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 26 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; 31-20 win vs. San Francisco
2020: Ryan Hunter, offensive lineman, Kansas City; 31-20 win 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
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
14 different Canadians have hoisted the Vince Lombardi Trophy while 14 times Canucks have experienced a loss. The latest to try their hand at claiming pro football’s greatest prize are Michael Hoecht and Alaric Jackson of the Los Angeles Rams, who can make it a record three straight seasons in which a Canadian has won the Super Bowl with a victory.
Born in Oakville, Ontario, Hoecht played high school football in Stittsville before later moving to Ohio. The 24-year-old defensive lineman signed with the Rams as an undrafted free agent in 2020 after an outstanding career at Brown University, spending his rookie season on the practice squad.
Hoecht earned an active roster spot in 2021, figuring in to a defensive line rotation that includes the likes of future Hall of Famers Aaron Donald and Von Miller. He has dressed in every game this season, making five tackles in the regular season and adding two more against the Arizona Cardinals in the Wild Card playoff game.
The athletic defensive lineman was drafted in the second round, 10th overall by the Ottawa Redblacks in the 2020 CFL Draft.
Jackson came to the Rams in 2021 as an undrafted free agent, despite starting all 42 games he played at left tackle during an outstanding career at the University of Iowa. He immediately made the 53-man roster out of training camp and has served as the team’s emergency lineman, dressing in five games, including the NFC Championship.
The native of Windsor, Ontario who moved across the river to Detroit in high school was drafted 15th overall in the second round of the 2021 CFL Draft by the B.C. Lions.
The Super Bowl is set to kickoff at 6:30 p.m. ET on Sunday from the Rams’ home of SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.
