University of Tennessee Athletics
VFL Trey Smith Repeats as Super Bowl Champion, Jennings Dazzles In Defeat
February 12, 2024 | Football
LAS VEGAS – For the second consecutive year, Tennessee football VFL Trey Smith is a Super Bowl champion. Smith's Kansas City Chiefs defended their title with a 25-22 overtime victory over the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII on Sunday night in Allegiant Stadium.
Smith played every offensive snap at right guard for a Kansas City offense that racked up 455 yards. He played over 1,300 offensive snaps for the entire year, capping off a stellar third season.
Smith joins elite company, becoming the ninth different VFL to win multiple Super Bowl title rings as a player and the first since Peyton Manning. A 2020 UT graduate, Smith is just the fourth VFL to win back-to-back rings and first since Alvin Harper and Bill Bates did it with the Dallas Cowboys in Super Bowls XXVII and XXVIII. A total of 40 different VFLs have combined to claim 50 Super Bowl rings all-time.
Though his team came up short, much of the night belonged to VFL wide receiver Jauan Jennings. Jennings, playing in his 54th career NFL game, saved his best performance for the sport's biggest stage.
Jennings threw a 21-yard touchdown pass to Christian McCaffrey in the first quarter and then hauled in a 10-yard catch, barreling over defenders into the endzone to put the 49ers ahead 16-13 with 11:22 in the fourth quarter. Jennings became just the second player in NFL history to catch a touchdown and throw a touchdown pass in a Super Bowl game, joining Philadelphia's Nick Foles, who did it in Super Bowl LII.
Jennings, a Murfreesboro native, was arguably closing in on Super Bowl MVP honors as he finished with four catches for 42 yards, including a long of 23. He also forced a critical defensive holding call on third down during the 49ers' overtime possession.
Jennings' touchdown throw brought back memories of his 58-yard touchdown pass to Joshua Dobbs at Florida in 2015. Jennings, who joined the Vols in 2015 originally as a dual-threat quarterback, matched Manning as VFLs to throw touchdown passes in a Super Bowl game.
"It felt awesome," Jennings said. "I felt like I was back at the University of Tennessee throwing it to Josh Dobbs. I thought we were going to win it."
With Smith and Jennings both in the game, a VFL had already secured a Super Bowl ring for the seventh time in the last eight seasons.
Tennessee VFLs With Multiple Super Bowl Championships As A Player
Craig Colquitt, P (Pittsburgh Steelers 1979, '80)
Jack Reynolds, LB (San Francisco 49ers 1982, '85)
Mickey Marvin, OT (Los Angeles Raiders 1981, '84)
Raleigh McKenzie, OG (Washington Football Team 1988, '92)
Alvin Harper, WR (Dallas Cowboys 1993, '94)
Bill Bates, DB (Dallas Cowboys 1993, '94, '96)
Marcus Nash, WR (Denver Broncos 1999, Baltimore Ravens 2001)
Peyton Manning, QB (Indianapolis Colts 2007, Denver Broncos 2016)
Trey Smith, OG (Kansas City Chiefs 2023, '24)
year listed is year Super Bowl played
Smith played every offensive snap at right guard for a Kansas City offense that racked up 455 yards. He played over 1,300 offensive snaps for the entire year, capping off a stellar third season.
Smith joins elite company, becoming the ninth different VFL to win multiple Super Bowl title rings as a player and the first since Peyton Manning. A 2020 UT graduate, Smith is just the fourth VFL to win back-to-back rings and first since Alvin Harper and Bill Bates did it with the Dallas Cowboys in Super Bowls XXVII and XXVIII. A total of 40 different VFLs have combined to claim 50 Super Bowl rings all-time.
Though his team came up short, much of the night belonged to VFL wide receiver Jauan Jennings. Jennings, playing in his 54th career NFL game, saved his best performance for the sport's biggest stage.
Jennings threw a 21-yard touchdown pass to Christian McCaffrey in the first quarter and then hauled in a 10-yard catch, barreling over defenders into the endzone to put the 49ers ahead 16-13 with 11:22 in the fourth quarter. Jennings became just the second player in NFL history to catch a touchdown and throw a touchdown pass in a Super Bowl game, joining Philadelphia's Nick Foles, who did it in Super Bowl LII.
Jennings, a Murfreesboro native, was arguably closing in on Super Bowl MVP honors as he finished with four catches for 42 yards, including a long of 23. He also forced a critical defensive holding call on third down during the 49ers' overtime possession.
Jennings' touchdown throw brought back memories of his 58-yard touchdown pass to Joshua Dobbs at Florida in 2015. Jennings, who joined the Vols in 2015 originally as a dual-threat quarterback, matched Manning as VFLs to throw touchdown passes in a Super Bowl game.
"It felt awesome," Jennings said. "I felt like I was back at the University of Tennessee throwing it to Josh Dobbs. I thought we were going to win it."
With Smith and Jennings both in the game, a VFL had already secured a Super Bowl ring for the seventh time in the last eight seasons.
Tennessee VFLs With Multiple Super Bowl Championships As A Player
Craig Colquitt, P (Pittsburgh Steelers 1979, '80)
Jack Reynolds, LB (San Francisco 49ers 1982, '85)
Mickey Marvin, OT (Los Angeles Raiders 1981, '84)
Raleigh McKenzie, OG (Washington Football Team 1988, '92)
Alvin Harper, WR (Dallas Cowboys 1993, '94)
Bill Bates, DB (Dallas Cowboys 1993, '94, '96)
Marcus Nash, WR (Denver Broncos 1999, Baltimore Ravens 2001)
Peyton Manning, QB (Indianapolis Colts 2007, Denver Broncos 2016)
Trey Smith, OG (Kansas City Chiefs 2023, '24)
year listed is year Super Bowl played
What a day to HAVE A DAY!#GBO 🍊#SBLVIII on CBS
— Tennessee Football (@Vol_Football) February 12, 2024
Stream on #NFLPlus
pic.twitter.com/oYkYeYoLyE
WHAT. A. PLAY.
— NFL (@NFL) February 12, 2024
📺: #SBLVIII on CBS
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/dClcEDViWl pic.twitter.com/F51rGyVbd0
Players Mentioned
WR
/ Football
OL
/ FootballFB | Cinematic Recap vs. ETSU (9.6.25)
Tuesday, September 09
FB | Kelsey Pope Press Conference (9.9.25)
Tuesday, September 09
FB | Arion Carter Media Availability (9.9.25)
Tuesday, September 09
FB | Sam Pendleton Media Availability (9.9.25)
Tuesday, September 09
