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Ji'Ayir Brown is a starting safety for the Niners and will be ending his rookie season with a trip to the Super Bowl. He had ten tackles in San Francisco's comeback 34-31 win over the Detroit Lions in the NFC Championship on Tuesday, Jan. 30.
Brown became a starter on the elite 49ers defense after fellow safety Talanoa Hufanga tore his right ACL in the third quarter of a game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, Nov. 19, 2023.
Brown stepped right up and snagged an interception in the fourth quarter to help seal the 27-14 win.
Before making it to the NFL, Brown was a star on Penn State's football team. As a Nittany Lion, he had ten interceptions and three forced fumbles. Brown was also named the defensive MVP of the 2023 Rose Bowl Game.
Brown was a two-sport athlete at Trenton Central High School and graduated in 2018. He also forced turnovers on the basketball court and led New Jersey with 6.8 steals per game in his senior season.
Before heading to Happy Valley, Brown played for two seasons at Lackawanna College in Scranton, Pennsylvania. At the junior college level, Brown earned the attention of FBS programs by making 75 tackles and grabbing eight interceptions.
Brown is one of several players with New Jersey ties who made it to Super Bowl LVII. Three former Rutgers players will also suit up for the Niners and Kansas City Chiefs.
Vineland native Isiah Pacheco is a starting running back and an important offensive weapon for the Chiefs. Berlin native Logan Ryan and Stroudsburg, Pennsylavania, native Sebastian Joseph-Day are also on the Niners' vaunted defense with Brown.
Rutgers and Penn State are two of eight college programs with at least three former players in Super Bowl LVIII. Niners defensive end Kevin Givens from Altoona, Pennsylvania, and Chiefs offensive tackle Donovan Smith from Owings Mills, Maryland, also played for the Nittany Lions.
Super Bowl LVIII will be played at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Sunday, Feb. 11.
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