Since 1966 — the start of the Super Bowl Era — there have been a select number of players from Canada play in the NFL championship game.
The Super Bowl is annually one of the most watched sporting events in the world and the top in North America with an average through the last 10 years over 100,000,000. There have been 24 Canadians total who have played in football’s biggest spectacle.
Canadians to play in the Super Bowl
2020: Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, offensive lineman, Kansas City; vs. San Francisco
2020: Ryan Hunter, offensive lineman, Kansas City; vs. San Francisco
2015: Luke Willson, tight end, Seattle; 28-24 loss vs. New England
2015: Jon Ryan, punter, Seattle; 28-24 loss vs. New England
2014: Luke Willson, tight end, Seattle; 43-8 win vs. Denver
2014: Jon Ryan, punter, Seattle; 43-8 win vs. Denver
2014: Orlando Franklin, offensive lineman, Denver; 43-8 loss vs. Seattle
2011: Shaun Suisham, kicker, Pittsburgh; 31-25 loss vs. Green Bay
2010: Austin Collie, receiver, Indianapolis; 31-17 loss vs. New Orleans
2009: Mitch Berger, punter, Pittsburgh; 27-23 win vs. Arizona
2008: Nick Kaczur offensive tackle, New England; 17-14 loss vs. New York Giants
2007: Daniel Federkeil, offensive lineman, Indianapolis; 29-17 win vs. Chicago
2007: Israel Idonije, defensive lineman, Chicago; 29-17 loss vs. Indianapolis
2006: Jean-Philippe Darche, long snapper, Seattle; 21-10 loss vs. Pittsburgh
2005: Mike Labinjo, linebacker, Philadelphia; 24-21 loss vs. New England
2002: Tom Nutten, offensive lineman. St. Louis; 20-17 loss vs. New England
2000: Tom Nutten, offensive lineman. St. Louis; 23-16 win vs. Tennessee
1999: O.J. Santiago, tight end, Atlanta; 34-19 loss vs. Denver
1995: Klaus Wilmsmeyer, punter, San Francisco; 49-26 win vs. San Diego
1994: Eddie Murray, kicker, Dallas; 30-13 win vs. Buffalo
1994: Tyrone Williams, receiver, Dallas; 30-13 win vs. Buffalo
1994: Steve Christie, kicker, Buffalo; 30-13 loss vs. Dallas
1993: Steve Christie, kicker, Buffalo; 52-17 loss vs. Dallas
1992: Mark Rypien, quarterback, Washington; 37-24 win vs. Buffalo
1992: Mohammed Elewonibi, offensive lineman, Washington; 37-24 win vs. Buffalo
1988: Mark Rypien, quarterback, Washington; 42-10 win vs. Denver
1982: Allan Kennedy, offensive tackle, San Francisco; 26-21 win vs. Cincinnati
1980: Ken Clark, punter, Los Angeles; 31-19 loss vs. Pittsburgh
1979: Roy Gerela, kicker, Pittsburgh; 35-31 win vs. Dallas
1976: Roy Gerela, kicker, Pittsburgh; 21-17 win vs. Dallas
1975: Roy Gerela, kicker, Pittsburgh; 16-16 win vs. Minnesota
12 different Canadians have hoisted the Vince Lombardi Trophy while 14 times Canucks have experienced a loss. Canadian offensive lineman Laurent Duvernay-Tardif becomes the first athlete from north of the border to play in the Super Bowl in five years.
Duvernay-Tardif was selected in the sixth round, 200th overall by Kansas City in the 2014 NFL draft out of McGill University, where as a senior he won the J.P. Metras Trophy as the Most Outstanding Lineman in Canadian university football. He’s started 57 games through six NFL seasons.
The 28-year-old Mont-Saint-Hilaire, Quebec native played in the AFC Conference Championship game a year ago when his Chiefs lost to the eventual Super Bowl winner, the New England Patriots. Duvernay-Tardif starts at right guard for the high-powered Kansas City offence led by franchise quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
Mahomes led the Chiefs back to the Super Bowl for the first time in 50 years. Kansas City beat Minnesota 23-7 in 1969 during Super Bowl IV. The Chiefs are trying to earn the second Super Bowl title in their history with a key Canadian paving the way up front.
