The lingering image of Trent McDuffie at Husky Stadium was that of the forlorn University of Washington cornerback in 2021 losing badly to Washington State, watching Cougars players celebrating in the middle of the field after and then him alternately hugging friends and family, knowing his college career was over.
That would be the last time he would be denied anything special on the football field.
On Sunday, the one-time, first-team All-Pac-12 cornerback advanced to his second Super Bowl in as many NFL seasons when his Kansas City Chiefs beat Baltimore 17-10 on the road.
McDuffie had a definitive hand in helping make this one happen with a heads-up end-zone fumble recovery at the outset of the fourth quarter, plus a couple of pass break-ups.
Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers tried to lunge for the end zone only to have the Kansas City cornerback L'Jarius Sneed separate Flowers from the ball and McDuffie pounce on the football to protect a then 17-7 lead.
McDuffie entered the game with five forced fumbles this season, most for a DB in the NFL, but this was his first recovery.
A year ago, he overcame an injury-interrupted rookie season to share in the Chiefs' 38-35 victory over Philadelphia in the Super Bowl in Glendale, Arizona.
This time, McDuffie has started all 19 games as Kansas City advances to Las Vegas and Allegiant Stadium for Super Bowl LVIII on Feb. 11.
He can enter that stadium knowing that, two months earlier, the Huskies took a 34-31 victory Oregon there to claim the Pac-12 championship.
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