Rob Ninkovich Will Play in His 3rd Super Bowl

NEW LENOX, IL - Playing in the Super Bowl is usually a once-in-a-lifetime experience for just a small percentage of any football player who has reached the NFL.

But for New Lenox native and Lincoln-Way Central alum Rob Ninkovich, it is becoming a common occurrence.

This Sunday, Ninkovich - an outside linebacker - will be on the field in the Super Bowl for the third time when his New England Patriots take on the Atlanta Falcons in Houston.

Ninkovich has experienced both the extreme highs of winning football’s biggest game and the bitter disappointment that comes with placing second. Following the 2014 season, he was part of a Patriots team that defeated the Seattle Seahawks in a last-minute thriller. Three years earlier, his Patriots couldn’t handle the New York Giants in a championship game played in neighboring Indiana.

Born in Blue Island, Ninkovich played high school football at Lincoln-Way East for two seasons before transferring to Lincoln-Way Central, where he closed out his prep career in 2002. He played at Joliet Junior College for two seasons before finishing his collegiate career at Purdue University, where he was on the Boilermakers’ defensive line.

The early days of Ninkovich’ NFL career included stints with the New Orleans Saints and Miami Dolphins before he was picked up by the Patriots in 2009. He has been with New England ever since and thus part of a record performance in which the Patriots have reached the AFC Championship Game in six consecutive years.

In 2016, he totaled 32 tackles, deflected two passes and caused one forced fumble for the Patriots.

Ninkovich won’t be the only Southland native playing in the big game on Sunday. He could meet head-to-head with Atlanta Falcons running back and Oak Forest High School alum Tevin Coleman, who is making his first Super Bowl appearance.

Read more on Patch:
Rob Ninkovich in Super Bowl Again, This Time with 2 Other Southland Natives as Teammates
Former LWC Star Rob Ninkovich Visits New Lenox Board
Ninkovich Looks to Seize Opportunity in First Super Bowl

Photo via Wikimedia Commons / Jeffrey Beall