One of the best parts about track and field is that you often get an early look at elite athletes before the rest of the sports world catches on. Long before Joe Buck and Troy Aikman were calling their every move off the line of scrimmage, these athletes' performances were being narrated across the stadium by your local track and field announcer.
These athletes not only are playing in the Super Bowl but could very well turn the tide for their respective teams.
Here are five former track athletes who could shape Super Bowl LX.
Rashid Shaheed taking first at the 2016 San Diego Section Finals.
One of the fastest players in the Super Bowl, Shaheed built that speed on California tracks, qualifying for the state meet in 2014, 2015, and 2016. He posted personal bests of 10.86 in the 100m, 21.53 in the 200m, and 48.47 in the 400m before continuing at Weber State. That range has translated directly to the field - since arriving in Seattle via midseason trade, he has scored three return touchdowns and broke free for a 51-yard gain in the NFC Championship. In an offense where targets can be spread thin, Shaheed doesn't need heavy volume to make an impact; his speed alone makes him a scoring threat whenever he gets space.
100m PR: 10.86 - 200m PR: 21.53 - 400m PR: 48.47
Devon Witherspoon running the lead leg on the 4x100 at the 2019 FHSAA State Championships.
CB Devon Witherspoon - Seattle Seahawks
Before becoming a tone-setter in Seattle's secondary, Witherspoon was a Florida 3A state qualifier in the high jump at Pine Forest High School in Pensacola, where he developed the lower-body power and body control that still define his play style. He also posted an 11.29 in the 100m and led off Pine Forest's 4x100 relay team that finished second at the state meet behind perennial powerhouse Miami Northwestern. At 185 pounds, Witherspoon routinely plays bigger than his frame, triggering downhill against the run, attacking the football, and competing through the catch point. In a game often decided by a handful of high-leverage snaps, those traits tend to show up.
High Jump PR: 6-7 - 100m PR: 11.29
Christian Gonzalez competing at the 2019 5A State Track Meet.
CB Christian Gonzalez - New England Patriots
Gonzalez navigated Texas' notoriously deep postseason, finishing second at district, winning area, placing second at region, and taking sixth at the state meet in the 200m with a wind-legal best of 21.71. He also ran 10.72 in the 100m and jumped 22-4 in the long jump, verified range that shows up when he is asked to stay attached to receivers down the field.
His matchup with Jaxon Smith-Njigba could quietly shape how New England structures its coverage. Smith-Njigba, who also sprinted in Texas at Rockwall High and posted an 11.46 in the 100m, is frequently moved around the formation to test defensive leverage. Gonzalez has experience handling top receiving threats and does not always need to follow across alignments to influence the timing of a passing game.
New England is 12-0 this season when Gonzalez and defensive tackle Milton Williams are both active, according to ESPN, a reflection of how coverage and pressure tend to work together. Williams, a Texas product himself, posted a 42-11 shot put as a prep.
100m PR: 10.72 - 200m PR: 21.71 - Long Jump PR: 22-4
TreVeyon Henderson winning at the 2020 VHSL Indoor Championships.
RB TreVeyon Henderson - New England Patriots
Henderson showed his acceleration early at Hopewell High in Virginia, where he ran 6.48 to win a state title in the 55m. He enters the Super Bowl averaging 5.1 yards per carry and has consistently produced chunk runs, offering a different tempo out of the Patriots' backfield. That speed will be tested against a Seattle defense that has not allowed a 100-yard rusher in 28 straight games and led the NFL at just 3.7 yards allowed per attempt, putting added importance on backs who can maximize limited space.
55m PR: 6.45 - 100m PR: 10.94
Kayshon Boutte after winning the 200m and running a PR at the 2020 Carl Lewis Invitational.
WR Kayshon Boutte - New England Patriots
Unlike many NFL players who logged a season of track, Boutte competed year-round when football wasn't in session, running indoor, outdoor, and club. The Westgate High product from New Iberia, Louisiana posted PRs of 10.97 in the 100m, 20.87 in the 200m, and 47.83 in the 400m, winning a state title in the quarter as a freshman and later finishing top five at New Balance Nationals Indoor.
More than 30% of Boutte's receptions this season have gone for 20-plus yards, according to ESPN, and he delivered one of the defining moments of New England's playoff run with a one-handed, game-sealing touchdown in the divisional round against Houston. Like Rashid Shaheed, another 100-to-400 meter runner, Boutte gives New England a vertical presence capable of flipping the field on a single play.
100m PR: 10.97 - 200m PR: 20.87 - 400m PR: 47.83
Watch Kayshon Boutte run 21.29 to win the 2020 Carl Lewis Invitational
Other Notable Players Who Participated in Track
Zach Charbonnet - Oaks Christian (SS), CAJaxon Smith-Njigba - Rockwall, TXKenneth Walker III - Arlington, TNKayshon Boutte - Westgate, LAStefon Diggs - Our Lady Of Good Counsel - MDTreveyon Henderson - Hopewell, VAChristian Gonzalez - The Colony, TXCooper Kupp - Davis HS, WARashid Shaheed - Mt. Carmel, CAErnest Jones - Ware County, GATariq Woolen - Ft. Worth Arlington Heights, TXByron Murphy II - Desoto, TXCharles Cross - Laurel HS, MSCraig Woodson - South Grand Prairie, TXMilton Williams - Crowley, TXChristian Elliss - Valor Christian, COJaylinn Hawkins - Buena Park, CAAbraham Lucas - Archbishop Murphy, WA
One of the best parts about track and field is that you often get an early look at elite athletes before the rest of the sports world catches on. Long before Joe Buck and Troy Aikman were calling their every move off the line of scrimmage, these athletes' performances were being narrated across the stadium by your local track and field announcer.
These athletes not only are playing in the Super Bowl but could very well turn the tide for their respective teams.
Here are five former track athletes who could shape Super Bowl LX.
Rashid Shaheed taking first at the 2016 San Diego Section Finals.
One of the fastest players in the Super Bowl, Shaheed built that speed on California tracks, qualifying for the state meet in 2014, 2015, and 2016. He posted personal bests of 10.86 in the 100m, 21.53 in the 200m, and 48.47 in the 400m before continuing at Weber State. That range has translated directly to the field - since arriving in Seattle via midseason trade, he has scored three return touchdowns and broke free for a 51-yard gain in the NFC Championship. In an offense where targets can be spread thin, Shaheed doesn't need heavy volume to make an impact; his speed alone makes him a scoring threat whenever he gets space.
100m PR: 10.86 - 200m PR: 21.53 - 400m PR: 48.47
Devon Witherspoon running the lead leg on the 4x100 at the 2019 FHSAA State Championships.
