Alter grad set to be part of Super Bowl LVIII

NFL Network reported before the game the offensive lineman had received “varying opinions” on the exact nature of the injury, and his status for the Super Bowl would be uncertain if Kansas City won.

Thuney already made history when he started in the Super Bowl in each of his first three seasons, all with the New England Patriots.

He made it back to the big game last season, his second with the Chiefs, and earned his third Super Bowl ring as Kansas City beat the Philadelphia Eagles 38-35.

Thuney was also on the winning side when the Patriots rallied to beat the Atlanta Falcons 34-28 in Super Bowl LI and when the Patriots held off the Los Angeles Rams 13-3 in Super Bowl LIII.

The remarkably durable Thuney started all 17 regular season games and the first two playoff games this season, but he was injured in KC’s divisional round win at Buffalo.

Thuney is a two-time Pro Bowl pick and made the Associated Press All-Pro first team for the first time this season.

The 31-year-old has started all 129 of a possible 131 regular season games he has played since the Patriots drafted him out of N.C. State in 2016.

Thuney is one of two Dayton-area players to win three Super Bowls, joining fellow lineman Matt Light of Greenville. He played in five big games for the Patriots and won in 2001, ‘03 and ‘04.

The other Dayton-area players to win one are St. Henry offensive linemen Jim Lachey (Redskins, 1991) and Jeff Hartings (Steelers, 2005), Centerville linebacker A.J. Hawk (Packers, 2010), Springboro tight end Jake Ballard (Giants, 2011), Miamisburg linebacker David Bruton (Broncos, 2015) and Oakwood defensive lineman/linebacker Michael Hoecht (Rams, 2021).

Super Bowl LVIII will pit the Chiefs against the San Francisco 49ers in Las Vegas on Feb. 11 on CBS.

No local high school grads are on the 49ers roster, but defensive ends Nick Bosa and Chase Young will represent Ohio State.