COLUMBIA, Mo. – The NFL Playoffs kick off on Saturday, featuring seven former University of Missouri lettermen competing for the prestigious Vince Lombardi Trophy.
Among the players making their postseason appearances are Kris Abrams-Draine and Tyler Badie with the Denver Broncos, Nick Bolton from the Kansas City Chiefs, Charles Harris representing the Philadelphia Eagles, Ty-Ron Hopper of the Green Bay Packers, Ennis Rakestraw Jr. from the Detroit Lions, and Cody Schrader of the Los Angeles Rams. All have played vital roles in leading their teams into the playoffs.
Nick Bolton and the Kansas City Chiefs secured a bye for the wild card weekend after clinching the AFC West championship with an impressive 15-2 record, earning the top seed in the conference. They will be hosting the lowest remaining seed during the divisional round on January 18-19.
In the wild card round, Abrams-Draine and Badie will face off against the Buffalo Bills in a key matchup as No. 7 Denver (10-7) takes on No. 2 Buffalo (13-4) this Saturday at Noon CT, broadcast live on CBS/Paramount+.
On the NFC side, Rakestraw and the Lions (15-2) claimed the NFC North championship for a second straight year, and earned the No. 1 seed for the first time in franchise history. They, too, will be on bye through wild card weekend.
Additionally, Saturday’s action will see Harris and Hopper compete when the No. 2 Philadelphia Eagles (14-3) take on the No. 7 Green Bay Packers (11-6) at Lincoln Financial Field at 3:30 p.m. CT, also live on Fox.
Schrader, fresh from his NFL debut, will be hosting the No. 5 Minnesota Vikings (14-3) in a Monday Night Football clash at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, at 7 p.m. CT, with coverage on ABC/ESPN. The Rams posted a regular season record of 10-7.
For a complete schedule of the former Tigers participating in the NFL playoffs, see below:
AFC Wild Card Games: Jan. 11-13
– No. 7 Denver Broncos (10-7) at No. 2 Buffalo Bills (13-4)
– Bye for No. 1 Kansas City Chiefs (15-2)
NFC Wild Card Games: Jan. 11-13
– No. 7 Green Bay Packers (11-6) at No. 2 Philadelphia Eagles (14-3)
– No. 5 Minnesota Vikings (14-3) at No. 4 Los Angeles Rams (10-7) (to be played at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona)
– Bye for No. 1 Detroit Lions (15-2)
As the playoffs progress, the excitement builds, not only for the teams involved but also for the communities and fans that support them. The journey to Super Bowl LIX, scheduled for February 9 at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, is set to showcase some thrilling matchups and the talent of these former Tigers on a grand stage.