Minneapolis and St. Paul Catholic schools had its share of representation at Super Bowl LI.
New England Patriots wide receiver and St. Paul native Michael Floyd, who attended Cretin-Derham Hall for high school in St. Paul, became the third CDH alumnus to win a Lombardi Trophy Feb. 5 in Houston. Floyd, who didn’t make the game day lineup, nonetheless gets a Super Bowl ring as the Patriots rallied from 28-3 down to beat the Atlanta Falcons 34-28 in overtime.
Minneapolis native and Falcons defensive end Ra’Shede Hageman, who attended Our Lady of Peace in Minneapolis for middle school, had a couple of tackles in the game. Hageman received support from Our Lady of Peace during the week leading up to the Super Bowl. Students held signs Feb. 1 in support of Hageman, and the photo went on the school’s Facebook page. Hageman commented in appreciation.
“Wow that’s crazy,” Hageman said on Facebook. “So many memories at OLP! Thanks for the love.”
Floyd, who attended public school before CDH, made much cause for signs and cheers among Raiders fans during his star-studded prep football career in the mid 2000s. He won Mr. Football in 2007 when he had 21 touchdowns as a senior and helped the Raiders reach the Prep Bowl.
Floyd continued his gridiron career at the University of Notre Dame and then with the Arizona Cardinals as a first-round draft pick in 2012. His time in Arizona ended abruptly this fall after he got a DUI arrest Dec. 12.
Following his Dec. 14 release from the Cardinals, New England picked him up off waivers Dec. 15, and he contributed in a couple of games. He had 37 catches and five touchdowns overall this season.
Hageman, who played prep football at Minneapolis Washburn and then at Minnesota in college, had off-field issues in 2016 too with domestic violence charges in March. The NFL has a domestic abuse policy that calls for a six-game suspension, but the league hasn’t taken action against Hageman yet. He stayed on the Falcons roster for the season but sat out the first game of the season.
Hageman, a third-year defensive lineman and second-round draft pick, tallied 18 tackles and two sacks in 12 regular season games for the Falcons. He also sacked Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers in the second quarter of the Falcons’ 44-21 blowout win for the NFC title Jan. 22.
A Falcons blowout didn’t last in Houston as the offense never got going in the second half. Floyd could take some credit since he played the role of Falcons star receiver Julio Jones in practices for the Patriots’ defense according to SportsChannel New England. Jones had four catches, his lowest total of the postseason.
Floyd joins center Matt Birk of the 2012 Baltimore Ravens and offensive tackle Ryan Harris of the 2015 Denver Broncos as the three former CDH stars to win Super Bowls.
