by *** PRESS RELEASE PER JOHN CAROLL UNIVERSITY MEDIA RELATIONS***
ARTICLE WRITTEN AND RESEARCHED BY JOE GINLEY OF JCU
UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS, Ohio — John Carroll University’s growing legacy in the National Football League (NFL) continues this season with 11 Blue Streaks on the sidelines or front office for seven teams in the expanded 14-team format for the 2020 NFL Playoffs.
JCU alums have been on the playing field, sidelines, and front office for 23 of 54 Super Bowls.With representatives on half of this year’s NFL playoff teams, the odds are favorable that a Blue Streak will be in the Super Bowl for a fifth consecutive year.
Even JCU alumni not in the playoffs are making a splash. Nick Caserio ’98 is set to become the next general manager of the Houston Texans, becoming the third Blue Streak to ascend to GM status, following Tom Telesco ’95 (LA Chargers) and David Caldwell ’96 (formerly of the Jacksonville Jaguars).
Many local JCU alumni will be rooting for the hometown Cleveland Browns against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday Night Football.
The Browns have two JCU connections in scout assistants Scott DiBendetto ’13 and Joe Dever. DiBendetto played defensive line for John Carroll, while Joe Dever was a defensive coach at JCU for a pair of seasons as a graduate assistant.
And with head coach Kevin Stefanski out due to Covid-19, the interim head coach will be Mike Priefer, who has a JCU connection. Mike is the son of JCU alum and former Lions special teams coach Chuck Priefer ’63.
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