Michigan Players in Super Bowl 2024

The Super Bowl is less than a week away and a couple of former Michigan players are participating. The big game will be between the San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs. Here is a look at the former Michigan players participating this weekend, how their season has gone, and what to expect from them.

Former Michigan Players Participating

There will be four former Michigan players in this year’s Super Bowl. Three of these players will be on the 49ers while one is on the Chiefs. Here is a look at each player in this year’s big game.

Ronnie Bell

Ronnie Bell is a rookie wide receiver on the San Francisco 49ers. He has been a healthy scratch throughout playoffs, so his status for this year’s Super Bowl is undetermined. Either way, he has been a part of the 49ers this year. Bell was selected in the 2023 NFL Draft by San Francisco with the 253rd overall pick in the seventh round.

Bell began his time with the Wolverines in 2018 where he appeared in all 13 games. In his time at Michigan, Bell was a two-time All-Big Ten honoree and a team captain in 2021, according to University of Michigan Athletics. In five years, Bell had 145 receptions for 2,269 yards and nine touchdowns, according to Sports Reference. He also rushed the ball nine times for 30 yards and one touchdown. Bell did not play much in 2020 and 2021, which could be a reason why he fell to the seventh round of the draft.

Bell played in all 17 regular season games with the 49ers. Fellow wide receiver, Ray-Ray McCloud missed a couple of games, which allowed Bell to get game action. He even did kick and punt returns in McCloud’s absence. In the 17 games, Bell had six receptions for 68 yards and three touchdowns, according to Pro Football Reference. Ball security was an issue with Bell, but there are still high hopes for him to develop into a solid receiver for the 49ers. Only time will tell if Bell plays in the Super Bowl against the Chiefs.

Jake Moody

Jake Moody will be a key factor in this year’s Super Bowl. He is the 49ers’ rookie kicker out of Michigan. San Francisco will need to get points on as many drives as possible, and Moody needs to be accurate. The 49ers drafted Moody in the third round of the 2023 NFL draft with the 99th overall pick.

Moody’s time at Michigan began in 2018. He was a placekicker in three games but did handle kickoffs in 13 games. In 2021, Moody earned consensus All-American, according to University of Michigan Athletics. In his five years with Michigan, Moody attempted 148 extra points and made them all. According to Sports Reference, Moody attempted 84 field goals, making 69, giving him a field goal percentage of 82.1. His top game was against Indiana in 2018 where he scored 19 points for Michigan.

Moody has been a bit of a stress factor for 49ers fans, but it hasn’t all been bad. Aside from the game against the Cleveland Browns, Moody had a successful regular season. In 17 games, he attempted 25 field goals, making 21, with his longest being for 57 yards, according to Pro Football Reference. He only missed one extra point, making 60 of them. So far in the postseason, Moody has made three field goals, missing two. He has made all seven extra points. This game means everything, and Moody will need to be focused.

Ambry Thomas

Cornerback Ambry Thomas has been with the 49ers for a couple of years now. He has had a history of injuries but has also come up in clutch moments for the team. The 49ers drafted Thomas in the third round of the 2021 NFL Draft with the 102nd overall pick.

Thomas’ first season with the Wolverines was in 2017 where he played in all 13 games. He was with Michigan for four years, though he did not play in 2020. Throughout his time with Michigan, Thomas had three passes defended, four interceptions, and five fumble recoveries, according to Sports Reference. He also had 54 total tackles and 3.5 tackles for loss.

Thomas has not started much in the 2023 season, but then the defense decided to move some of the players around. Thomas ended up starting six regular season games, playing in 15. In the regular season, Thomas had seven passes defended, one interception, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery, according to Pro Football Reference. He has been targetted 56 times allowing 39 receptions, according to Pro Football Focus. One thing to watch for during the Super Bowl will be the penalties. Thomas has been caught a couple of times for pass interference in the playoffs already. The Chiefs could use this to their advantage and keep targeting him, in hopes that he gives up these penalties.

Mike Danna

Defensive end, Mike Danna is the former Michigan player on the Kansas City Chiefs. Danna only spent one year at Michigan, but it helped get him drafted into the NFL. The defensive lineman was taken in the fifth round of the 2020 NFL Draft with the 177th overall pick by the Chiefs.

Danna spent his first couple of years playing for Central Michigan. He then transferred as a graduate student for the 2019 season. That year, Danna played in 12 games, totaling 28 tackles, 20 solo, three sacks, and three tackles for loss, according to Sports Reference. He also had one forced fumble that year.

Danna may not be the most talked about defensive lineman on the Chiefs, but he is a starter who is crucial to this defense. According to Pro Football Reference, Danna started in 16 regular season games for the Chiefs, totaling 59 combined tackles, 32 solo, and seven tackles for loss. He also had 6.5 sacks. Danna has three passes defended as well. He has been a part of all three playoff games for the Chiefs. So far in the postseason, Danna has four combined tackles, two solo, and two quarterback hits. Watch for Danna to take advantage of the 49ers’ offensive line and pressure quarterback Brock Purdy.

The Super Bowl will take place on Sunday, February 11th. Watch for these former Michigan Players to compete for the Lombardi Trophy.

For a look at other former Big Ten players competing in the Super Bowl, see below:

Iowa players competing, click here.

Michigan State players competing, click here.

Nebraska players competing, click here.

Ohio State players competing, click here.

Penn State players competing,  click here.

Purdue players competing, click here.

Rutgers players competing, click here.

Wisconsin players competing, click here.