The road to Super Bowl LVIII commenced this weekend, marked by the first game of the NFL playoffs, played officially last Saturday (Jan. 13) and matchups going through the weekend. The action-packed first round of the NFL playoffs was filled with some surprising losses and upsets, ending some teams’ journey to the Super Bowl.
With teams dwindling, we have our eyes on what Latino players will get their opportunity to play at the Super Bowl. Following the latest matchups, four players from our communities have emerged from different teams.
There were initially eight Latino players heading into the playoffs, including Corey Bojórquez and Steve Ávila. These numbers might seem disproportionately low, especially considering the 53-man rosters of NFL teams — and it is. The representation from our communities in the NFL is still far from what it should be, but a growing number of players are looking to make their mark and inspire others to try their hand at a different sport.
Ahead of week two, here are the four Latinos to keep an eye on for the rest of the playoffs:
Isiah Pacheco, Running back, Kansas City Chiefs
Running back Isiah Pacheco, of Puerto Rican and Dominican descent, won against the Miami Dolphins with his team this past weekend. Next up, they’ll be facing Buffalo in Orchard Park, NY. Pacheco finished the season with 205 rushing attempts for 935 yards and 44 receptions for 244 yards.
Malcolm Rodríguez, Linebacker, Detroit Lions
Malcolm Rodríguez, who is of Mexican descent, finished the season with 22 tackles and one forced fumble. His team, the Detroit Lions, won the matchup against the Los Angeles Rams and will face Tampa Bay next weekend.
Jon Feliciano, Center, San Francisco 49ers
Jon Feliciano’s team, the San Francisco 49ers, qualified first in the NFC and, therefore, had a bye during the first week of the playoffs. That means we’re waiting until week 2 of the playoffs to see Feliciano, who is of Puerto Rican descent, in action.
Fred Warner, Linebacker, San Francisco 49ers
Fred Warner had a bye during the first week of the playoffs because his team, the San Francisco 49ers, qualified first in the NFC. That means we won’t see Warner, who is of Panamanian and Mexican descent, in action until week two. Warner finished the season with 132 tackles, 2.5 sacks, and four interceptions.