Eastern Michigan Athletics
Former Eagle Patrick O'Connor Set for Super Bowl LV
1/24/2021 4:36:00 PM | Football, General
The 2017 seventh-round draft pick will suit up for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) — For the second consecutive year, the Eastern Michigan University Football program will be represented on the National Football League's biggest stage, the Super Bowl. This year, it is Pat O'Connor who will have a chance to hoist the Lombardi Trophy when his Tampa Bay Buccaneers take on either the Buffalo Bills or Kansas City Chiefs Sunday, Feb. 7, in Tampa, Fla.
O'Connor is the 10th former Eastern Michigan University football player to take part in a Super Bowl. His appearance comes on the heels of classmate Andrew Wylie's 2020 trip to Super Bowl, LIV with the Chiefs. A win for O'Connor would put him in the company of just six other former Eastern student-athletes that have captured a Super Bowl ring.
For O'Connor, the journey to the top of the NFL has been one defined by hard work and resilience.
Selected in the seventh round of the 2017 NFL Draft by the Detroit Lions, O'Connor initially inked a four-year deal to play in the Motor City, but was later transitioned to the team's practice squad and was ultimately released in Sept. 2017.
Following his stint with the Lions, O'Connor was signed to the Buccaneers practice squad, and was eventually promoted to Tampa Bay's active roster on November 29, 2017. Back with the practice unit in 2018, he signed a reserve/futures contract with the Bucs in December, 2018. O'Connor was re-promoted to the team's active roster on Sept. 24, 2019, and has remained in that position since. He recorded his first-career sack in Tampa Bay's 2019 Week 14 game against the Minnesota Vikings and former Michigan State QB Kirk Cousins.
This season, O'Connor has contributed three tackles and a sack for the Buccaneers.
"We couldn't be more fired up for O.C.," said EMU Football Head Coach Chris Creighton. "Like his former teammate, Andrew Wylie, Pat was absolutely essential in helping to rebuild our program here at Eastern Michigan. There are very few players that share his ability to relentlessly attack the offensive line and find the ball. To this day, defensive lineman at Eastern Michigan know who Pat O'Connor is, and what he is all about. We are so proud of his journey and love the passion he shows for the game. I can't wait to cheer him on against the Bills."
O'Connor, the 28th EMU player to be picked in the draft, was the team leader on a much improved defensive unit for EMU in 2016. In his final season, O'Connor set the EMU sack record since 1998 by getting to the quarterback 20.0 times in his career. In total on the season, the Chicago native sacked the QB a team-high 8.5 times, which was good for 41st in the country and fifth in the Mid-American Conference.
In addition, O'Connor had 42 tackles, 14.5 tackles for loss, 16 QB hurries, and five forced fumbles, and was one of just 10 players in the nation with five-or-more forced fumbles that season. He finished his career as the games played leader, sack leader, QB hurries leader, and forced fumbles leader, while also finishing third on the tackles for loss list with 33.5.
At the conclusion of the 2016 season, O'Connor was recognized for his substantial efforts by being named to the MAC All-Conference First Team, as well as the first team on Phil Steele's Postseason All-MAC list. He also participated in the 2017 NFLPA Collegiate Bowl, played in Carson, Calif., Saturday, Jan. 21.
O'Connor's appearance in the Super Bowl will mark the 15th time a former EMU player will compete in the NFL's biggest game.
EMU's Super Bowl Champions (10)
John Banaszak - Steelers - 1975 (Super Bowl X)
John Banaszak - Steelers - 1978 (Super Bowl XIII)
Ron Johnson - Steelers - 1978 (Super Bowl XIII)
John Banaszak - Steelers - 1979 (Super Bowl XIV)
Ron Johnson - Steelers - 1979 (Super Bowl XIV)
Lional Dalton - Ravens - 2001 (Super Bowl XXXV)
Charlie Batch - Steelers - 2005 (Super Bowl XL)
Charlie Batch - Steelers - 2008 (Super Bowl XLIII)
TJ Lang - Packers - 2010 (Super Bowl XLV)
Andrew Wylie - Chiefs - 2020 (Super Bowl LIV)
EMU's Super Bowl Appearances (15)
Dave Boone - Vikings - 1974 (Super Bowl IX)
John Banaszak - Steelers - 1975 (Super Bowl X)
John Banaszak - Steelers - 1978 (Super Bowl XIII)
Ron Johnson - Steelers - 1978 (Super Bowl XIII)
John Banaszak - Steelers - 1979 (Super Bowl XIV)
Ron Johnson - Steelers - 1979 (Super Bowl XIV)
Clarence Chapman - Bengals - 1981 (Super Bowl XVI)
Lional Dalton - Ravens - 2001 (Super Bowl XXXV)
Jason Short - Eagles - 2004 (Super Bowl XXXIX)
Charlie Batch - Steelers - 2005 (Super Bowl XL)
Charlie Batch - Steelers - 2008 (Super Bowl XLIII)
TJ Lang - Packers - 2010 (Super Bowl XLV)
Charlie Batch - Steelers - 2010 (Super Bowl XLV)
Andrew Wylie - Chiefs - 2020 (Super Bowl LIV)
Pat O'Connor - Buccaneers - 2021 (Super Bowl LV)
O'Connor is the 10th former Eastern Michigan University football player to take part in a Super Bowl. His appearance comes on the heels of classmate Andrew Wylie's 2020 trip to Super Bowl, LIV with the Chiefs. A win for O'Connor would put him in the company of just six other former Eastern student-athletes that have captured a Super Bowl ring.
