Former teammates now on opposing Super Bowl teams
Lamar High School will be the home of a Super Bowl champ for the second-straight year. Only this year, it鈥檚 guaranteed.
Last year, former Lamar student Bobby Brown collected a Super Bowl ring as a member of the Los Angeles Rams.
This year, Lamar is covered on both sidelines as the Vikings boast players on the rosters of both the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs. If that wasn鈥檛 cool enough, both Philadelphia Eagles linebacker and Kansas City Chiefs quarterback were teammates at Lamar.
鈥淚t鈥檚 in the water, I guess,鈥 said Lamar head coach Billy Skinner, who was an assistant coach when both Johnson and Buechele played at Lamar. 鈥淚t鈥檚 neat, and it鈥檚 great for everyone. Our junior high students know they鈥檒l play at a place with a rich tradition, not just high school-wise because of [Hall of Fame coach] Eddy Peach, but because of what鈥檚 next. Our high school guys know what this area produces, and they can see what could be out there for them.鈥
Johnson is a rookie linebacker drafted in the sixth round after playing collegiately at Kansas. He鈥檚 played in 16 games for the Eagles, recording five tackles.
“Kyron was the life of the locker room,鈥 Skinner said. 鈥淗e was always so jovial. He鈥檇 sing. You couldn鈥檛 help but love that kid and the energy he brought to the locker room. I think it was his sophomore year he started to grow into his body. You could see it coming together that this kid had an opportunity to be really special. His ability started to catch up to his natural talent.鈥
Buechele, the son of former Texas Rangers third baseman Steve Buechele, played at both Texas and SMU before signing with the Chiefs as a free agent last year. He鈥檚 spent the last two seasons as one of the backups for MVP frontrunner Patrick Mahomes.
鈥淭he biggest thing is he was the first kid I ever met and coached that I thought, 鈥業 want my daughter to marry a dude like this,鈥欌 Skinner said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 just a fantastic kid. He was one of the best football players in the state, but you can tell a lot about a person by how they treat someone. It didn鈥檛 matter if you were the lunch lady or the head football coach; he treated everyone great. I can鈥檛 say enough nice things about him.鈥
While Johnson has played in 16 games this season, Buechele has yet to get on the field. He goes through every practice but has been inactive for games as the No. 3 quarterback. Steve Buechele said he鈥檚 not sure if the family will go to the game for two reasons 鈥 Shane鈥檚 roster status and daughter Amber Buechele is getting married the next week.
鈥淲e鈥檙e so proud of him and happy for him,鈥 said Steve Buechele, who had five children graduate from Lamar. 鈥淔or being in your second year in the NFL and to be able to experience a Super Bowl is unreal.鈥
While the Buechele family will obviously be rooting for the Chiefs, they won鈥檛 be alone. Even though Skinner is proud of Johnson, he can鈥檛 make himself root for the Eagles.
鈥淚鈥檓 a Cowboys fan,鈥 he said. 鈥淚f my mom were playing for the Eagles, I wouldn鈥檛 root for her.鈥