He trekked from Weston High School to the University at Buffalo and currently has a home in Indianapolis. Now, Jamey Richard will be completing his journey down the East Coast with a weekend in Miami.
The Bulls' former offensive lineman will compete in Super Bowl XLIV on Sunday, Feb. 7., when the Indianapolis Colts take on the New Orleans Saints.
The Colts' second-year offensive lineman has come a long way since joining the Bulls in 2004. In what could be considered a story of rags to riches, Richard has climbed from the bottom of the Mid-American Conference to the top of the National Football League.
In his four years with Buffalo, the Bulls went 10-36 and finished at the bottom of the MAC standings in three of Richard's four seasons there.
'When I got to Buffalo, we weren't very good,' Richard said in an interview on WGR Sports Radio 550. 'My last year was a better situation, but I kind of suffered through four years before that.'
Though the team struggled, Richard made a name for himself. He started 37 of 42 career games wearing UB blue. During his final two seasons, the four-year letterman had 166 knockdowns, 25 lead blocks that resulted in touchdowns and allowed a staggering two sacks in 736 pass plays.
As a senior, Richard became the first player in Bulls history to gain national honors after being named Pro Football Weekly All-American honorable mention. He was named Buffalo's Male Athlete of the Year following the 2007 season and was a Second-Team All-MAC selection. Richard was also named a semifinalist for the Draddy Award, given to a player for excelling both athletically and academically.
In the 2008 NFL Draft, the 6-foot 5-inch, 295-pound offensive guard was selected by Indianapolis with the 236th pick in the seventh round. With one phone call from Colts general manager Bill Polian and former head coach Tony Dungy, Richard went from perennial loser to a rookie on a prestigious team.
For a seventh-round draft pick, making a 53-man roster is a tough task. While few are fortunate enough to even make a team's practice squad, Richard found himself in the starting lineup.
After an injury to veteran Jeff Saturday, Richard was called upon to start at center against Chicago. From there, Richard started seven games and saw action at both guard positions and on special teams. He earned his first-career touchdown after recovering a fumble in the end zone against Tennessee and was named to the Pro Football Weekly All-NFL Rookie Team at seasons' end.
Since 2001, Indianapolis has compiled a regular season record of 99-29, including six AFC South crowns. The Colts have made the playoffs each of the past eight seasons and won the Super Bowl for the second time in 2006.
This season, the Colts finished atop the American Football Conference with a 14-2 record and earned a first-round bye in the playoffs. While Richard has assumed his role as a backup, he has been an instrumental part of the special teams and has made his first NFL playoff appearance when Indianapolis defeated Baltimore, 20-3, in the AFC Divisional round.
Last Sunday, Richard's fantasy became reality when the Colts advanced to the Super Bowl after defeating the New York Jets, 30-17, in the AFC Championship game.
'To come here and win 27, 28 games in the last two years – and then the AFC – was probably the greatest moment of my life.' Richard said. 'I was able to pull my family out of the stands and celebrate the on-field trophy presentation.'
For Richard, the reality of making it to the Super Bowl has yet to settle in. For a guy that came from the UB Stadium locker room, playing on the world's most glorified stage still seems like a dream.
'It's been unreal. From winning the game to trying to take it all in, it's crazy. I can't even explain it,' Richard said. 'I haven't thought about it really all that much for the fact that I'm still in awe of where I was two days ago in the AFC Championship.'
Richard will not be the only Buffalo alumnus to represent the blue and white in Miami, as former quarterback Drew Willy is a member of the Indianapolis practice squad. The Colts' third-string quarterback will not be on the active roster, but will receive a Super Bowl ring should the team be victorious.
The only other Bull to ever participate in a Super Bowl is all-time great Gerry Philbin. Philbin played for the New York Jets, who, ironically, upset the Colts in Super Bowl III.
E-mail: sports@ubspectrum.com
