San Francisco 49ers LS Taybor Pepper - Billy Hardiman-USA TODAY Sports
The Super Bowl is less than one week away and there is just one former Michigan State player competing. That player is the San Francisco 49ers long-snapper, Taybor Pepper. The Super Bowl will be between the San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs. As there is only one former Michigan State player in the big game, here is a look back on Pepper’s time with the Spartans, and with the 49ers.
Michigan State Player: Taybor Pepper
The long-snapper position is overlooked in football. One bad snap could be detrimental to whichever team the player is on. Pepper joined the Spartans in 2012 as a freshman. Right away, Pepper appeared in all 13 games. In his first year, according to Michigan State Athletics, Pepper was tied for first on the team with four tackles on punt coverage. He ended up spending four years with Michigan State before entering the NFL. Those four years made him a part of 54 career games, which is tied for the most by any Spartans player.
Pepper with the 49ers
Pepper entered the league in 2016. It has not been the easiest journey for the long-snapper. The two teams that signed Pepper to the 53-man roster were the Greenbay Packers and the Miami Dolphins. He joined the 49ers in 2020. The 2020 season was a rough one for the 49ers with injuries, but they also struggled with that position. There were many times kicks were missed due to poor snaps. It felt like all that could go wrong did go wrong that year.
When Pepper joined the team, 49ers fans learned how to appreciate the position more. Now, Pepper is in his fourth year in San Francisco, signing a new deal in the 2023 offseason. Pepper is under contract through 2025. The 49ers will need Pepper to continue to be just as consistent as he has been this season. Everyone will need to be at the top of their game this weekend and that includes the special teams.
Off the field, Pepper has a fun social media presence and actively discusses Pokémon and other trading cards. As soon as you click on his X profile, his pinned post discusses his NFL journey. He has had tryouts with numerous teams, not spending more than a year on the 53-man roster until joining the 49ers. Now, he will play for the Lombardy Trophy.
The Super Bowl will take place on Sunday, February 11th between the San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs.
For a look at other former Big Ten players competing in the Super Bowl, see below:
Iowa players competing, click here.
Michigan 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.
