SAN ANTONIO — Spencer Burford is set to make history on Sunday when he becomes the first former member of the UTSA football program to appear in a Super Bowl, as the San Francisco 49ers take on the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVIII at 5:30 p.m. CT in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Burford is in line to be the second UTSA alum to appear in a Super Bowl. Former track & field All-American Teddy Williams played in Super Bowl 50 as a member of the Carolina Panthers during the 2015 season.
Burford has appeared in 12 games with 11 starts on the offensive line this season to help the 49ers to a 14-5 record and a spot in the Super Bowl. The San Antonio Wagner High School product is in his second year after being picked by the 49ers with the 29th selection in the fourth round (No. 134 overall) of the 2022 NFL Draft. He went on to start 16 games as a rookie in 2022.
An honorable mention All-American by Phil Steele and a first-team All-Conference USA pick in 2021, Burford started 12 games on the line to help lead UTSA to a 12-2 record, the program's first Conference USA title, a national ranking as high as No. 15 and an appearance in the Frisco Bowl. The Dave Campbell's Texas Football All-Texas College First Team selection helped pave the way for an offense that racked up 6,146 total yards — including 3,577 through the air and 2,569 on the ground — and 516 points. Burford allowed only two sacks and one hit on the quarterback in 420 pass-blocking snaps that fall according to Pro Football Focus.
Burford played in 45 career games and drew 43 starts in his four-year career with the Roadrunners. He earned second-team all-league accolades as a junior and was an honorable mention all-conference selection in 2019. He was a key member of an offensive line that helped open holes for UTSA career rushing leader Sincere McCormick, who registered back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons and finished with 3,929 rushing yards, 34 rushing touchdowns and 18 100-yard games.
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