WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Former Purdue linebacker Ja'Whaun Bentley is a rookie with the Super Bowl-bound New England Patriots.
Bentley has been on injured reserve since Sept. 26. He appeared in Patriots' first three games, including two starts, and recorded 14 tackles (9 solos, 5 assists) and one interception. Bentley was selected in the fifth round (No. 143 overall) of the 2018 NFL Draft.
New England defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 37-31 in overtime Sunday in the AFC Championship Game. The Patriots will square off against the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LIII on Feb. 3 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. ET, and the game will be televised by CBS and streamed on CBSSports.com.
A Boilermaker now will have been part of 20 consecutive Super Bowls - the second-longest streak in the country behind Nebraska (26) - and 35 of 53 all-time (66 percent). A Purdue player has been on the winning team 14 of the last 19 seasons and 25 total.
New England will be playing in its ninth Super Bowl in the last 18 seasons, and a Boilermaker has been on all nine Patriot squads.
* denotes Super Bowl champion.
Bentley has been on injured reserve since Sept. 26. He appeared in Patriots' first three games, including two starts, and recorded 14 tackles (9 solos, 5 assists) and one interception. Bentley was selected in the fifth round (No. 143 overall) of the 2018 NFL Draft.
New England defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 37-31 in overtime Sunday in the AFC Championship Game. The Patriots will square off against the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LIII on Feb. 3 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. ET, and the game will be televised by CBS and streamed on CBSSports.com.
A Boilermaker now will have been part of 20 consecutive Super Bowls - the second-longest streak in the country behind Nebraska (26) - and 35 of 53 all-time (66 percent). A Purdue player has been on the winning team 14 of the last 19 seasons and 25 total.
New England will be playing in its ninth Super Bowl in the last 18 seasons, and a Boilermaker has been on all nine Patriot squads.
| BOILERMAKERS IN THE SUPER BOWL | |||
| I | Len Dawson, Kansas City Chiefs | ||
| IV | Len Dawson, Kansas City Chiefs* (MVP) | ||
| VI | Tim Foley, Miami Dolphins; Bob Griese, Miami Dolphins | ||
| VII | Tim Foley, Miami Dolphins*; Bob Griese, Miami Dolphins* | ||
| VIII | Tim Foley, Miami Dolphins*; Bob Griese, Miami Dolphins* | ||
| XII | Otis Armstrong, Denver Broncos | ||
| XVI | Keena Turner, San Francisco 49ers* | ||
| XVII | Dave Butz, Washington Redskins* | ||
| XVIII | Dave Butz, Washington Redskins | ||
| XIX | Mark Brown, Miami Dolphins; Keena Turner, San Francisco 49ers* | ||
| XXI | Mark Jackson, Denver Broncos | ||
| XXII | Dave Butz, Washington Redskins*; Mark Jackson, Denver Broncos | ||
| XXIII | Keena Turner, San Francisco 49ers* | ||
| XVIV | Mark Jackson, Denver Broncos; Keena Turner, San Francisco 49ers* | ||
| XXX | Jim Schwantz, Dallas Cowboys*; Rod Woodson, Pittsburgh Steelers | ||
| XXXIV | Steve Jackson, Tennessee Titans; Jeff Zgonina, St. Louis Rams* | ||
| XXXV | Rod Woodson, Baltimore Ravens* | ||
| XXXVI | Matt Light, New England Patriots*; David Nugent, New England Patriots*; Jeff Zgonina, St. Louis Rams | ||
| XXXVII | Mike Alstott, Tampa Bay Buccaneers*; Rod Woodson, Oakland Raiders | ||
| XXXVIII | Rosevelt Colvin, New England Patriots*; Brandon Gorin, New England Patriots*; Matt Light, New England Patriots*; Gene Mruczkowski, New England Patriots* | ||
| XXXIX | Ian Allen, Philadelphia Eagles; Rosevelt Colvin, New England Patriots*; Brandon Gorin, New England Patriots*; Matt Light, New England Patriots*; Gene Mruczkowski, New England Patriots* | ||
| XL | Niko Koutouvides, Seattle Seahawks; Chukky Okobi, Pittsburgh Steelers*; Craig Terrill, Seattle Seahawks | ||
| XLI | Gilbert Gardner, Indianapolis Colts*; Kyle Orton, Chicago Bears; John Stadeford, Indianapolis Colts* | ||
| XLII | Rosevelt Colvin, New England Patriots; Matt Light, New England Patriots | ||
| XLIII | Chike Okeafor, Arizona Cardinals | ||
| XLIV | Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints* (MVP), Curtis Painter, Indianapolis Colts | ||
| XLV | Mike Neal, Green Bay Packers* | ||
| XLVI | Niko Koutouvides, New England Patriots; Matt Light, New England Patriots; Rob Ninkovich, New England Patriots | ||
| XLVII | Bernard Pollard, Baltimore Ravens* | ||
| XLVIII | Cliff Avril, Seattle Seahawks*; Shaun Phillips, Denver Broncos | ||
| XLIX | Cliff Avril, Seattle Seahawks; Rob Ninkovich, New England Patriots* | ||
| 50 | Kawann Short, Carolina Panthers | ||
| LI | Ricardo Allen, Atlanta Falcons; Rob Ninkovich, New England Patriots* | ||
| LII | Jason King, New England Patriots | ||
| LIII | Ja'Whaun Bentley, New England Patriots | ||
* denotes Super Bowl champion.