Ten Things to Know about San José State and The Big Game

This Sunday, February 8, Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara will welcome the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots for Super Bowl LX™, the annual championship game of the National Football League™ (NFL). An event as huge as this represents far more than athletic competition: It is the culmination of months and years of hard work, not only on behalf of the football players, but also the coaches, event planning staff, city and county partners, local retailers and small businesses, and even surrounding university partners.

If you're looking for a little Spartan trivia to share at your Big Game party, look no further. Our team gathered 10 tidbits to share as you gather to cheer on your team.

1. Four Spartan alums have served as game officials in the Super Bowl: the late Bill Leavy, '70 Criminal Justice Administration, who worked Super Bowl XXXIV and later served as referee for Super Bowl XL; the late Fred Silva, '50 Kinesiology, who was referee for Super Bowl XIV (1980); Keith Ferguson - a back judge who worked multiple Super Bowls, including the last Super Bowl at Levi's Stadium, Super Bowl 50; and Darrell Jenkins, who served as an umpire in Super Bowl XLVIII.
2. SJSU is among only seven universities in the country to produce two Super Bowl-Winning head coaches, Bill Walsh, '54 BS, '58 MS Kinesiology, (1982, 1985, 1989 with the San Francisco 49ers) and Dick Vermeil, '58 BS, '59 MS Kinesiology, Teaching Credential (2000 with the St. Louis Rams).
3. Many Spartans have Super Bowl rings, but only one has seven of them . Neal Dahlen, '63 BA, '64 MS Kinesiology, earned his rings during a 25-year career as an executive with the San Francisco 49ers and the Denver Broncos.
4. Of the more than 140 Spartans who have played in the NFL, 20 former Spartan football players have played for Super Bowl teams, including wide receiver Rashied Davis, '06 Sociology (Chicago Bears); wide receiver James Jones, '06 Sociology (Green Bay Packers); and defensive back Duke Ihenacho, '11 Speech Communication (Denver Broncos). David Diaz-Infante, '91 Social Science, was an offensive lineman on the Denver Broncos in Super Bowls XXXII and XXXIII. Steve DeBerg, '80 Physical Education, was 45 years old when he played backup quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl XXXIII.
5. Six former SJSU players have Super Bowl rings: Diaz-Infante earned two Super Bowl rings with the Denver Broncos (XXXII, XXXIII). Jones won a Super Bowl with the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl XLV (2011). James Hodgins, '99 Sociology, was part of the St. Louis Rams' Super Bowl XXXIV-winning team. Dwayne O'Steen won a ring as part of the Oakland Raiders' Super Bowl XV team. Greg Cox, '70 Math, won Super Bowls with both the San Francisco 49ers (XXIV) and the New York Giants (XXV), and Sam Kennedy won a Super Bowl with the 49ers (XXIII).
6. Three former Spartan football players are currently competing in the NFL: David Quessenberry, '12 History, is an offensive tackle for the Los Angeles Rams; Josh Oliver (2015-2018), a tight end for the Minnesota Vikings, and Nick Nash, '20 Industrial Engineering, is on the practice squad for the Atlanta Falcons.
7. Several Super Bowl celebrations will be taking place in SJSU's backyard, all in the heart of downtown:
   • Kehlani, a Bay Area native who won two Grammys this year, one for Best R&B Performance and one for Best R&B Song, will be performing at the sold-out Big Game Block Party on Friday, February 6, at City Hall.
     
   • The Endzone Experience is coming to the San José Civic Auditorium February 5-7, where fans can meet and greet professional athletes, witness a live card-breaking event, and explore an incredible marketplace with 144 collectible card vendors offering rare cards, high-end memorabilia and exclusive sports collectibles.
   • The San Pedro Superfest in downtown San José's San Pedro Square is a free, block-party-style celebration that includes a 100-yard artificial turf, Culture Night Market, Shop Local marketplace, Kids Alley and Stage, tech displays, plus live entertainment on the main stage. With food, drinks and family-friendly programming throughout an all-weekend entertainment zone, San Pedro Superfest brings the energy, culture, and creativity of San Jose to the heart of the Big Game celebration.
   • The Big Game Block Party hosted by Hapa's Brewing Company a San José local brewery, free and open to the public from February 4-5 along Barack Obama Boulevard adjacent to the SAP Center (venue of the NHL San José Sharks) and San José Diridon Station.

8. SJSU Band members will be performing in pre-game festivities: Shaq's Fun House and Guy Fieri's Flavortown Tailgate .

9. SJSU Assistant Professor of Digital Media Art Esteban Garcia Bravo and his students have installed two sculptures at San José's City Hall Plaza in honor of the big game.

10. SJSU President Cynthia Teniente Matson is a member of the Bay Area Host Committee's Advisory Board, a group that includes 49er Hall of Fame quarterback Steve Young, US Soccer star Brandi Chastain, Golden State Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy and San Francisco Giants World Series Champion Hunter Pence.