College of San Mateo's Julian Edelman and Laney's C.J. Anderson square off with Super Bowl ring on the line
SAN MATEO - Former community college all-state stars from opposite sides of the Bay, Julian Edelman from College of San Mateo and C.J. Anderson from Laney College, will be in the backfield spotlight in Super Bowl LIII -- along with Serra High’s Tom Brady and Marin Catholic’s Jared Goff.
New England slot receiver Edelman, who also played quarterback at Woodside High, and L.A . Rams running back Anderson, a former Vallejo Times-Herald Athlete of the Year at Bethel High, each played leading roles in the NFL league championship game victories and have won previous Super Bowl rings: Anderson for the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl 50 and Edelman with two for the Patriots. (Anderson transferred to Cal from Laney and Edelman to Kent State from CSM.)
Rivals Laney and CSM traded wins the past season. San Mateo beat Laney en route to a third straight Bay 6 League title. Laney won the rematch in the playoffs, en route to claiming the 2018 California Community College Athletic Association championship. CSM was the 2017 state finalist (where the title was later vacated by Fullerton, which had taken a last minute win on the field).
**************************
EDELMAN MOST PROLIFIC NFL POST SEASON RECEIVER/RETURNER
Former College of San Mateo quarterback Julian Edelman now reigns as the most prolific combination pass receiver and punt returner in NFL post season history.
The statistics:
--No. 2 in pass receptions with 105 in 17 games -- only the second player with more than 100. (Record is 151 by former 49er Jerry Rice in 29 games.)
--No. 1 in punt returns, 37. (Former record: 34 returns by David Meggett, N.Y. Giants-New England-N.Y. Jets.)
--No. 1 in yards returned, 441. (Former record: 339 yards, Brian Mitchell, Washington-Philadelphia.)
Still climbing the list:
--No. 4 in pass receiving yards with 1,271 (17 games). (Record is 2,245 yards by Jerry Rice in 29 games, but Edelman could climb to No. 2 in Sunday’s Super Bowl.)
Currently No. 2 is 1,315 by Michael Irvin, Dallas, in 16 games, and No. 3 is 1,289, by Cliff Branch, Oakland/L.A. Raiders, in 22 games.
Noteworthy: 71 of Edelman’s 105 receptions have resulted in first downs, including two key catches in overtime during the New England’s AFL title clinching win against Kansas City. The NFL does not list a record for first down receptions (although it does calculate that individually for players).
He has completed one pass, resulting in a 51-yard touchdown, in 2014.
Edelman, who also played quarterback locally at Woodside High School, missed the NFL 2017 season with an injury. Therefore, his totals could have been much higher. Edelman’s first postseason NFL game was in 2009, when he caught six passes for 44 yards and two touchdowns. He has five postseason TDs.
NFL Films called a difficult fourth quarter catch by Edelman in Super Bowl LI, which was featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated, “the greatest catch in Super Bowl history” in a YouTube video. That reception of a pass first tipped into the air by cornerback Robert Alford, keyed New England’s comeback from a 28-3 Atlanta lead to a 34-28 overtime victory for the Patriots.
**************************
BRADY & EDELMAN HOPE TO ADD TO THEIR SUPER BOWL RING TOTAL OF 7
Two athletes who quarterbacked teams a mile apart in San Mateo and often practiced on the same field share seven Super Bowl rings: Tom Brady (Serra High School) with five and Julian Edelman (College of San Mateo) with two. They will be looking to add to those totals in the 2019 Super Bowl on Sunday.
Another former CSM player and coach, Neal Dahlen, holds the record of most Super Bowl rings with seven – in coaching roles with the 49ers and as General Manger of the Denver Broncos.
Brady often practiced on the CSM field with his personal mentor, the late Bulldogs coach Tom Martinez.
CSM has been responsible for 18 Super Bowl Rings! John Madden and Bill Walsh were the first former CSM players to win Super Bowl rings -- both as head coaches, with the Raiders and the 49ers, respectfully. The other former CSM players and coaches were Neal Dahlen (who has a record seven rings with the 49ers and Broncos), Dick Vermeil, Steve Shafer, Bill Ring, and Mike Solari.
**************************
THREE WHO PLAYED QUARTERBACK AT CSM HAVE A (PROBABLE) RECORD 12 RINGS:
Bill Walsh (3), Neal Dahlen (a record 7) and Julian Edelman (2), who all played quarterback at College of San Mateo, have a total of 12 Super Bowl rings! CSM lays claim to the “birthplace” of the West Coast Offense, where Walsh first played college football.
**************************
COLLEGE OF SAN MATEO
SUPER BOWL RING WINNERS LADDER = 18
--Where Bill Walsh, John Madden, Bill Ring, Mike Solari, Julian Edelman played college football
--Where former CC players Dick Vermeil & Steve Shafer first coached college football
--Where Neal Dahlen played & coached college football – before earning a record 7 Super Bowl rings with the 49ers (Coaching) & Broncos (GM)
--(ALSO) Where Tom Brady practiced throughout his high school career and college off seasons with personal coach / CSM coach Tom Martinez.
**************************
8 former College of San Mateo players / coaches with 18 Super Bowl rings:
John Madden, CSM player; Oakland Raders head coach (1: 1977); Allan Hancock College head coach
Bill Walsh, CSM player; San Francisco 49ers head coach (3: 1982, 1985, 1989); Stanford head coach
Neal Dahlen, CSM player (MVP) and assistant coach; San Francisco 49ers player personnel exec. (5: 1982, 1985, 1989, 1990, 1995); Denver Broncos general manager (2: 1997, 1998)
Dick Vermeil, CSM assistant coach St. Louis Rams (1, 1999); Napa JC player and head coach; UCLA; Philadelphia Eagles; Kansas City Chiefs
Steve Shafer, CSM assistant coach and head coach; Baltimore Ravens assistant head coach (1, 2001); College of the Sequoias player
Bill Ring, CSM player; San Francisco 49ers player (2, 1982 & 1985) 1981-86
Mike Solari, CSM player; San Francisco 49ers, assistant coach (1, 1995); MiraCosta College asst. coach
Julian Edelman, CSM player; New England Patriots (2, 2015 & 2017)
Total rings: 18 (number and years noted in parentheses above)
San Mateo got three rings each from the 1982 and 1985 San Francisco championship teams.
(Note: Some additional California Community College affiliations are noted in listings, including Allan Hancock, Napa JC, College of the Sequoias, MiraCosta.)
(Super Bowl related notes by Fred Baer, College of San Mateo Sports Information)