The best Latino players to ever play in the Super Bowl and the NFL

The Super Bowl will take place on Sunday and, even though this year there isn’t any representation of Latinos either on the field nor artists in the iconic halftime show, that doesn’t mean that the culture hasn’t been represented in NFL history.

Some people have stated that there haven’t been many Hispanic players in the NFL this season, pointing to a 2017 study that shows that only 2% of all NFL players have been Latino. Additionally, the Institute of Diversity and Ethics in Sports revealed that in 2019 only 0,5% were Hispanic or Latino, meaning that the situation has worsened. When you consider that 17.3% of the entire US population is of Latino descent, there seems to be an underrepresentation in the NFL.

It’s hard to determine what the reasons for this are. But the fact that over 30 million Hispanic Americans consider themselves NFL fans, according to a SSRS/Luker on Trends Sports Poll, should be a good enough reason why this needs to change. According to NBC News, the number is still small due economic pressures and the lack of collegiate scouts looking for players in predominantly Latino areas.

Having won one or more Super Bowls, coming close or just showing off their amazing talent, many Hispanic football players have reminded fans and teams throughout the years why there needs to be more Latino representation in the NFL.

LATINO NFL PLAYERS IN HISTORY

Tom Flores

Born on March 21, 1937, and of Mexican descent, Flores became the first-ever Hispanic starting quarterback in professional football when he played for the Oakland Raiders in the inaugural season of the AFL in 1960. He won a total of four Super Bowls in his playing and coaching careers. After winning an AFL championship with the Kansas City Chiefs in 1970, Flores went on to win three Super Bowls with the Raiders as a coach- one as an assistant coach, and two as a head coach. Tom was also the NFL’s first minority head coach to win a Super Bowl.

Ted Hendricks

Hendricks was born in Guatemala and moved to the US when he was a child. He started playing football while attending the University of Miami. Over the course of his 15-year career, Hendricks won four Super Bowls (one with the Baltimore Colts and three with the Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders), was voted to eight Pro Bowls, and received six All-Pro nods, including four first teams.

Jim Plunkett

Plunkett was born in San Jose, California to a family of Mexican-American heritage in 1947. During his time in the NFL, Jim played for the Oakland Raiders as the starting quarterback, becoming the first Hispanic signal caller to lead his team to a Super Bowl in 1981 and was named the final’s MVP. Three years later, Plunkett led the relocated Los Angeles Raiders to a second Super Bowl win.

Tony González

Even though he was never able to win a Super Bowl, González achieved every other accolade. Born in 1987, his roots from his mother’s side are Mexican-American, African American, Native American, and Caucasian. His ancestry also includes Argentinian roots through his maternal grandfather. He played 17 seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs and the Atlanta Falcons, and was a six-time First-Team All-Pro. He holds the record for most yards (15,127) and most career receptions (1,325) ever for a tight end, as well as 111 career touchdowns, which ranks second on the all-time list for tight ends.

Efrén Herrera

Born in Guadalajara in 1951, Herrera became the first Mexican-born player in history to win a Super Bowl. In the 1974 final against the Denver Broncos, Efrén had an important participation for the Dallas Cowboys, with two field goals and the correct execution of three extra points.

Raul Allegre

After Herrera’s achievement, it took twelve years for another Aztec to win a champion ring. Originally from Torreón, Coahuila, Raúl Allegre won two editions of the Super Bowl for the New York Giants. The first of them was the XXI against the Denver Broncos. The second ring came in the XXV, with the Giants winning the title with a tight 20-19 final score against the Buffalo Bills.

Martín Gramática

Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in November 1975, Martín moved to the US as a child. He studied and played football at Kansas State University, where he holds the record for being the most decorated kicker in the institution’s history. During his 10-year NFL career, he was selected to the Pro Bowl in 2000 and won Super Bowl XXXVII with Tampa Bay.

Ron Rivera

Born to parents of Puerto Rican and Mexican descent, Rivera won the Super Bowl ring for the Chicago Bears in 1985, playing for nine seasons. After retiring, he coached the Carolina Panthers, leading them to the NFL final in 2016, but lost against the Denver Broncos. He became the second head coach of Hispanic roots to compete for the Vince Lombardi trophy, after Tom Flores. Ron won NFL Coach of the Year twice in a three-year span.

Anthony Muñoz

Of Mexican descent, Muñoz was the No. 3 pick in the 1980 NFL Draft and went on to become the greatest offensive lineman in NFL history. Some of his accolades include nine First Team All-Pro honors and two Second Teams, 11 Pro Bowls, a spot on the NFL’s 1980s All-Decade, 75th Anniversary, and 100th Anniversary teams. He was additionally named Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year for 1991. He played in two Super Bowls, XVI and XXIII, for the Cincinnati Bengals but lost both games to the San Francisco 49ers.

In total, there have been four Mexicans who have played the final game of the NFL postseason. Rafael Septién and Frank Corral complete the list of players; however, they lost their respective matches. Historically, American football has been an exclusive sport in the United States, where few foreigners have been able to establish themselves as figures in the league. Although increasingly globalized, Mexico has strengthened its relationship with the NFL.

WHO ARE THE MOST RENOWNED LATINO PLAYERS WITH MEXICAN ROOTS IN THE 2022-2023 SEASON?

Chris Olave (New Orleans Saints)

Christian Josiah Olave (born on June 27th, 2000) is one of the most promising Mexican NFL players. He is a wide receiver and was the only Latino picked in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft. Olave, who has Mexican roots, played college football at Ohio State, where he holds the school record for most career touchdown receptions- 35, to be exact. “Olave is one of the better all-around receivers in a very strong class of pass catchers. He is an inside/outside hybrid with speed to stretch the field, but he’s also a smooth route runner with the ability to be a high-target player from either spot,” described detroitlions.com.

Roy Lopez (Houston Texans)

Roy Jacob Lopez (born August 7th, 1997) is a defensive tackle of Mexican-American descent. He played college football at New Mexico State before transferring to Arizona and was drafted by the Texans in the sixth round of the 2021 NFL Draft. “Roy Lopez adapted to every challenge, blocking scheme and obstacle as an NFL rookie, earning a starting job and a measure of popularity as the Texans’ first-string defensive tackle,” stated click2houston.com.

Joe Cardona (New England Patriots)

Joseph Cardona is a long snapper. He was born on April 16th, 1992, in El Cajón, California, less than 25 miles from the Mexican border. Because of this, and because his grandmother on his mother’s side is Mexican, he grew up surrounded by Mexican culture. As a graduate of the US Naval Academy, Cardona is also an officer in the US Naval Reserve, holding the rank of Lieutenant. New England selected Cardona in Round 5 of the 2015 NFL Draft (166th overall), making him one of the few long snappers ever drafted in league history. The Navy and the Patriots agreed that Cardona could play, provided he serves in the Navy Reserves.

Michael Davis (Los Angeles Chargers)

Born January 6th, 1995, he is of mixed heritage and was raised by his single Mexican mother. He plays as cornerback for the Los Angeles Chargers, signed as an undrafted free agent in 2017. He was waived on September 2nd, 2017, and then signed to the Chargers’ practice squad the next day. A week later, he was promoted to their active roster. In April 2020, Davis was re-signed to a one-year, $3.259 million contract.