On Sunday, February 7, the NFL had its annual grand finale. The game of the year featured the Kansas City Chiefs versus the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The main attraction was the quarterback matchup between Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady and Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Most football fans were anticipating that particular clash. For football fans located in the 5-0-4, they were focused on the clash of the Purple Knights.
The city of New Orleans is based on culture, cuisine, and pride. New Orleans natives take extreme pride in family, the ward they grew up in, and the high school they attended. Located in the 7th Ward section of New Orleans, St. Augustine High School is an institution that is based on high-level achievement and pride. St. Augustine, known by most New Orleanians as “St. Aug,” is an all-boys parochial high school founded in 1951. The school takes pride in the fact that they led the way in battling segregation in New Orleans. The successful legal challenges mounted by the school resulted in the de-segregation of high school athletics. St. Aug also takes pride in regards to being nationally recognized for outstanding success in preparing their students for higher education. The St. Augustine Purple Knights take pride in their athletic programs, marching band, and famous alumni. The prominent alumnus includes names such as former NBA player Avery Johnson, Singer/Actor Luke James, ESPN anchor Stan Verrett, and the actor who played Apollo Creed in the Rocky movies, Carl Weathers. St. Augustine has a long list of famous alumni, but two particular alumnus met head to head on February 7.
St. Aug was beaming with pride as former Purple Knights Tyrann Mathieu, Class of 2010, and Leonard Fournette, Class of 2014, played against each other in Super Bowl LV. During his senior season at St. Augustine, Mathieu had 32 tackles and five interceptions. After high school, he signed on to become an LSU Tiger. Mathieu’s versatility and ball-hawking skills aided him in becoming a Heisman Trophy finalist in 2011. Mathieu was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals two years later in 2013. After being released by Arizona, Mathieu signed a one year deal with the Houston Texans in 2018. A year later, he signed with Kansas City and was a key contributor in regards to the Chiefs having a successful season and winning Super Bowl LIV.
While playing football at the age of 12, Leonard Fournette was bigger and stronger than the other kids. He was so dominant that parents from opposing teams signed a petition to ban him. The park ball legend would move on to attend high school at St. Augustine. As a Purple Knights running back, Leonard Fournette rushed for over 2,000 yards during his junior year. Like Mathieu, Fournette decided to attend college at LSU. As a junior, Fournette was the preseason favorite to win the Heisman trophy, but multiple injuries during the course of the season derailed his opportunity to win the award. In 2017 Leonard Fournette was drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars. Three years later, he was cut and signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Mathieu and Fournette traveled the same road in regards to St. Aug and LSU. In the biggest game of the year, their paths would cross. With 7 minutes left to go in the 2nd quarter, Tyrann Mathieu and Leonard Fournette clashed. Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady threw a pass across the middle that was tipped and intercepted by Mathieu. As Mathieu started to run with the football, Fournette was there to make the tackle. Unfortunately for the Chiefs, the interception was negated due to a holding penalty. Fournette and Mathieu would greet each other once again in the 3rd quarter. Fournette took the handoff and cut back to his right. As he was running with the football, Mathieu stepped up to make the tackle. Later in the third, Fournette would take a handoff and run 27 yards for a touchdown to give his Buccaneers a 28-9 lead. He finished the game with ten carries for 89 yards and a touchdown. He also had four receptions for 46 yards.
Tyrann Mathieu and the Kansas City Chiefs had a rough day as holding penalties and dropped passes aided them in falling behind early in the game. Mathieu became frustrated as he had multiple verbal exchanges with Tom Brady.
The night belongs to Fournette and the Buccaneers as they won by a score of 31-9. Mathieu and the Chiefs won the Super Bowl last year, and Fournette and the Buccaneers won the ring this year. Both teams are relatively young. With that being said, fans are wondering if we will get a clash of the Purple Knights Part 2 in Super Bowl LVI?
