As New England defeated Los Angeles 13-3 in Super Bowl LIII inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, just 100 miles away from The Plains, Auburn alums Jonathan Jones and Brandon King earned their second Super Bowl rings.
Both defenders were also a part of the Patriots' 2016 Super Bowl team which defeated the Atlanta Falcons two years ago, 34-28 in overtime.
Jones wrapped up his third year in the league as a solid contributor for Bill Belichick's defense, tallying 44 tackles, three interceptions, a forced fumble and 1.5 sacks in 2018. He led the team in tackles in the win over the Rams with eight, including a sack.
As a four-year starter at cornerback for Auburn (2012-15), Jones finished with 129 career tackles and seven career interceptions as a Tiger. He was named a Jim Thorpe Award, given annually to the nation's top defensive back, as a senior.
King appeared in 15 games this season for the Patriots, recording seven tackles. He converted to linebacker at Auburn after coming to The Plains as a safety prospect from Highland Community College (Highland, Kansas). King played in all 14 games of the Tigers' 2013 SEC Championship-winning and BCS National Championship runner-up season.
The Patriots signed both King and Jones as undrafted free agents in 2015 and 2016, respectively.
"I'm missing The Plains," Jones told AuburnTigers.com's Gregory Ostendorf last week. "I enjoyed my four years there. It was a great time. My development as a young man from school and also football – it was a great place to play ball. I love the fan base. It's an excellent fan base. That platform definitely helped me come into the league.
"Being an Auburn man, you carry that with you for the rest of your life."
Do you like this story? The Plainsman doesn't accept money from tuition or student fees, and we don't charge a subscription fee. But you can donate to support The Plainsman.
Nathan King, senior in journalism with a minor in business, is The Plainsman's sports editor.
