Two former Ohio State University football players include the wide receiver Parris Campbell and Dallas Gant, a linebacker that will face off in Super Bowl LIX in demonstration of lasting legacies of the Ohio State football program on the biggest stage in the NFL.
Parris Campbell: From Columbus to the Super Bowl
Parris Campbell had a really strong NFL career going into Sunday after being a pivotal cog for so many explosive plays in Ohio State. A second-round pick by the Indianapolis Colts back in the 2019 NFL Draft, Campbell has since played with the New York Giants, and he enters the Super Bowl with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Campbell's career has been full of ups and downs, with big injury setbacks early in his pro career. He finally had his breakout season for the Colts in 2022, securing 63 passes for 623 yards and three touchdowns, proving his worth as a dynamic playmaker. With Coach Nick Sirianni, his familiarity with him while with the Colts made it easy when Campbell joined the Eagles in 2024. Since then, Campbell's contributions are becoming more measured but more specific. That touches on something of note, especially playing against Washington in that NFC Championship game-the trouncing where they won 55-23-made way for the trip to Super Bowl LIX. But where his performance might have been rather quiet in this championship game-with no receptions-his appearance in the lineup symbolized his rise into a steady team player.
Dallas Gant: A Defensive Anchor
While much praise this season has come with mentions of Parris Campbell on the offensive side, Dallas Gant is a name forged on the other end of the gridiron. Gant played at Ohio State but has carved out a career in much more subtle fashion, making huge contributions to his teams' defensive schemes. His journey through the NFL has been a lot more low-key, but to be in the Super Bowl roster for the Eagles speaks volumes of his hard work and tactical acumen.
Gant, while perhaps not as statistically hyped as his teammates, contributes to the group because of a great read-and-react capability, pure linebacker instincts. That goes a long way when a Super Bowl comes into the balance, and it's those small plays that tilt the scale one way or the other.
The Buckeye Connection
It includes both Campbell and Gant, fitting examples of a strong pipeline from Ohio State to the NFL since Campbell will become the 68th different Buckeye to participate in a Super Bowl. But that relation-the fact that so many players have been in this situation-merely indicates and does not confine it to how well the program prepares NFL players; this relation denotes pride, great tradition in Ohio State football.
The gaze of Ohio State fans and alumni will indeed fall squarely on New Orleans the Sunday morning of February 9 in advance of Super Bowl LIX-outright to hail a stellar professional appearance or celebrate some real Buckeyes-in-the-football-mindsets in one of sport's most highly publicized theatrics.
This game will be an opportunity for Campbell to maybe add to Ohio State's Super Bowl legacy as he looks to become the 33rd Buckeye to win a championship ring, while Gant's game-turning defensive plays could be all that stands between the Eagles and a victory and just further demonstrate the depth of talent which Ohio State continues to give to the league.
Ultimately, this appearance of Parris Campbell and Dallas Gant in Super Bowl LIX speaks much about hard work, resilience, and quality football played in Columbus. For Ohio State fans and the wider football community, it will be a moment to relish-one that speaks volumes not only about the players themselves but about Ohio State football and its continuing impact at the professional level.
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