‘Stay steadfast; things are possible’: P Willy’s moment and more in our Super Bowl Sunday AMA
The Ole Miss Spirit is holding its weekly, message-board-exclusive AMA (Ask Me Anything) on this Super Bowl Sunday. The Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers will face off in the LVII iteration of football’s Big Game at 5:30 p.m. CT on CBS.
Ole Miss has been well-represented in Super Bowls over the years. A number of Rebels also previously played previously for the Chiefs and 49ers. Among them is legendary Ole Miss linebacker Patrick Willis. Willis spent all eight of his NFL seasons in San Francisco. This week he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
“I’m just truly honored to be amongst those great ones,” Willis said this week, in an interview with the 49ers official site. “It’s just truly a surreal moment. Very, very blessed moment. Moment full of gratitude.
“When others see me here, just know anything is possible. Just stay steadfast; things are possible. I’m a testimony to that. Just honored.”
RELATED: Ole Miss has been well-represented in the history of the Super Bowl
Willis is one of three former Ole Miss Rebels now in the Hall of Fame.
He’s one of only two in both the Pro Football and College Halls of Fame.
“Sometimes they say when things happen too fast and it’s super easy, maybe you don’t appreciate it as much,” Willis said of his three-year Hall of Fame wait. “I’ve always had great respect for (the Pro Football Hall of Fame). But I always understood things are out of your control.
“I just tried to allow myself the grace of, ‘You know what, you did what you could do. If it’s meant to be, it’ll happen.’ To officially have it announced, I can take that deep breath now and say it’s done.”
Willis’ football immortality is covered extensively in our Super Bowl AMA. But additional topics include the recruitment of 2025 five-star in-state wide receiver Caleb Cunningham.
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A recent development could be a boost to Ole Miss’ efforts. Plus, Rebel baseball opens its season in Hawaii this weekend, while basketball continues its postseason push.
— Joe Lunardi (@ESPNLunardi) February 10, 2024
Chris Beard’s Rebels were off on Saturday, but their resume received a boost all the same.
Florida, which Ole Miss beat earlier in the season, stayed hot with a blowout win over No. 12 Auburn. As a result, the Gators climbed to No. 38 in the NCAA NET rankings, and now represent a potential Quad 1 win for the Rebels.
ESPN currently has Ole Miss (18-5, 5-5 SEC) as one of its ‘Last Four In’ the tournament.
The Rebels will likely need to get to 10 wins to safely secure its 10th all-time NCAA Tournament appearance. A few of the notable games remaining: Texas A&M, at Mississippi State, Alabama, South Carolina and at Georgia.
“Congratulate South Carolina on a good home-court SEC win,” Beard said earlier this week after a three-point loss at South Carolina. Ole Miss has dropped two straight. “A lot of respect for the coach (Lamont Paris) and the program he’s building here Year 2. They’re really good.”
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