SANDERS & KOCUREK TO HELP 49ERS IN SUPER BOWL QUEST
Super Bowl LIV will have a distinct local flavor, when the game kicks off Sunday evening in Miami.
When the San Francisco 49ers take the field against the Kansas City Chiefs, a pair of local men will try to bring the 49ers their sixth Super Bowl title.
Bellville-native Emmanuel Sanders, a wide receiver with San Francisco, will be making his third appearance in pro football’s biggest game.
Sanders appeared in Super Bowl XLV (2011) with the Steelers, in their 31-25 loss to Green Bay (2 rec., 17 yds.) and in Super Bowl L (2016) with the Broncos, as they defeated Carolina, 24-10 (6 rec., 83 yds.).
Sanders was held without a catch on just one target in the NFC Championship game against Green Bay, and caught two passes for 33 yards against Minnesota in the Divisional Round of the playoffs.
Sanders is a 10 year NFL veteran with 601 total receptions for 7893 yards and 42 touchdowns.
Meanwhile, on the San Francisco sideline, Caldwell-native Kris Kocurek will be coaching the 49er defensive line.
Kocurek, who played football for the Hornets, Texas Tech and the Tennessee Titans, has helped develop one of the most dominant defensive fronts in the NFL, which has accounted for 34.5 sacks this season.
Kocurek, 41, is in his 11th season as an NFL coach, with stints in Detroit (9 years) and Miami (1 year).
Following his collegiate career at Texas Tech, where he was Second Team All-Big 12 in 2000, Kocurek was drafted in the seventh round of the 2001 NFL Draft by the Seattle Seahawks. He spent three years in the NFL with Seattle and the Tennessee Titans before a shoulder injury ended in playing career.
Kocurek made his way up the coaching ladder, with stints at five college in eight seasons (Texas Tech, A&M-Kingsville, A&M Commerce, West Texas and Stephen F. Austin). His first NFL job was as an Assistant Defensive Line Coach with the Lions, before he was promoted to Defensive Line Coach after one season.
The Super Bowl will be broadcast on Fox-TV (Channel 26 Houston) with kick off set for 5:30 p.m.
Hometown guys. How wonderful for their achievement in football.
Congratulations!. Felix and Janie Luna, Rebecca, Tina, Lucy and Mark Luna from big city of Caldwell, Texas.