaches with Alabama ties, including assistant head coach and defensive line coach John Mitchell, offensive coordinator Bruce Arians and special teams coach Amos Jones.
Mitchell played for the Crimson Tide in 1971 and 1972 and earned All-American honors at his defensive end position. He was inducted in the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in 2009. This is the fourth Super Bowl appearance (Super Bowl XXX, Super Bowl XL, Super Bowl XLIII, Super Bowl XLV) in his 20-year NFL coaching career, which began on the same coaching staff with Alabama head coach Nick Saban in Cleveland in 1991.
Arians was a running backs coach for the Crimson Tide in 1981-82 and later served as Alabama's offensive coordinator in 1997. Jones lettered for the Crimson Tide in 1980 and then served as the special teams coach under Gene Stallings in 1990-91.
The National Football Conference champion Green Bay Packers has one former Crimson Tide player, Charlie Peprah, on its roster. Peprah is the Packers starting safety and in his fifth season in the league. He has 63 tackles - 46 solo - this season along with two interceptions and five passes defended. Peprah starred for Alabama from 2002-05. He played in 50 games during his UA career, making 210 tackles, 26 pass breakups and nine interceptions.
