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Super Bowl XLV's Local Flavor

Cowboys stadium will host Super Bowl XLV this Sunday, February 6.
Steve Carlton http://www.flickr.com/photos/stevencarlton/3939882262/sizes/z/in/photostream/
Cowboys stadium will host Super Bowl XLV this Sunday, February 6.

This Sunday's Super Bowl will showcase two of the league's premier quarterbacks: Green Bay's Aaron Rodgers and Pittsburgh's two-time champion Ben Roethlisberger. But along with that, Super Bowl XLV will also feature former Texas Longhorns and players who made names for themselves in the Lone Star State. Sunday's big game, played in Dallas Cowboys Stadium (or "Jerry World", as some people refer to it) will be a homecoming for some of the players.

Here's our list of Texas football players looking forward to the game of their lives this Sunday.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Casey Hampton: The 10-year veteran has been a staple in the Steelers defensive line since being drafted out of Texas in 2001. The mammoth nose-tackle stared 15 games for Pittsburgh this season and recorded 20 total tackles, one sack and one forced fumble. Look for Hampton and the Steelers D-Line to plug up Green Bay's running game and make Rodgers win the game with his arm, which he can very well do.

Other Steelers with Texas connections:

Jonathan Scott, OT (Texas) ; Tony Hills, OT (Texas); Limas Sweed, WR-IR (Texas); Daniel Sepulveda, P (Baylor);  Emmanuel Sanders, WR (SMU) Arnaz Battle, WR (Norte Dame, from the Dallas area)

Green Bay Packers

Mason Crosby: During his time with the Packers, the Lubbock native has become one of the most consistent kickers in the NFL. Crosby is known for his clutch kicking and his strong leg. In a game featuring two stout defenses, one kick by Crosby could decide the outcome.

Other Packers with Texas connections:

Jermichael Finley, TE (Texas); Graham Harrell, QB (Texas Tech); Marshall Newhouse (Texas Christian); Josh Bell (Baylor).

Super Bowl XLV is this Sunday, February 6 with coverage beginning at 5:29 P.M.

Mario will be an intern at KUT for the spring of 2011. He is currently a student at UT Austin pursuing his MA in Journalism. Prior to UT, he spent 27 months in Costa Rica as a Peace Corps Volunteer. His reporting interests include Mexican-American studies, immigration issues, and the ongoing drug war in Mexico. He was born in Chihuahua, Mexico but grew up in El Paso, Texas and has a BA in Communication from UT-San Antonio.
Ben Philpott is the Managing Editor for KUT. Got a tip? Email him at bphilpott@kut.org. Follow him on Twitter @BenPhilpottKUT.