Chicago Native, Drake Graduate Gets His Super Bowl Ring

Every year, the Super Bowl gives us a plethora of gripping storylines. This year's battle featuring the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots was the biggest longshot in history insofar that both teams had greater than 60-1 odds to win the big game. Furthermore, Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold, widely viewed as a draft bust following his stint with the New York Jets, successfully redeemed himself. He's one of the greatest comeback stories in NFL history.

But if you dig a little deeper, you'll find a Chicago native and Drake University graduate who, on his 11th team in nine seasons, will soon be fitted for his own Super Bowl. Going from Drake to the NFL is already an accomplishment in itself, but this player likely felt his journey flash before his eyes as he competed on the biggest stage of his career.

Remember the Name: Eric Saubert:

Eric Saubert was born in Chicago, went to Hoffman Estates High School, and eventually attended Drake University from 2012 - 2016. A tight end, he was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the fifth round of the 2017 NFL Draft, which began as nonlinear of a journey through the league as you'll find.

From the Falcons to the New England Patriots, Chicago Bears, Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos, and various stops in between, at 31-years-old, he signed with the Seattle Seahawks for the 2025 season. The third tight end on the depth chart, Saubert battled injury for a portion of the year before returning to the team in their game against the Los Angeles Rams in December, where he caught the game-winning two-point conversion, which helped Seattle secure the playoff spot they needed to advance to and win Super Bowl LX.

Saubert didn't play in Super Bowl LX, but his contribution to the team was pivotal for the Seahawks in one of the most thrilling games of the year against the Rams. For a journeyman player like this, who was always battling for a roster spot and anxiously awaiting a call for another opportunity, he deserves to feel the glory as much as the marquee players on Seattle.

You can find out more about Eric Saubert on his Wikipedia page.