Super day for Regina’s Ryans
The Ryan Express is destined for the Super Bowl.
The family of Reginaborn Seattle Seahawks punter Jon Ryan is busily making arrangements to attend the NFL’s championship game, to be played Feb. 2 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.
“Oh my goodness!” Barb Ryan, Jon’s mother, said after the Seahawks defeated the visiting San Francisco 49ers 23-17 in Sunday’s NFC final. “Can you believe this?
“It really is something. The whole family is just so thrilled for Jon.’’
Anyone who knows the Ryans should be thrilled for the entire family, which will be well-represented when the Seahawks face Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos for the title.
The Ryans’ travelling party is expected to include Barb Ryan, along with Jon’s three siblings — Steve Ryan (who was in Seattle for Sunday’s game), Erica Honoway and Jill Scheer.
Plans also call for Steve’s wife (Haley), Erica’s husband (Ryan) and Jill’s spouse (Andrew) to attend Super Bowl XLVIII.
Jon and Steve attended their first Super Bowl on Feb. 4, 2007, when the game was played in Miami.
At the time, Jon had just finished his first NFL season, spent with the Green Bay Packers, and attended the Super Bowl as a spectator. His brother, also a University of Regina Rams alumnus, occupied an adjacent seat.
On that rainy night, the Ryan brothers watched Manning win his first championship by piloting the Indianapolis Colts to a 29-17 victory over the Chicago Bears — against whom Jon had made his NFL debut a few months earlier. And now this ... “It’s such a mix of emotions,’’ Barb said. “I keep flashing back to when Jon was a little guy.’’
Now 32, the Seahawks’ punter is poised to become the first Saskatchewanian to play in a Super Bowl.
“I am so pleased,’’ an understandably proud mother said. “This is the culmination of his whole career.’’