PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Justin Watson was a star wide receiver at the University of Pennsylvania while Tanoh Kpassagnon was a Villanova defensive end. Now they're getting ready for Sunday's Super Bowl on opposite sides.
Watson is Penn's all-time leader in catches, receiving yards, receiving touchdowns and all-purpose yardage. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers drafted him in the fifth round in 2018.
"It's just been an incredible journey," he recalled, "thinking about coming from a small school like Penn and really not knowing if I'd even make it in the NFL to, here we are three years in, playing with Tom Brady, playing with so many other great players and here for a Super Bowl."
If he is active, Watson will become the first Penn Quaker ever to suit up in a Super Bowl.
"It's just amazing. You think about Penn, and one of the things that always strikes me about playing at Penn is how much history is there. It's one of those grandfather leagues of football, so to be a first in a program that's as historic as Penn, is pretty cool," he said.
Watson caught seven passes during the regular season for the Bucs.
His fellow local product will be looking for his second straight Super Bowl ring with the Kansas City Chiefs.
Villanova graduate Tanoh Kpassagnon is in fourth year with the Chiefs, and the defensive end enjoyed his time with the Wildcats.
"My career at Villanova was awesome," said Kpassagnon. "I redshirted, so I didn't start right away. I started picking up football later on in my career and really started to develop."
Kpassagnon has a chance to get a Super Bowl ring for the second year in a row, but the defensive end hasn't forgot his roots growing up in Ambler and attending Wissahickon High School.
"Coming from Wissahickon football isn't the biggest thing, honestly. Basketball is kind of bigger there. Same with Nova. Basketball's the thing there," he shared. "Football, I've never really done it for anything but love."