The Tampa Bay Buccaneers feature a trio of Charlotte-area players, hoping to win a Super Bowl on Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Defensive back Ross Cockrell, a former Panther, played at Charlotte Latin School.
Field goal kicker Ryan Succop is from Hickory, and punter Bradley Pinion played at Northwest Cabarrus and is a Concord native.
"I think it's pretty exciting," said Rich Williams, who coached Pinion with the Trojans. "I know I'll be cheering for him that's for sure."
The summer before Williams's first season as coach, he noticed Pinion, who had just graduated the eighth grade, working out on the football field.
"He said I'm Bradley Pinion and I'm going to be your varsity kicker," Williams recalled. "I said oh are you, what grade are you in? He said well I'm going into the 9th grade."
It wasn't false confidence -- Pinion handled kickoffs, field goals, extra points, and -- of course punts -- for the Trojans for four years before heading to Clemson.
"He was a little bit intimidating," said Williams, "because he would stand on our sidelines and punt it across the field into the visitors stands while the other team was warming up. It was very beneficial for us to have him on our team."
The Bucs can say the same. Pinion -- in his second season in Tampa after originally being drafted by the 49ers -- pinning opponents inside the 20 19 times to allow Tampa's defense to go to work.
So Williams is in an interesting position Sunday -- he wants Pinion to punt and play -- but also wants him to win a Super Bowl ring.
"My wife's there watching with me I always say there's my punter," said Williams. "It's just kind of cool to see that."