No Chicago Bears, But Former Illinois QB Suits Up for Super Bowl LVI

For some, the Chicago Bears not being in Super Bowl LVI stings a little lot.

For some Green Bay Packers fans, they feel that sting too.

Despite Illinois and Wisconsin's teams not making it the "big game", there are local ties to the 56th Super Bowl.

WISCONSIN?

As from college ties I wasn't able to uncover either Cincinnati Bengals or Los Angeles Rams ties to Wisconsin natives. (There's a chance I overlooked someone. It happens.)

But, Illinois, though?

Illinois has some blood in the game.

Los Angeles Rams have not one but two players with Illinois ties and one of them was a quarterback in high school.

THE MONSTER IN THE MIDDLE

The most interesting of the two, as of late, is the center for Los Angeles Rams, Brian Allen. You might remember Allen making headlines in 2020 as the NFL's first player to publicly announce he had COVID-19.

Brian Allen, the center of the L.A. Rams, played for Hinsdale Central High School, in Hinsdale, Illinois. His brother, Jack, is also an NFL player.

via GIPHY

Another Los Angeles Rams player from Illinois is David Edwards. Edwards played for the University of Wisconsin but played football at Downers Grove North, in Downers Grove, Illinois.

Both men are on the offensive line for Los Angeles. Whether either make an impact on Super Bowl LVI is yet to be determined.