Originally Posted: Jan. 27, 2020
Emmanuel Sanders graduated from SMU in 2009 with a B.A. in Sociology
DALLAS (SMU) — When the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs meet in Super Bowl LIV Sunday, SMU will be represented by an SMU football great and an SMU soccer and prominent business alum.
Emmanuel Sanders will line up at wide receiver for the 49ers, while Clark Hunt is part owner, chairman and CEO of the Chiefs.
In 17 games this season, Sanders has 66 receptions for 869 yards and five touchdowns. In his first two games in San Francisco, Sanders registered touchdown receptions, becoming the first 49er to do so since Paul Salata in 1950.
Against New Orleans on Dec. 8, Sanders threw a 35-yard TD pass, marking the first time a non-QB threw a TD pass for the 49ers since 2012 and the first time a wide receiver did so since Jerry Rice in 1995. He was also the first player in franchise history to throw and catch a TD pass in the same game. This also made him the fifth player since 1970 to have two or more career games with at least one reception touchdown and one passing touchdown (Odell Beckham Jr., Walter Payton, LaDainian Tomlinson and Danny White).
The ten-year NFL veteran is a two-time Pro Bowl selection and was drafted as the 82nd overall pick by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2010 draft. Sanders spent four seasons with the Steelers before heading to Denver and was traded from Denver to San Francisco on Oct. 22.
While on the Hilltop, Sanders (2006-09) was named an Honorable Mention All-American by SI.com following his senior season at SMU. A first-team All-Conference USA performer in 2009, Sanders finished his career ranked as SMU’s all-time leader in career catches (285), TD catches (34) and yards (3,791) and single-season yardage (1,339).
For nearly two decades, Hunt has been with the Chiefs leadership, helping the club to the playoffs six of the past seven seasons.
Hunt played soccer for the Mustangs from 1983-86 and graduated from SMU’s Cox School of Business in 1987 with a degree in business administration. A member of SMU’s Board of Trustees, he was honored in 2004 as an Outstanding Young Alumnus by the Cox School and, in 2018, as a Distinguished Alumnus. He is only the third alumnus in SMU Cox history to receive both honors.
Hunt was a two-time Academic All-America selection by the College Sports Information Directors of America and served as captain for the nationally ranked Mustangs. From 1983-86, SMU won 52 games and made four appearances in the NCAA Tournament. READ MORE