Aaron Donald, Tyler Boyd To Represent WPIAL, University Of Pittsburgh In Super Bowl LVI
By: Mike Darnay/KDKA-TV
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- When the Lombardi Trophy is handed out on Sunday night following the Super Bowl, either Tyler Boyd or Aaron Donald will be able to call themselves a world champion.
The Los Angeles Rams and Cincinnati will face off on Sunday night at SoFi Stadium to claim this year's title as Super Bowl Champions.
In the game, there will be one local player on each side of the field, looking to become champions for the first time.
For the Rams, Aaron Donald will play in the big game for the second time, having played in Super Bowl LIII, losing 13-3 to Tom Brady and the New England Patriots.
Donald graduated from Penn Hills High School in 2010 before going on to play at the University of Pittsburgh.
During his time at Pitt, Donald became a decorated All-American, winning a number of other awards during his senior year.
Donald was then drafted with the 13th pick in the 1st round of the 2014 NFL Draft.
His success at the NFL level has been remarkable, having been named the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year award three times and having been elected to the Pro Bowl eight times.
On the other side of the ball will be a fellow Pitt product in Tyler Boyd, who hails from Clairton.
Boyd was a standout member of the Clairton Bears, who during his time in high school had a winning record of 64-1, winning four WPIAL titles and four PIAA titles in four years.
Boyd also moved on from high school athletics to play football for the University of Pittsburgh, being recruited as a wide receiver.
He was drafted into the NFL by the Cincinnati Bengals with the 55th pick in the 2nd round in 2016.
His 3rd and 4th seasons with the Bengals are when he began to break out, eclipsing the 1,000 yard receiving mark in both the 2018 and 2019 campaigns.
Boyd is now part of the trio of deep threats on the Bengals offensive side of the football, joined by Tee Higgins and Ja'Marr Chase.
The result of the Super Bowl on Sunday is anyone's best guess -- but either way, one of two former WPIAL and Pitt standouts will be coming back to their hometown as a champion.