It's conference championship weekend for 7 Gators
The rosters are set for Sunday’s AFC and NFC Championship games and the Florida Gators will be well-represented. All told, seven Gators combined are spread across the four teams still left in the hunt for a Super Bowl title.
These are the games …
AFC Championship Game
Kansas City Chiefs at Baltimore Ravens
Site: M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, Md.
Time: 3 p.m. ET
TV: CBS, Paramount+
NFC Championship Game
Detroit Lions at San Francisco 49ers
Site: Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, Calif.
Time: 6:30 p.m. ET
TV: FOX
And here are the Gators playing in them …
Several Gators will be starting in Sunday’s games
– LB Alex Anzalone, Detroit
Regular season stats: 129 tackles (85 solo), 3 sacks and 1 fumble recovery
Playoff stats: 14 tackles (11 solo)
Played at UF: 2013-16
What they’re saying: “I can’t put into words what Alex’s value is. Even just to me personally, getting D-linemen aligned and getting certain calls, I might not have heard something and Alex knows exactly what I was trying to ask him before me asking him. Alex’s value to this defense, to this team period, I can’t even put into words, honestly.” — Lions Defensive tackle Alim McNeill.
– S Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, Detroit
Regular season stats: 17 tackles (16 solo), 3 pass breakups and 1 interception in three games.
Playoff stats: 8 tackles (5 solo) 1 pass breakup and 1 interception in two games.
Played at UF: 2016–18
What they’re saying: “Dan Campbell isn’t concerned about the early trash talk between C.J. Gardner-Johnson and Deebo Samuel. He told CJ ‘No personal fouls. That’s all you gotta say and he’s good. He knows how to toe the line without crossing it.’” — Eric Woodyard, ESPN
– WR Kadarius Toney, Kansas City
Regular season stats: 27 receptions for 169 yards and a touchdown; 11 carries for 31 yards
Playoff stats: Toney has been inactive with a hip injury. He has not played since Kansas City’s Week 15 game vs. New England. He is listed as questionable for this weekend’s game.
Played at UF: 2017–20
What they’re saying: “Kadarius Toney didn’t play against the Buffalo Bills in the divisional round, and hasn’t been the swiss-army knife the Chiefs thought he would be upon acquiring him from the New York Giants.” — Fansided.
– P Tommy Townsend, Kansas City
Regular season stats: 59 punts for 2,776 yards, averaging 47.1 yards; 20 points inside the 20-yard line; 5 touchbacks.
Playoff stats: 4 punts, 45.5 yards per punt.
Played at UF: 2016–19
– OT Jawaan Taylor, Kansas City
Regular season stats:: Taylor started 15 games at tackle for the Chiefs during the regular season. He committed a league-high 20 penalties but only allowed five sacks.
Playoff stats: Two games, two starts.
Played at UF: 2016–18
What they’re saying: “There was certainly some worry with this being the first road playoff game for the Chiefs under Patrick Mahomes that the crowd noise in Buffalo might have messed with Taylor but he didn’t cost the team any yards. Can he continue to play a clean game in Baltimore this weekend? We know that it’s going to be insane at M&T Bank Stadium and the Chiefs can’t make any stupid mistakes so Taylor has to play another clean game.” — Arrowhead Addict
– RB La’Mical Perine, Kansas City
Regular season stats: 22 carries for 77 yards; 3 receptions for 33 yards
Playoff stats: No carries or catches.
Played at UF: 2016–19
– DB Trey Dean, Kansas City
Regular season stats: No stats; Dean spent the entire regular season on the Jets’ practice squad. The Chiefs signed him ahead of last week’s playoff divisional game. We haven’t yet seen if Dean will be on the active roster Sunday.
Playoff stats: No stats
Played at UF: 2018–22
