The Seattle Seahawks are heading to Super Bowl LX, and they’re bringing a strong Trojan presence with them. At the center of it all is quarterback Sam Darnold, who’s not just making his Super Bowl debut-he’s making history. After six decades of waiting, Darnold will become the first USC quarterback to ever start in a Super Bowl.
That’s a milestone worth celebrating, especially for a program like USC’s, which has long been a quarterback factory. But Darnold’s journey hasn’t exactly followed the script many envisioned when he left college as a top draft pick.
His NFL path has been winding-marked by flashes of promise, a few setbacks, and now, a shot at the sport’s biggest stage. That alone is a testament to his perseverance and growth.
And Darnold isn’t the only Trojan making waves in Seattle. The Seahawks’ defense-one of the league’s most physical and opportunistic units-features three more USC alums who’ve each carved out their own unique path to this moment.
Leonard Williams, the former All-American defensive lineman, is the veteran of the group. Now in his 11th NFL season, Williams has been a consistent force up front throughout his career.
But postseason success has been elusive-until now. After spending much of his career with the Jets and Giants, where playoff appearances were rare, Williams is finally getting a real shot at championship glory.
His impact on Seattle’s defensive line has been immediate and undeniable, bringing both leadership and disruption to a unit that’s peaking at the right time.
Then there’s Uchenna Nwosu, one of the best development stories to come out of USC in recent memory. He arrived in college as a relatively under-the-radar recruit, but by his senior season in 2017, he was an all-conference linebacker and a clear NFL prospect. Fast forward eight years, and Nwosu has become a key piece of Seattle’s defense-versatile, reliable, and now, Super Bowl-bound for the first time in his career.
And perhaps the most unlikely story of all belongs to Brandon Pili. The first player in USC history to hail from Alaska, Pili went undrafted in 2023 and began this season on Seattle’s practice squad.
But he didn’t stay there for long. Through grit and steady improvement, Pili earned his way into the defensive line rotation and has contributed meaningful snaps during the Seahawks’ postseason run.
It’s the kind of underdog journey that makes the Super Bowl stage even more special.
On the other side of the field, the AFC champion New England Patriots are heading to the big game without any former USC players on the roster. But there is a Trojan connection worth noting-Patriots linebacker Jahlani Tavai is the younger brother of J.R. Tavai, who once suited up for USC.
So while only one team in this year’s Super Bowl will be repping the cardinal and gold, the USC legacy will be front and center in Las Vegas. Whether it’s Darnold leading the offense, Williams anchoring the line, Nwosu flying around at linebacker, or Pili grinding in the trenches, the Trojans are making their presence felt-and making history in the process.