Super Bowl LIII will kick off on Sunday, February 3, starting at 6:30 p.m. (ET). The two-time defending American Football Conference champion New England Patriots will face off against the National Football Conference champion Los Angeles Rams.
Whether it be from home or on campus, Western Carolina students will not have to search far for a reason to watch. Former WCU defensive back, Keion Crossen, will be on the Patriots’ sideline roaring to go for the start of the game.
Drafted by the Patriots in the seventh round (243rd overall) of the 2018 NFL Draft, Crossen will meet the opportunity of a lifetime in just his rookie year.
The 22-year-old from Garysburg, N.C., has logged 14 total tackles in 11 regular season games played since becoming a member of the Patriots last year. The Patriots finished pretty enough to earn a first-round bye, but since then, they have had matchups against the Los Angeles Chargers and the Kansas City Chiefs.
In the tilt against the Chargers, Crossen and the Patriots faced off against another former WCU football, Detrez Newsome, in the Divisional round.
Keion Crossen talking to reporters. This picture was captured by ESPN/Mike Reiss.
While Crossen and Newsome did not see the field together, the two met at some point to exchange jerseys. In an interview with reporters after a game, a picture was able to catch a glimpse of Newsome’s #38 jersey hanging in Crossen’s stall.
On Monday, January 28, Crossen accompanied the rest of his team to the 2019 Super Bowl’s Opening Night at Atlanta’s State Farm Arena.
In an interview with WCU’s Public Relation’s office, Crossen had this to say:
“From Garysburg to Cullowhee, to the Super Bowl. It’s been a journey. It’s one that you wouldn’t think would go as planned. I never thought I would be here in the Super Bowl. This is a dream come true, and I’m going to enjoy every moment of it.”
At 5-foot-10, Crossen is considered undersized as a defensive back, especially considering the average height of a wide receiver is above six feet. However, Crossen is not shy of the underdog mentality being from a smaller Southern Conference football program.
With support from friends, family and former teammates across social media, Crossen is sure to be motivated for the biggest NFL game of the season.
This video was filmed and posted by WCU P.R.
