DALLAS - In a battle between teams located in Seattle and Massachusetts, Super Bowl LX will nonetheless have a Texas flavor to it. Check out what players in the Big Game played their high school football in the Lone Star State.
North Texas football players in Super Bowl LX
The Seattle Seahawks boast four players who played their high school football in North Texas, including arguably the game's biggest star.
- Elijah Arroyo, tight end (Independence High School in Frisco)
- Byron Murphy II, defensive tackle (DeSoto High School in DeSoto)
- Jaxon Smith-Njigba, wide receiver (Rockwall High School in Rockwall)
- Riq Woolen, cornerback (Arlington Heights High School in Fort Worth)
Smith-Njigba was recently named the NFL's Offensive Player of the Year after a season where he led the NFL in receiving yards.
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JANUARY 25: Jaxon Smith-Njigba #11 of the Seattle Seahawks stands on the sidelines during the NFC Championship NFL football game against the Los Angeles Rams at Lumen Field on January 25, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by K …
New England Patriots
- Christian Gonzalez, cornerback (The Colony High School in The Colony)
- Kobee Minor (Lake Dallas High School in Corinth)
- Milton Williams, defensive tackle (Crowley High School in Crowley)
- Charles Woods, defensive back (Kimball High School in Dallas)
- Craig Woodson, safety (South Grand Prairie High School in Grand Prairie)
Gonzalez was named to the Pro Bowl for the 2025 season and an AP second-team All-Pro for the 2024 season.
DENVER, COLORADO - JANUARY 25: Christian Gonzalez #0 of the New England Patriots lines up during the AFC Championship Playoff game between the New England Patriots and the Denver Broncos at Empower Field At Mile High on January 25, 2026 in Denver, Co …
A tank on the Seattle defense
Though he did not play high school football in Texas, defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence undoubtedly made an impact on many North Texans during his time playing with the Dallas Cowboys.
SAN JOSE, CA - FEBRUARY 04: LB DeMarcus Lawrence (0) of the Seattle Seahawks answers questions during the Wednesday press conference on February 4, 2026 at the San Jose Marriott in San Jose, CA. (Photo by Bob Kupbens/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) …
Nicknamed "Tank", Lawrence was drafted by Dallas in 2014 and played for the team through the 2024 season. In that time, he amassed 61.5 sacks and was named to the Pro Bowl four times.
Lawrence left the Cowboys during the 2025 offseason to sign a three-year, $42 million deal with the Seahawks. Since his departure, he has been critical of the Cowboys, telling a local Seattle reporter in March 2025 "Dallas is my home… But I know for sure I'm not gonna win a Super Bowl there."
More Texas high school football representation
In addition to the nine North Texas players playing on Super Bowl Sunday, there are six other players who played high school football across the Lone Star State who are on Super Bowl rosters.
Seattle Seahawks
- Quandre Diggs, safety (Angleton High School in Angleton)
- Josh Jones, offensive lineman (George Bush High School in Richmond)
- Jalen Milroe, quarterback (Tompkins High School in Katy)
Diggs is on Seattle's practice squad.
New England Patriots
- Marcus Bryant, offensive lineman (Cedar Ridge High School in Round Rock)
- K’Lavon Chaisson, defensive end (Galena Park North Shore High School in Houston)
- Jack Gibbens, linebacker (Smithson Valley High School in Spring Branch)
HOUSTON, TEXAS - OCTOBER 21: Byron Murphy II #90 of the Texas Longhorns and Kitan Crawford #21 take the field before the game against the Houston Cougars at TDECU Stadium on October 21, 2023 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)
Texas college football players in the big game
Apart from the former high school athletes, several more players made their collegiate mark in Texas.
Seattle Seahawks
- Michael Dickson, punter (Texas)
- Quandre Diggs, safety (Texas)
- Tyrice Knight, linebacker (UT-El Paso)
- Byron Murphy II, defensive tackle (Texas)
- Riq Woolen, cornerback (UT-San Antonio)
Diggs is on Seattle's practice squad.
New England Patriots
- Jack Gibbens, linebacker (Abilene Christian)
- Brenden Schooler, safety (Texas)
The Patriots also roster Rhamondre Stevenson, a running back who played at Oklahoma.
The Source: Information in this story came from the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots' rosters on their team websites, as well as Pro-Football-Reference.com