Fork Union Military Academy alumni in the NFL Playoffs

It’s the same challenge every year it seems: Which NFL teams should the Fork Union Military Academy family root for during the NFL Playoffs. The connections between Fork Union and the NFL run wide and deep, and the Academy very often has alumni on the field as players and coaches on both sides of the ball for any given game. This playoff season is no exception. Here are the Fork Union alumni involved in the upcoming games:

Saturday, January 9, 2016

At 4:35 PM the Kansas City Chiefs play the Houston Texans. First of all, as you may already know, the Chiefs were named by original owner Lamar Hunt in honor of Fork Union alumnus and then mayor of Kansas City, H. Roe “The Chief” Bartle. On Saturday’s game, Travis Crittenden will be serving as the Assistant Strength Coach on the Chief’s side, and Kareem Jackson (#25) will be on the field at starting cornerback for the Texans.

In the 8:15 PM game, the Pittsburgh Steelers, with alumnus Shaun Sarrett as Offensive Assistant Coach, will face the Cincinatti Bengals, whose starting center is Russell Bodine (#61), a multi-year cadet at Fork Union and son of Brian Bodine, a longtime math instructor at the Academy.

Sunday, January 10, 2016

In Sunday’s first playoff game at 1:05 PM, the Seattle Seahawks with Mohammed Seisay (#39) at defensive back, will take on the Minnesota Vikings, one of the few NFL teams without a Fork Union alumnus currently on their roster or staff.

The 4:40 PM game will feature the Green Bay Packers, where Jon-Eric Sullivan has served as college scout for more than a dozen years, versus the Washington Redskins, where Morgan Moses (#76) will be helping hold down the left side of the line at offensive tackle.

First Round Byes

Of the four teams with first round byes (Patriots, Panthers, Broncos, Cardinals), only the Cardinals have a current Fork Union connection, with Olsen Pierre on the practice squad and Dru Grigson (in his eighth season with the team overall) serving as Director of College Scouting for the past three years.

Other Current NFL Players

The Indianapolis Colts have the distinction of having three Fork Union alumni on their roster this year: Anthony Castonzo, Kelce Quarles, and Zach Kerr. Long snapper Danny Aiken moved to the New York Giants this season after winning the Super Bowl last year with the Patriots. The Jets roster includes Antonio Allen, Terence West is with the Ravens, Max Valles has moved to the Buffalo Bills, and Austin Pasztor plays offensive line for the Cleveland Browns. Isaiah Battle played this season for the Rams, and Carlos Hyde carried the ball for the San Francisco 49ers.