While the Bay Area's football team won't be in Southern California for Super Bowl LVI, there will be plenty of people with Bay Area ties battling for the Lombardi Trophy.
Football's biggest game of the year – this time featuring the Cincinnati Bengals and Los Angeles Rams – will feature four people with connections to the Bay Area, and they'll all be representing the team in white, black and orange.
Get to know them below.
Joe Mixon – Running Back, Cincinnati Bengals
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When Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow hands the ball off, it'll likely be to No. 28. That's Joe Mixon. He grew up in the East Bay and attended Freedom High School in Oakley.
Brian Callahan – Offensive Coordinator, Cincinnati Bengals
Leading the Cincinnati offense from the sidelines is offensive coordinator Brian Callahan, who also has East Bay ties. Callahan went to De La Salle High School in Concord and played backup quarterback for the legendary program.
"He came out every day at practice, worked just as hard, ran scout team," said Bob Ladouceur, Callahan's coach at De La Salle. "When he got into games, he moved the football. He was just a hair behind [starting quarterback] Matt [Gutierrez], so he didn't get that starting designation. It really didn't bother him. I mean, he was a team player all the way."
If the Callahan name sounds familiar, that's because it is. Callahan's father, Bill Callahan, coached the then-Oakland Raiders in the early 2000s.
"My dad's been my biggest mentor and my most ardent supporter if you will," Brian said. "He's been a huge person for me to lean on outside of just being my father. His advice and mentorship and all those things has been outstanding. I love talking to him about football, about life and about how this profession works."
Chidobe Awuzie – Cornerback, Cincinnati Bengals
On the other side of the ball for the Bengals is Chidobe Awuzie. The Cincinnati cornerback was born in San Jose and attended Oak Grove High School.
Michael Thomas – Safety, Cincinnati Bengals
Joining Awuzie in Cincinnati's defensive backfield is safety Michael Thomas. He played his college ball at Stanford University.
