Super Bowl Bound: What to know about 2 Niners players with Sacramento-area ties
The San Francisco 49ers have found their way back to the Super Bowl for the first time since the 2019 season, a rematch against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Two players with Sacramento-area ties have played vital roles in the team's success.
Read below to learn a little bit about Brandon Aiyuk and Arik Armstead.
Brandon Aiyuk - San Francisco 49ers, Wide Receiver
Brandon Aiyuk played two years at Sierra College in Rocklin before transferring to Arizona State and being drafted by San Francisco in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft.
Aiyuk had a breakout year in 2022 and has been even better this season, earning himself a second-team All-Pro selection.
He racked up 153 catches, 15 touchdowns and more than 2,000 receiving yards over the past two regular seasons.
In the NFC Championship Game against the Lions, he had a 51-yard catch that flipped the momentum in the 49ers' favor and sparked the comeback that got them to the Super Bowl.
As far as his production at Sierra College, Aiyuk finished his time there with 89 receptions, 19 touchdowns and over 1,500 receiving yards.
Arik Armstead - San Francisco 49ers, Defensive Tackle
On the field, Arik Armstead, a Sacramento native and former Pleasant Grove High School football player, has been an anchor for the 49ers' defense for years now, drafted by San Francisco in 2015.
The veteran defensive end has also been impactful off the field, being named a nominee for the NFL's Walter Payton Man of the Year Award for four consecutive seasons. The award is meant to honor players who make exemplary efforts in their community.
A Leataata Floyd Elementary School student got free tickets to the NFC Championship Game through Armstead's Project Summer Academy. At the game, he and his father were surprised by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell with tickets to the Super Bowl.
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