17 Eagle Scouts with Super Bowl ties

Last update: Jan. 29, 2018

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Scouting’s highest honor, meet pro football’s highest honor. With the Super Bowl approaching fast, I thought I’d share this list of 17 Eagle Scouts with Super Bowl ties.

Here’s the list, including the year they earned Scouting’s highest honor.

• A “DESA” by their name indicates they received the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award.
• An “HOF” means they’re a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Eagle Scouts with Super Bowl ties

Sorted by the year they earned Eagle.

D.J. Tialavea, 2009 Eagle

Super Bowl appearances: 1

• LI (2016 season) as tight end for the Falcons, lost

Current status: Free agent

More: Tialavea didn’t take the field in Super Bowl LI, but you can expect to see the name of this rising star in the future. Read more about Tialavea here.

Aaron Brewer, 2008 Eagle

Super Bowl appearances: 2

• 50 (2015 season) as long snapper for the Broncos, won
• XLVIII (2013 season) as long snapper for the Broncos, lost

Current status: Member of Arizona Cardinals

More: Read more about the former Broncos’ long snapper here.

Matt Paradis, 2008 Eagle

Super Bowl appearances: 1

• 50 (2015 season) as an offensive lineman for the Broncos, won

Current status: Member of Denver Broncos

More: Read more about the Broncos’ center here. He earned Scouting’s highest honor as a member of Troop 319 of the Boise-based Ore-Ida Council. For his Eagle Scout service project, he renovated and enlarged a long-jump pit and shotput area.

Jordan Devey, 2006 Eagle

Super Bowl appearances: 1

• XLIX (2014 season) as an offensive lineman for the Patriots, won

Current status: Member of the Kansas City Chiefs

More: He appeared in seven games in the 2014 championship season for the Patriots, and while he didn’t get any playing time in Super Bowl XLIX, his football future looks bright. Devey played college football at Memphis, where he started for two seasons and received the DeAngelo Williams Most Valuable Player Award.

Austin Collie, 2004 Eagle

Super Bowl appearances: 1

• XLIV (2009 season) as wide receiver for the Colts, lost

Current status: Retired from NFL and Canadian Football League

More: Collie had six catches for 66 yards in the Colts’ 31-17 loss to the New Orleans Saints in Super Bowl XLIV. Collie was born in Canada and played college football at Brigham Young University before being drafted by the Colts in 2009. He played for the New England Patriots during the 2013 season and is a free agent.

Andy Lewis, 2002 Eagle

Super Bowl appearances: 1

• XLVI (2011 season) as halftime entertainment

More: Instead of pads and a helmet, Lewis wore funky sandals and a toga during his Super Bowl XLVI halftime appearance. Lewis, the curly haired acrobat who is credited with bringing slacklining into the mainstream, starred with Madonna in the memorable performance. Learn more in my postgame interview with Lewis. (And by the way, slacklining is an approved BSA activity.)

Dennis Pitta, 2000 Eagle

Super Bowl appearances: 1

• XLVII (2012 season) as tight end for the Ravens, won

Current status: Unsigned after the Ravens released him

More: Pitta helped the Ravens win Super Bowl XLVII over the San Francisco 49ers. Pitta had a touchdown catch in the big game, which was no surprise after the great season he had. Pitta’s Super Bowl-winning season was his best so far. He played in every game and racked up 669 yards and seven touchdowns. Pitta’s 2013 and 2014 seasons were cut short by injury, but in February 2014 he got a big contract extension from the Ravens, meaning we’ll be seeing more of Pitta.

Donnie Jones, 1998 Eagle

Super Bowl appearances: 1

• LII (2017 season) as punter for the Eagles, won

Current status: Active with the Eagles

More: Before he became the best punter in Eagles’ history — averaging a franchise-record 45.4 yards per punt — Jones became an Eagle Scout. He was a member of Troop 278 in Baton Rouge, La., part of the Istrouma Area Council.

Chad Lewis, 1986 Eagle (DESA)

Super Bowl appearances: 1

• XXXIX (2004 season) as tight end for the Philadelphia Eagles, lost (did not play because of injury)

Super Bowl team: Philadelphia Eagles

More: Lewis has two near-misses when it comes to Super Bowls. He started the 1999 season on the St. Louis Rams roster, but he was waived nine games into the season. The Rams went on to win Super Bowl XXXIV. Later, with the Eagles, he scored two touchdowns in the team’s win over the Atlanta Falcons in the NFC Championship. But on the second touchdown catch he fractured his left foot and had to sit out for Super Bowl XXXIX. Had his Eagles won, he would’ve earned a Super Bowl ring. Lewis received the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award last year.

