Florida A&M Rattlers have played in 25 of the 46 Super Bowls

February 04, 2012
By: Van Wilson
Tallahassee

For almost 50 years the Super Bowl has been one of the world’s most popular and televised sporting events and former Florida A&M players have been there almost every step of the way.

One of them, track and football star Bob Hayes, who was called “the world’s fastest man,” is the only man with a Super Bowl ring and an Olympic gold medal.

According to the website, pro-football-reference.com, 13 former Rattlers have played in 25 of the 46 Super Bowls. Of those, eight different players have won championships and five have won more than one.

“You’re talking about some of the greatest names to ever play for FAMU,” said Vaughn Wilson who is director of Sports Information at FAMU.

The Rattler with the most appearances in the Super Bowl is Hubert “Hubie” Ginn. Ginn appeared in four championships including three consecutive with the Miami Dolphins from 1972-74 and another in 1977 with the Oakland Raiders.

In 1967 former FAMUan Gene Thomas suited up with the Kansas City Chiefs in their 35-10 loss to the Green Bay Packers in the very first Super Bowl. A year later, Carlton Oates and Hewritt Dixon became the first pair of Rattlers to play on the same Super Bowl team when they played for the Oakland Raiders. The Green Bay Packers won that game 33-14.

FAMU got its first Super Bowl victory when two Rattlers squared off against each other for the first time in 1972. Ginn’s Miami Dolphins faced the Dallas Cowboys featuring Rattler legend Bob Hayes in Super Bowl VI. The Cowboys won 24-3, giving Hayes his only win in two Super Bowl appearances and Ginn his only loss in four appearances.

Talking about the caliber of athletes FAMU has produced, former FAMU athletic director Roosevelt Wilson is quick to say, “Remember, (Bob) Hayes is still the only man in history to ever win both an Olympic gold medal (Tokyo in 1964) and a Super Bowl ring.”

Three Rattlers tie for having the most Super Bowl victories with Henry Lawrence, Ginn and Nate Newton having three each.

Charles Goodrum has the distinction of being the only Rattler to appear in more than one Super Bowl without winning a championship. He played for the Minnesota Vikings who lost Super Bowl VIII in 1974 to Ginn and the Miami Dolphins 24-7, Super Bowl IX in 1975 to former Rattler Glenn Edwards and the Pittsburgh Steelers 16-6 and Super Bowl XI in 1977 to Lawrence and the Oakland Raiders 32-14.

In addition to Goodrum, four other Rattlers have appeared in Super Bowls without winning, including Oates, Thomas, Dixon and Ken Riley.

Four different Rattler have won consecutive Super Bowls including: Derrick Gainer with the Dallas Cowboys (1993, 1994), Edwards with the Pittsburgh Steelers (1975, 1976), Ginn with the Miami Dolphins (1973, 1974), and Nate Newton also with the Cowboys (1993, 1994).

The period of 1971-77 was the “Golden Age” of Rattlers appearing in the Super Bowl with FAMUans appearing in all seven of the games and at least one Rattler being on six of the winning teams.

According to the 2011 FAMU Football Media Guide, the NFL has drafted 65 Rattlers since 1953. Only eight of the 13 Rattler Super Bowl players were NFL draft picks. Of those, only Lawrence was selected in the first round. In fact, the guide says Lawrence is still the only Rattler ever picked in the first round of an NFL draft.

“When you add in players who made pro teams without being drafted, it shows how hard it is to make it to the Super Bowl,” Vaughn Wilson said.

FAMU is currently in its longest period of not having a player in the Super Bowl. The last Rattler to appear was Terry Mickens with the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl XXXII in 1998.

Vaughn Wilson said the drought would continue at least one more year because no Rattlers suited up for either the New England Patriots or the New York Giants in this year’s Super Bowl XLVI on Feb. 5.