No rooting interest? Check again
Sure, the Bengals might be an easy team for Steelers fans to root against. But in terms of finding a rooting interest for Sunday’s AFC and NFC championships, there are plenty of ties to area high schools and colleges worth keeping an eye on.
Here’s a look at every player and coach competing Sunday with connections to Pitt, Penn State, West Virginia and the WPIAL.
Los Angeles Rams Aaron Donald,
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defensive tackle Connection: Penn Hills, Pitt The skinny: There might be a hidden gem on this list, a name you haven’t heard in a while. Donald’s isn’t one of them. Before he was the three-time NFL defensive player of the year, Donald dominated at Pitt. The former Penn Hills standout won four national awards and was named unanimous first-team All-American in 2013, his final season with the Panthers. Most recently, Donald logged eight pressures and a sack in a win over Tom Brady’s Buccaneers in the divisional round.
• Nick Scott, safety Connection: Penn State
The skinny: Scott signed as a running back in James Franklin’s first recruiting class in 2014. A year later, an under-recruited player named Saquon Barkley entered the fold. Scott eventually moved to special teams and safety where he was dependable as a redshirt senior. Scott was a seventhround pick by the Rams in 2019 and has been a revelation in these playoffs, picking off Brady last week.
• Grant Haley, cornerback Connection: Penn State
The skinny: Haley is remembered most for his scoopand-score after Marcus Allen’s blocked field goal in Penn State’s upset of Ohio State in 2016. The speedy cornerback went undrafted in 2018 but spent three seasons with the Giants and Saints. Haley was signed to the Rams’ practice squad in October, activated before the playoffs and made three special teams tackles in Tampa Bay.
• Troy Reeder, linebacker Connection: Penn State
The skinny: Reeder spent his final three years at Delaware, but started at Penn State. Reeder — whose father, Dan, was a fullback with the Steelers in 1986 and 1987 — was an 11-game starter for Penn State as a redshirt freshman in 2015. Eventually, Reeder went undrafted, latched on with the Rams in 2019 and has recorded 212 tackles since.
San Francisco 49ers
• K’Waun Williams,
cornerback Connection: Pitt
The skinny: Williams started 38 games for Pitt from 201013, playing under three head coaches after being recruited by former Panthers staffer (and current Boston College head coach) Jeff Hafley. Williams went undrafted in 2014, was waived by the Browns after two seasons, then was picked up by San Francisco in 2017 and logged six tackles in the 49ers’ Super Bowl loss to Kansas City in 2020.
• Robbie Gould, kicker Connection: Penn State
The skinny: Gould is one of the most prolific kickers in NFL history. The 39-year-old ranks 11th on the all-time NFL list for field goals made with 420, the most recent of which was last week’s walkoff winner against the Packers. After going undrafted out of Penn State, he ended up with the Bears, leaving as the franchise’s leader in points and field goals.
• Kevin Givens, defensive tackle Connection: Altoona, Penn State
The skinny: Givens, a standout at Altoona when the
Mountain Lions were in the WPIAL, was named to the Post-Gazette’s Fabulous 22 team in 2014. The former Pitt commit played 39 games at Penn State from 2016-18, recording 13 sacks. The undrafted free agent has become a rotational piece on San Francisco’s defensive line.
• Colton McKivitz,
offensive lineman Connection: West Virginia The skinny: McKivitz, a reserve lineman with the 49ers, started 47 games at tackle for the Mountaineers from 2016-19. The Ohio native was a first-team All-Big 12 honoree and a third-team Associated Press All-American in his final year. McKivitz was a fifth-round pick in 2020 and played 70 snaps in the 49ers’ regular-season finale against the Rams.
• Dom DeCicco, area scout Connection: Thomas Jefferson, Pitt
The skinny: DeCicco was one of the most versatile players in the WPIAL, being named to the Post-Gazette’s Fabulous 22 team in 2006 after playing quarterback, receiver and safety in his three years as a starter. DeCicco was a linebacker at Pitt, where he was a two-time All-Big East selection. DeCicco has spent four years with the 49ers’ organization.
Cincinnati Bengals
• Tyler Boyd, wide receiver Connection: Clairton, Pitt The skinny: After shining at Clairton, Boyd set records with the Panthers. Boyd finished his collegiate career as Pitt’s all-time leader in receptions (254) and receiving yards (3,361). Boyd, a 2016 second-round pick, has recorded 388 receptions and 4,571 yards in six seasons with Cincinnati. He’s scored four touchdowns in his past five games, most recently finding the end zone against the Raiders in Cincinnati’s wild-card weekend win.
• Quinton Spain, offensive lineman Connection: West Virginia The skinny: Spain played in 50 games with 38 starts from 2011-14 at West Virginia. The undrafted free agent guard has stuck in the league for seven seasons. This year, Spain has logged the third-most offensive snaps for Cincinnati behind only left tackle Jonah Williams and quarterback Joe Burrow.
• Al Golden, linebackers coach Connection: Penn State
The skinny: Golden was a starting tight end at Penn State in 1991 and 1992 before returning as linebackers coach in 2000. He was a reported candidate to be Penn State’s next coach in 2014. But Golden remained at Miami — where he was fired midseason in 2015 with a 32-25 record. Golden was an assistant with the Detroit Lions from 2016-19 before being hired by Cincinnati in 2020.
Kansas City Chiefs
• Dorian O’Daniel, linebacker Connection: Canonsburg native
The skinny: O’Daniel moved away from Pittsburgh in the seventh grade, but he was born in Canonsburg and grew up a Steelers fan. O’Daniel, a Clemson standout and thirdround draft choice in 2018, has played in five games this season.
• linebackers coach Connection: Pitt
The skinny: House served as Pitt’s secondary coach in 2012 and defensive coordinator in 2013 and 2014. Pitt allowed 26.7 points per game in House’s two years calling plays. When Paul Chryst left for Wisconsin and Pat Narduzzi was hired, House bounced from FIU to Kentucky to the Chiefs. House, after three years in Kansas City, is set to become LSU’s defensive coordinator when the Chiefs’ playoff run concludes.
Matt House,