Andy Reid facing his old team in the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LVII to Reid also firing Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni upon becoming Chiefs head coach in 2013. Then there’s the two brothers Travis and Jason Kelce, former teammates at Cincinnati University. facing off in the ultimate game.
A.J. Brown And Willie Gay HS Teammates
But lost in the mix is the relationship between Eagles star wideout A.J. Brown and Chiefs rising linebacker Willie Gay. The two were high school teammates at Starkville High School in Mississippi who grew up literally minutes from one another. Brown attended Ole Miss and Gay went to archrival “Hail State,” his hometown Mississippi State.
Ahead of next Sunday’s Super Bowl, Brown made sure to acknowledge his good friend and former teammate from “The Sip,” as the area is referred to by the locals.
“Grew up five minutes from each other,” Brown tweeted. “Won a state championship together in high school together. Playing for the Super Bowl. The city is beyond proud.”
High school teammates A.J. Brown and Willie Gay will face each other in the Super Bowl 🤯 pic.twitter.com/nthhRL9qiR
— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) January 30, 2023
Brown And Gay Are Big Reasons Their Teams Are In Super Bowl
Both Brown and Gay have played major roles in their team’s success this season. Brown was a huge draft night addition by the Eagles, pretty much giving them the missing weapon they needed to get to this point. He teamed with former Heisman Trophy winner DeVonta Smith to become half of one of the best wide receiver tandems in the league. Brown’s big play ability and physicality has been a welcome sight for the Eagles physical offense.
This season Brown had 88 receptions for 1,496 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Gay solidified a Chiefs front seven that for years has struggled at the linebacker position, teaming with the dynamic Nick Bolton for 248 tackles, five sacks and four interceptions. It’s Gay’s physicality at the point of attack that stands out and at over 240 pounds he possesses great speed.
Gay flashed last season, and his play forced head coach Andy Reid and defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo to increase his reps. Based on the results, it was a brilliant move.
Before AJ Brown (@1kalwaysopen_) & Willie Gay (@WillieG___) made their marks in the SEC/NFL, they led Starkville to a state championship in 2015. Now, they'll square off in the Super Bowl.
Coach Ricky Woods didn't hold back.
"They're the best players I've ever coached."
More: pic.twitter.com/ghE0yk2dkg
— Jon Sokoloff (@JonSokoloff) January 31, 2023
Brown And Gay Were Highly-Touted Prospects
Coming out of Starkville High School, Brown and Gay were highly sought after. Both were four-star ESPN Top 100 recruits, with Brown the No. 47 overall ranked player and fifth-ranked wideout. Gay was ranked No. 70 and the No. 3-ranked outside linebacker.
Both went on to have stellar collegiate careers at opposite state schools, and one of them will become the first Super Bowl champion from Starkville High School.
Egg Bowl in the Super Bowl.
Former high school teammates A.J. Brown and Willie Gay will square off in the big game.#HottyToddy https://t.co/L5pK2xPzHe
— The Grove Report (@TheGroveReport) February 3, 2023
State Of Mississippi Represents Super Bowl LVII Well
There will be no shortage of players in this year’s Super Bowl from the state of Mississippi. From Chris Jones to Fletcher Cox, to Darius Slay, to the aforementioned Brown and Gay. They play some serious football in “The Sip.”