Kevin Greene, 1978 Eagle (HOF)

Super Bowl appearances: 2

• XXX (1995 season) as linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers, lost
• XLV (2010 season) as outside linebackers coach for the Green Bay Packers, won

Super Bowl teams: Pittsburgh Steelers, Green Bay Packers

Current status: Outside linebackers coach with the New York Jets

More: Greene was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2016. He recorded 160 career sacks as a linebacker — the third most in NFL history. Joe Montana, John Elway, Dan Marino and Brett Favre all dropped to the turf under Greene’s crushing weight. He went to five Pro Bowls, was named to the NFL’s 1990s All-Decade Team and helped the Pittsburgh Steelers win the 1995 AFC Championship. He also had a brief professional wrestling career in the mid-1990s.

Ken Whisenhunt, 1976 Eagle

Super Bowl appearances: 2

• XL (2005 season) as offensive coordinator of the Steelers, won
• XLIII (2008 season) as head coach of the Cardinals, lost

Super Bowl teams: Arizona Cardinals, Pittsburgh Steelers

Current status: Offensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Chargers

More: Whisenhunt played college football at Georgia Tech and pro football with the Atlanta Falcons, Washington Redskins and New York Jets. He spent six seasons as head coach of the Cardinals, was head coach of the Tennessee Titans and currently serves as offensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Chargers. Read my interview with Whisenhunt here.

John Spagnola, 1973 Eagle

Super Bowl appearances: 1

• XV (1980 season) as tight end for the Philadelphia Eagles, lost

Super Bowl team: Philadelphia Eagles

More: Spagnola, who earned the Eagle Scout award as a member of Troop 52 in Bethlehem, Pa., went to Yale University, where he left as the all-time leading receiver in receptions (88) and yards (1554). During his 10-year NFL career, he made it to the big game once: after the 1980 season. He caught one pass for 22 yards in the team’s 27-10 loss to the Oakland Raiders in Super Bowl XV.

Peter McLoughlin, 1971 Eagle (DESA)

Super Bowl appearances: 2

• XLVIII (2013 season) as president of the Seahawks, won
• XLIX (2014 season) as president of the Seahawks, lost

Super Bowl team: Seattle Seahawks

Current status: President of the Seattle Seahawks

More: McLoughlin is in his sixth season as president of the Seahawks. He’s in charge of all financial and business operations, sales and marketing, sponsorship, and administration. Read more in my interview with McLoughlin.

Emery Moorehead, 1969 Eagle (DESA)

Super Bowl appearances: 1

• XX (1985 season) as tight end for the Chicago Bears, won

Super Bowl team: Chicago Bears

More: Moorehead played 12 seasons in the NFL, including his final eight with the Bears. He was on the Super Bowl XX-winning Chicago Bears team that was famous for its “Super Bowl Shuffle” song, though it doesn’t appear Moorehead himself appeared in the video. He had two catches for 22 yards in the Bears’ 46-10 win over the New England Patriots. After his NFL career ended, Moorehead served Scouting. He’s on the Board of Directors of the Northeast Illinois Council.

Chan Gailey, 1966 Eagle

Super Bowl appearances: 4

• XXI (1986 season) as special teams/tight ends coach of the Broncos, lost
• XXII (1987 season) as tight ends/receivers coach of the Broncos, lost
• XXIV (1989 season) as offensive coordinator of the Broncos, lost
• XXX (1995 season) as wide receivers coach of the Steelers, lost

Super Bowl teams: Denver Broncos, Pittsburgh Steelers

Current status: Retired

More: Gailey’s coaching career has taken him to some of the NFL’s big-name teams, including the Pittsburgh Steelers and Dallas Cowboys. He recently served as head coach of the Buffalo Bills and then retired after serving as offensive coordinator of the New York Jets.

Maxie Baughan, 1952 Eagle

NFL Championship appearances: 

• 1960 as linebacker for the Eagles, won

Super Bowl team: Philadelphia Eagles

Current status: Retired from coaching in 1998

More: Baughan’s career began in the pre-Super Bowl era, but he makes this list because he helped the Philadelphia Eagles beat Vince Lombardi’s Green Bay Packers to win the 1960 NFL Championship game during his rookie season. (The first Super Bowl was in 1967.) Baughan had an 11-year career in the NFL, primarily with the Eagles and the Los Angeles Rams, and was named to the Pro Bowl nine times.

Ray Malavasi, 1944 Eagle (DESA)

Super Bowl appearances: 1

• XIV (1979 season) as head coach of the Los Angeles Rams, lost

Team: Los Angeles Rams

More: Malavasi was head coach of the Los Angeles Rams from 1978 to 1982, and he led the team to Super Bowl XIV. The Rams lost that game to the Pittsburgh Steelers, giving up two touchdowns to Franco Harris in the 31-19 defeat.

Honorable mention

• Tom Mack (1960 Eagle), a Distinguished Eagle Scout who played his entire career as left guard for the Los Angeles Rams. He retired in 1978 and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1999. His career was legend, but he never made it to the Super Bowl.

Know of any others?

Did I miss any Eagle Scouts who have appeared in the Super Bowl? Let me know in the comments and I can verify their Eagle Scout status.