Former Pirate Linval Joseph Heads To Super Bowl
January 23, 2012 | Football
Jan. 23, 2012
GREENVILLE, N.C. - Former East Carolina Pirate and current New York Giant Linval Joseph will be heading to Super Bowl XLVI. The Giants' 20-17 overtime victory over the San Francisco 49ers Sunday night gave New York the NFC Championship and the right to play for the league title versus the New England Patriots Feb. 5 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Ind.
Joseph makes it consecutive years a former Pirate has suited up for the NFL championship tilt as C.J. Wilson and Jay Ross won last year's Super Bowl as members of the Green Bay Packers with a 31-25 triumph against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Overall, Joseph becomes the 16th East Carolina letterman to make it to the Super Bowl.
The Gainesville, Fla., native, is in his second year with the organization after being selected in the second round of the 2010 draft. Joseph played in all 16 regular season games and started 15. He booked 49 tackles, 34 solo, and a pair of sacks prior to the playoffs. He tallied a career-best nine stops, all solo hits, in a 38-35 loss to the Packers. Against the Seahawks, Joseph batted down a season-high two passes and a week later versus the Dolphins registered his first career sack.
In the postseason, Joseph has added nine more tackles, three in each game, while starting all three contests. During Sunday's NFC Championship, he recorded one hit for lost yardage and broke up a pass.
Kickoff for Super Bowl XLVI is set for 6:30 p.m. with national television coverage provided by NBC.
Super Bowl Participants
| Name (Pos) | Team | Super Bowl | Year |
| Jeff Blake (QB) | Philadelphia Eagles | Super Bowl XXXIX | 2005 |
| Reggie Branch (RB) | Washington Redskins | Super Bowl XXII | 1988 |
| Earnest Byner (RB) | Washington Redskins | Super Bowl XXVI | 1992 |
| DeVone Claybrooks (DT) | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Super Bowl XXXVII | 2003 |
| Tony Collins (RB) | New England Patriots | Super Bowl XX | 1986 |
| Steve Hamilton (DE) | Washington Redskins | Super Bowl XXII | 1988 |
| John Jett (P) | Dallas Cowboys | Super Bowl XXVIII, XXX | 1994, 96 |
| Robert Jones (LB) | Dallas Cowboys | Super Bowl XXVII, XXVIII, XXX | 1993, 94, 96 |
| Linval Joseph (DL) | New York Giants | Super Bowl XLVI | 2012 |
| George Koonce (LB) | Green Bay Packers | Super Bowl XXXI, XXXII | 1997*, 98 |
| Emmanuel McDaniel | New York Giants | Super Bowl XXXV | 2001 |
| Jay Ross (DL)^ | Green Bay Packers | Super Bowl XLV | 2011 |
| Vinson Smith (LB) | Dallas Cowboys | Super Bowl XXVII | 1993 |
| Zack Valentine (LB) | Pittsburgh Steelers | Super Bowl XIV | 1980 |
| C.J. Wilson (DL) | Green Bay Packers | Super Bowl XLV | 2011 |
| Guy Whimper (OL) | New York Giants | Super Bowl XLII | 2008 |
* - On injured reserve for Super Bowl; ^ - On practice squad for Super Bowl
Super Bowl Winners
| Name (Pos) | Super Bowl Year(s) |
| Reggie Branch (RB) | 1988 |
| Earnest Byner (RB) | 1992 |
| DeVone Claybrooks (DT) | 2003 |
| Steve Hamilton (DE) | 1988 |
| John Jett (P) | 1994, 96 |
| Robert Jones (LB) | 1993, 94, 96 |
| George Koonce (LB) | 1997* |
| Jay Ross (DL)^ | 2011 |
| Vinson Smith (LB) | 1993 |
| Zack Valentine (LB) | 1980 |
| Guy Whimper (OL) | 2008 |
| C.J. Wilson (DL) | 2011 |
* - On injured reserve for Super Bowl; ^ - On practice squad for Super Bowl
