Former Gators Jabar Gaffney and Chad Jackson To Play In Super Bowl XLII
Tuesday, January 22, 2008 | Football
This season marks the 24th time that at least one former Gator player will be in the championship game. Gaffney and Jackson are each making their first trip, bringing UF's total to 32 Gators who have played in the Super Bowl. They seek the title on the same field that UF claimed the 2007 BCS National Championship Game last January.
Florida is one of three schools in the nation to send multiple receivers to the Super Bowl this year, joining Marshall and Tennessee.
Last season, four former Gators represented the Chicago Bears in Super Bowl XLI, including Rex Grossman, Todd Johnson, Ian Scott and Alex Brown.
Gaffney was one of the most prolific wide receivers in the nation in his two seasons (2000-01) at Florida. He was a consensus first-team All- America selection as a sophomore in 2001 and a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award that season as the nation's elite wide receiver.
He finished his career with 138 receptions for 2,375 yards and 27 touchdowns. His 27 touchdowns from 2000-01 ranked as the most for a player over the course of their combined freshman and sophomore seasons in major college history.
In his second season with the Patriots, Gaffney has hauled in 36 passes for 449 yards and five touchdowns.
Jackson played three seasons (2003-05) at Florida, and he was a first- team Associated Press All-SEC selection in 2005 after catching 88 passes for 900 yards and nine touchdowns. His 88 touchdown grabs matched Carlos Alvarez's single-season school record in 1969. During his career, Jackson finished with 120 receptions for 1,586 yards and 16 touchdowns.
