Troy Reeder is a Super Bowl champion with Rams in matchup of University of Delaware stars

In one regard, the University of Delaware couldn't lose in the Super Bowl on Sunday night.

That's because the Blue Hens had an alum on each team in linebacker Troy Reeder with the Los Angeles Rams and defensive tackle Zach Kerr with the Cincinnati Bengals.

In the end, it was Reeder and the Rams hoisting the Vince Lombardi Trophy as the Rams held off the Bengals 23-20 to win the Super Bowl.

Reeder grew up in Delaware, attending Salesianum before going to Penn State, then transferring to UD in 2016.

Reeder had two tackles in the game. He played 34% of the defensive snaps and 80% of the special teams snaps. He became the first Blue Hens' player to make a tackle in the Super Bowl since safety Mike Adams had six for the Denver Broncos in the 2013 season.

"It was an unbelievable moment," Reeder told Delawareonline.com/The Delaware News Journal. "It's something you dream about for so long. It’s hard to put into words the feeling you get when you get to truly live it.

"We had an incredible group of guys, and so glad we could finish it the right way."

Kerr, who didn't have a tackle in the game, played 22% of the defensive snaps. He was part of a Bengals' defensive line that limited the Rams to just 43 rushing yards while keeping the pressure on Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford.

A TRUE DELAWARE STORY: Troy Reeder's Super Bowl journey inspired by relentless work, family

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Kerr was on the field late in the fourth quarter as the Bengals tried to make a goal-line stand. The Rams had a first-and-goal at the Bengals' 1-yard line with less than 2 minutes left.

Stafford tried sneaking the ball up the middle, but was stopped at the line by the Bengals' defensive push.

On second down, Stafford found Cooper Kupp in the end zone. Then the Rams defense held off the Bengals.

The Rams, meanwhile, sacked Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow seven times, tying a Super Bowl record.

Reeder became the first UD player to play for a Super Bowl champion since quarterback Joe Flacco and center Gino Gradkowski did it with the Baltimore Ravens in 2012.

Flacco was named the MVP of that game.

Still, UD was one of 28 schools to have two or more representatives in the Super Bowl, joining the likes of national FBS powers Georgia, Alabama, LSU and Ohio State. UD was the only FCS program among those schools.

Reeder made his presence felt early.

With the Rams leading 7-0, Reeder stopped Bengals running back Joe Mixon for no gain in the first quarter. He tackled Mixon again for a 1-yard gain in the second quarter. On another play, he covered star Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase on a short crossing pattern.

As for Delaware natives, Reeder joins Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin as a group of players who grew up in Delaware to play on a Super Bowl championship team.

Godwin helped the Bucs beat the Kansas City Chiefs last February, making this the second straight season in which a Delaware native was on a championship team.

Godwin, who starred at Middletown High School, was a fierce rival of Reeder and Salesianum a decade ago. They were teammates at Penn State for two seasons before Reeder transferred to UD.

In addition, safety Duron Harmon was on three Super Bowl winners with the New England Patriots from 2013-19, and Wendell Smallwood was with the Eagles when they won it in 2017.

Paul Worrilow got there with the Atlanta Falcons in 2016.

Randy White, a defensive tackle with the Dallas Cowboys in the 1970s, was the MVP of Super Bowl XII in the 1978 season. Wide receiver Steve Watson went with the Denver Broncos in 1986 and 1987.

And defensive end Joe Campbell from Salesianum played in the Raiders' Super Bowl win over the Eagles in the 1981 season.

On Sunday night, it was Reeder who celebrated along with his family. Reeder's parents, Dan and Cheryl, were at the game, along with Reeder's brother, Colby, who played with Reeder at Salesianum and UD.

Colby Reeder transferred recently to Iowa State for his final season of college eligibility.

In addition, Reeder's wife, Mary, attended the game, as did her parents, Tom and Maureen Abram, and brothers Tommy and Brian.

Reeder just completed his third season with the Rams after they signed him as an undrafted free agent in the spring of 2019.

Reeder not only made the team as a rookie, but he had worked his way into a starting role in each of his three seasons. He finished third on the team in tackles during the regular season with 90.

"We’re talking about a very productive player for us that has been able to go out there and play in almost every situation," Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris said last week.

"And when things go wrong, and when things go awry, he’s able to step up and absolutely take his game to another level. … One of my favorite players, man. He’s loved around here. And he’s loved by all of our coaches and everyone involved."

Kerr, who played at UD in 2012 and 2013, also had an unlikely run to the Super Bowl.

He just completed his eighth NFL season after signing as an undrafted free agent in 2014 with the Indianapolis Colts.

Kerr has been with six different teams, including three this season and two in the playoffs. Kerr was with the Arizona Cardinals as a practice-squad elevation for the wildcard round of the playoffs when they lost to the Rams on Jan. 17.

Two days later, the Bengals signed Kerr off the Cardinals' practice squad. He played for the Bengals in their divisional round win over Tennessee, then again in the AFC Championship win over the Chiefs on Jan. 30, followed by the Super Bowl.

But among UD alums, this night belonged to Reeder.

Contact Martin Frank at mfrank@delawareonline.com. Follow on Twitter @Mfranknfl.

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Delaware's Troy Reeder is Super Bowl champion as Rams beat Bengals