Buffs Shine Bright: Colorado Players Star in Championship Weekend

BOULDER – Former Colorado players and staff will have a significant presence across both sides of the NFL postseason this weekend, with Buffaloes' connections extending into both the NFC and AFC Championship Games. In the NFC, the Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams advanced to the conference title game, guaranteeing that at least one former Buff will appear in Super Bowl LIX. The Rams feature linebacker Nate Landman and cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon, while the Seahawks roster includes tight end Brady Russell. Landman and Russell overlapped during their time in Boulder, coming into together ahead of the 2017 season and both embarking upon NFL careers after their time in Boulder was done. They were both captains at various times during the 2020 and 2021 seasons. Landman has continued his rise as one of Los Angeles' most dependable defensive pieces, finishing the season with 132 tackles and adding 10 more in each of the first two playoff games for the Rams. Russell has appeared in every game this season for Seattle, becoming a special teams stalwart and even carried the 12th man flag onto the field for the Seahawks Salute To Service game. Witherspoon has provided veteran experience and versatility in the Rams' secondary, appearing in six games with two starts and an interception this season. He was placed on injured reserve after the Rams' wild-card victory over Carolina with a shoulder injury. On the AFC side, the New England Patriots and Denver Broncos will meet with their own Colorado connections in focus. The Patriots are anchored defensively by cornerback Christian Gonzalez, who played his freshman and sophomore seasons at Colorado before transferring to Oregon and entering the NFL Draft. Gonzalez has quickly emerged as one of the league's top cover corners, earning recognition for his shutdown ability and consistently drawing assignments against opposing No. 1 receivers. While the Broncos do not feature a former CU player on their active roster, the organization maintains strong Buffalo ties throughout its leadership group. Those connections include Chris Morgan, Denver's offensive line coach; Jordon Dizon, the Broncos' Director of Player Personnel; and Erich Schubert, Vice President of Communications and Content. Morgan and Dizon both played at CU and Schubert was an intern in the sports information office. From star players to key decision-makers behind the scenes, Colorado's influence will be felt throughout championship weekend — with multiple paths for the Black & Gold to be represented on football's biggest stage.