CLEVELAND — It is no secret that Cleveland and Northeast Ohio are well represented at Super Bowl LIV at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida tonight, and if it was not known before the coin toss, it sure was afterward.
The Kansas City Chiefs sent six captains to midfield for the coin toss against the San Francisco 49ers, and two of those leaders have Northeast Ohio ties, as tight end Travis Kelce (Cleveland Heights) and linebacker Anthony Hitchens (Lorain/Clearview High School) represented the team.
“That’s a testament to Ohio football,” said Mike Collier, Hitchens’ coach at Clearview. “I think we have some great football in the area, especially in Northeast Ohio. Very blessed to be able to coach someone like Anthony Hitchens. Just a great story.”
A third-round pick of the Chiefs in the 2013 NFL Draft out of the University of Cincinnati, Kelce had his fourth consecutive 1,000-yard receiving season in 2019, as he converted 136 targets into 97 receptions, 1,229 yards and five touchdowns. It was Kelce’s second-most yards in a single season in his NFL career.
During two postseason games this year, Kelce caught 10 passes for 134 yards and three touchdowns with all of those scores coming in Kansas City’s unprecedented comeback from a 24-point deficit against the Houston Texans in the AFC Divisional Playoffs.
“He was banged up in the game where he caught three touchdowns in the second quarter,” Jeff Rotsky, Kelce’s coach at Cleveland Heights, said to 3News earlier this week. “That was amazing. He understands the game. He understands where the fits are, how to settle into the zones, and when he’s got man, how to break them off on his corner routes. He’s just got it. He’s got a very high IQ, and Jason was the same way.
“God, I hope I’m not hexing him, but I see him catching one early and it’s going to be a great game. It’s going to be a close game. I see him catching the winner in the corner of the end zone to win the ball game. That’s Coach Rotsky’s dream and prediction.”
RELATED | Former coach predicts Travis Kelce will catch Super Bowl-winning TD for Kansas City Chiefs
During the regular season, Hitchens led the Chiefs with 88 total tackles, including 51 solo stops and a team-best 37 assists with two sacks and a forced fumble.
In two postseason games this year, Hitchens registered seven total tackles, including five solo stops and two assists.
“Everyone is really excited,” Collier said. “It’s cool to see. If you look at the pride rock outside, it’s painted in his colors. The teachers here, the staff, the kids, everybody’s very excited about this. Big Kansas City Chiefs fans this week.
“We’re very proud of him. We love him to death and want to see him to succeed at the highest level. We know he’s going to do everything in his power to get his team right and we’re excited to watch it.”