While no Spartans were on the field on Sunday during the Super Bowl, one was still crowned champion. Ben VanSumeren secured his first Super Bowl ring as he became the latest Spartan to win the title.
VanSumeren played for the Eagles this season, his second year with the team since entering the NFL.
The former Michigan State linebacker appeared in 11 games with one start this season before hitting the IR with a knee injury, ending his second year in the league early. He finished the season with three tackles and was more on the roster for depth.
VanSumeren had an interesting road to becoming a Super Bowl champion, starting his career with the Michigan Wolverines as kind of a gadget player and then transferring to Michigan State, joined by his younger brother who was committed to the Wolverines at one point. He then starred in East Lansing as a senior and earned rave reviews from scouts during the draft process only to be an undrafted free agent, later picked up by the Eagles. VanSumeren started on the practice squad before making the 53-man roster where he's been mostly for the past two seasons.
Now, he's a Super Bowl champion, playing a small part in the Eagles' impressive season by appearing in 11 games before a season-ending knee injury.
If the Chiefs had won a third straight Super Bowl, it would've meant another year without a Spartan getting a ring, but the Eagles' victory means that Ben has some hardware for the rest of his career.
In year two, VanSumeren is a Super Bowl champion. Who would've thought he'd be in this position after transferring to Michigan State to play for Mel Tucker a few years ago.