2020 NFC Championship set to feature two former Golden Eagles
Two former Golden Eagles are prepared to compete in the 2020 NFC Championship game between the Green Bay Packers and San Francisco 49ers.
Quarterback Nick Mullens and defensive back Tarvarius Moore are both Southern Miss products and members of the NFC’s No. 1 seed 49ers. Kickoff will take place on the west coast at 5:40 P.M. CT. They are the only two remaining USM standouts active in the NFL playoffs out of a total of 13 in the league.
Minnesota bounced New Orleans center Cameron Tom out of the race early. Jamie Collins, linebacker for the New England Patriots, was upset in the opening round as well by the Tennessee Titans. Cornell Armstrong and Chris Clark are both members of the Houston Texans, who lost to the Kansas City Chiefs in the divisional round, and San Francisco sent Vikings offensive lineman Rashod Hill home last time out.
Here’s a list of the other Golden Eagles who didn’t earn a postseason bid:
Ito Smith (RB) - Atlanta Falcons
Demar Dotson (OT) - Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Rakeem Nunez-Roches (DT) - Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Mike Thomas (WR) - Los Angeles Rams
Picasso Nelson (DB) - Indianapolis Colts
Jalen Richard (RB) - Oakland Raiders
Back to the 49ers…
Nick Mullens is USM’s all-time leading passer with 11,994 yards. After going undrafted in 2017, the Hoover, Alabama native took over the San Francisco starting job following Jimmy Garropolo’s ACL tear in Week 3. Mullens put up 2,277 passing yards, 13 TD, 10 INT and a 64.2 completion percentage in eight games throughout the 2018 NFL season. He’s spent the majority of this year behind Garropolo though and has yet to make a pass attempt.
Tarvarius Moore made his journey from Pearl River Community College, with only one Division 1 offer coming out of high school, to Southern Miss and now the NFL. Moore has recorded 25 tackles this season at safety and on special teams combined – two during the postseason.
Much like their days in the black and gold, Mullens and Moore will suit up together again on one of the NFL’s biggest stages Sunday with a trip to Miami and Super Bowl 54 on the line.