Jayhawk great Aqib Talib helps lead Rams to the Super Bowl

NEW ORLEANS – Kansas football great Aqib Talib is making a return trip to the Super Bowl as he helped lead the Los Angeles Rams to a 26-23 overtime win over the New Orleans Saints in the NFC Championship game Sunday afternoon.

Talib, who helped lead the Denver Broncos to a win in Super Bowl 50, collected two solo stops in Sunday’s come-from-behind road win over the Saints. In his first season with the Rams, Talib tallied 20 tackles, one interception and one forced fumble, despite missing nine games with an injury. 

Talib was inducted into KU football’s Ring of Honor in 2017. The Richardson, Texas, native earned a number of national honors after helping Kansas to its 12-1 record during the 2007 season, including being named Orange Bowl Most Valuable Player. He finished the 2007 campaign with 66 tackles, while tallying a team-best 13 passes broken up and five interceptions. He returned two interceptions for touchdowns, including a 60-yarder for the first score against Virginia Tech in the Orange Bowl. 

In his three-year Jayhawk career, Talib registered 13 interceptions to rank second all-time at Kansas and added 45 passes broken up. In 2007 he became an offensive threat as well, pulling in eight receptions for 182 yards and four touchdowns. 

After being drafted in the first round of the 2008 NFL Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he is in the midst of an outstanding career in professional football. A five-time Pro-Bowler, Talib has recorded 35 interceptions in his NFL career. 

Talib and the Rams will take on the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LIIII on Sunday, Feb. 3 The game will be played in Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium at 5:30 p.m., on CBS.