Kyzir White Headed To The Super Bowl

Cover Photo: WVU Athletics

Former Mountaineer Kyzir White is headed to the Super Bowl after the Philadelphia Eagles defeated the San Francisco 49ers 31-7 in the NFC Championship Game on Sunday. White had six tackles in the game which tied for the team lead alongside Reed Blankenship. White appeared in every game for the Eagles this past year, his first in Philadelphia, and made eight starts in the regular season. He had 110 tackles in the regular season and seven now in two postseason games. That postseason total will grow though in two weeks time when he faces the AFC winner. White signed with the Philadelphia Eagles, his hometown team, for a one year deal worth up to five million this past offseason. He previously spent four years with the Los Angeles Chargers who drafted him out of college.

He was a starter on the weak side in the Chargers 2018 season opener, but was placed on IR due to a knee injury suffered in week three. Injuries would cause him to miss significant time in both 2019 and 2020 before he finally played a full season in 2021. That season he only allowed an 88.9 passer rating in coverage and Pro Football Focus had him graded as their 24th best linebacker last season. Until this past year, it was his only full season as a starter. Prior to being drafted White was a JUCO recruit from Lackawanna College who played for West Virginia from 2016-2017. While at West Virginia he played safety and forced four fumbles, recorded four sacks, 14.5 tackles for loss, 152 tackles and three interceptions across 25 games.

Ironically enough, the last time a former Mountaineer won the Super Bowl, it was with the Eagles. In fact, it was a strong representation of WVU with RB Wendell Smallwood, WR Shelton Gibson, LB Najee Goode, and CB Rasul Douglas all a part of that team that shocked the world and beat Tom Brady and the New England Patriots. White and company will face the Kansas City Chiefs in the NFL title game. Super Bowl LVII kicks off from Glendale, Arizona at 6:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, Feb. 12 on Fox. We wish White nothing but luck in his attempt to get his first ring.