For O'Connor, the journey to the top of the NFL has been one defined by hard work and resilience.
Selected in the seventh round of the 2017 NFL Draft by the Detroit Lions, O'Connor initially inked a four-year deal to play in the Motor City, but was later transitioned to the team's practice squad and was ultimately released in Sept. 2017.
Following his stint with the Lions, O'Connor was signed to the Buccaneers practice squad, and was eventually promoted to Tampa Bay's active roster on November 29, 2017. Back with the practice unit in 2018, he signed a reserve/futures contract with the Bucs in December, 2018. O'Connor was re-promoted to the team's active roster on Sept. 24, 2019, and has remained in that position since. He recorded his first-career sack in Tampa Bay's 2019 Week 14 game against the Minnesota Vikings and former Michigan State QB Kirk Cousins.
This season, O'Connor has contributed three tackles and a sack for the Buccaneers.
"We couldn't be more fired up for O.C.," said EMU Football Head Coach Chris Creighton. "Like his former teammate, Andrew Wylie, Pat was absolutely essential in helping to rebuild our program here at Eastern Michigan. There are very few players that share his ability to relentlessly attack the offensive line and find the ball. To this day, defensive lineman at Eastern Michigan know who Pat O'Connor is, and what he is all about. We are so proud of his journey and love the passion he shows for the game. I can't wait to cheer him on against the Bills."
O'Connor, the 28th EMU player to be picked in the draft, was the team leader on a much improved defensive unit for EMU in 2016. In his final season, O'Connor set the EMU sack record since 1998 by getting to the quarterback 20.0 times in his career. In total on the season, the Chicago native sacked the QB a team-high 8.5 times, which was good for 41st in the country and fifth in the Mid-American Conference.
In addition, O'Connor had 42 tackles, 14.5 tackles for loss, 16 QB hurries, and five forced fumbles, and was one of just 10 players in the nation with five-or-more forced fumbles that season. He finished his career as the games played leader, sack leader, QB hurries leader, and forced fumbles leader, while also finishing third on the tackles for loss list with 33.5.
At the conclusion of the 2016 season, O'Connor was recognized for his substantial efforts by being named to the MAC All-Conference First Team, as well as the first team on Phil Steele's Postseason All-MAC list. He also participated in the 2017 NFLPA Collegiate Bowl, played in Carson, Calif., Saturday, Jan. 21.
O'Connor's appearance in the Super Bowl will mark the 15th time a former EMU player will compete in the NFL's biggest game.
EMU's Super Bowl Champions (10)
John Banaszak - Steelers - 1975 (Super Bowl X)
John Banaszak - Steelers - 1978 (Super Bowl XIII)
Ron Johnson - Steelers - 1978 (Super Bowl XIII)
John Banaszak - Steelers - 1979 (Super Bowl XIV)
Ron Johnson - Steelers - 1979 (Super Bowl XIV)
Lional Dalton - Ravens - 2001 (Super Bowl XXXV)
Charlie Batch - Steelers - 2005 (Super Bowl XL)
Charlie Batch - Steelers - 2008 (Super Bowl XLIII)
TJ Lang - Packers - 2010 (Super Bowl XLV)
Andrew Wylie - Chiefs - 2020 (Super Bowl LIV)
EMU's Super Bowl Appearances (15)
Dave Boone - Vikings - 1974 (Super Bowl IX)
John Banaszak - Steelers - 1975 (Super Bowl X)
John Banaszak - Steelers - 1978 (Super Bowl XIII)
Ron Johnson - Steelers - 1978 (Super Bowl XIII)
John Banaszak - Steelers - 1979 (Super Bowl XIV)
Ron Johnson - Steelers - 1979 (Super Bowl XIV)
Clarence Chapman - Bengals - 1981 (Super Bowl XVI)
Lional Dalton - Ravens - 2001 (Super Bowl XXXV)
Jason Short - Eagles - 2004 (Super Bowl XXXIX)
Charlie Batch - Steelers - 2005 (Super Bowl XL)
Charlie Batch - Steelers - 2008 (Super Bowl XLIII)
TJ Lang - Packers - 2010 (Super Bowl XLV)
Charlie Batch - Steelers - 2010 (Super Bowl XLV)
Andrew Wylie - Chiefs - 2020 (Super Bowl LIV)
Pat O'Connor - Buccaneers - 2021 (Super Bowl LV)
Players Mentioned
DL
/ Football
OL
/ FootballEMU Football Pregame Press Conference: Week 5 vs. Central Michigan
Monday, September 22
Louisiana: Cinematic Recap
Monday, September 22
⏳ The wait is almost over ⏳
Sunday, September 21
Football Downs Louisiana, 34-31, on Homecoming
Saturday, September 20