Super Bowl 50: Former Rams Have Opportuntiy To Hoist Lombardi Trophy

Three former St. Louis Rams and four former coaches will be in the mix on Sunday as they vie to end the night Super Bowl 50 Champions.

Here are the former Rams involved:

Carolina Panthers CB Cortland Finnegan (2012-13)

The Rams signed Cortland Finnegan amid the wave of optimism that came riding into St. Louis in 2012. Gone were HC Steve Spagnuolo and GM Billy Devaney; in were their replacements, Jeff Fisher and Les Snead. And after a 2012 in which the Rams placed 10 cornerbacks on injured reserve, Snisher clearly had to remake the cornerback corps immediately. Signing Finnegan in FA and drafting Janoris Jenkins (TST link) and Trumaine Johnson (TST link) in the 2012 NFL Draft did just that.

And for a season, it worked fine. Finnegan injected some feistiness into a what had been a lethargic side while leaving breathing room for Jenkins and Johnson to grow into their NFL roles. A year later, Fisherball set in and what offered some promise turned out to be the ceiling. Finnegan's cover skills at his age were exposed, Jenkins' aggressiveness was exploited and Johnson was still growing into NFL speed coming out of Montana.

Smack Cam was still great, though.

Finnegan signed with the Carolina Panthers in November to address some injuries to their secondary and has, perhaps surprisingly, played very well since.

Denver Broncos FS Darian Stewart (2010-13)

Stewart was brought in as a UDFA after the 2010 NFL Draft, but injuries (and the ascent of Rodney McLeod) capped his time with the Rams. In the two years following, Stewart found a starting gig with the Baltimore Ravens and then the Denver Broncos. He's dealing with a knee injury, but it sounds like he'll be able to go for the Super Bowl.

Carolina Panthers RT Mike Remmers (2014)

MIKE REMMERS!

Remmers, a UDFA to the Broncos after the 2012 NFL Draft, went to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers next...and then the San Diego Chargers and then the Minnesota Vikings and then the St. Louis Rams and then the Panthers.

He was with the Rams for a couple games into the 2014 season on the practice squad before the Panthers grabbed him as he worked himself into a starting role by season's end. Remmers started every game this season for the Panthers at right tackle.

Carolina Panthers WR Coach Ricky Proehl (1998-2002)

Two Ricky Proehl references in a week on TST. In 2016. We're timely. Proehl memorably spent five of his 17 NFL seasons with the St. Louis Rams. Good timing.

The Panthers added Proehl to their staff in 2011 and assumed the WR coaching duties in 2013.

Denver Broncos WR Assistant Coach Marc Lubick (2003-04)

Lubick was a scouting assistant for with the Rams for just two years more than a decade ago. He since bounced around the college and NFL ranks working his way up the WR coaching ladder.

Carolina Panthers OL Coach John Matsko (1999-01)

Matsko has held OL Coach gigs with the Cardinals, Saints, Giants, Rams, Chiefs, Ravens and now the Panthers.

That's some serious experience, and that's just the NFL. He spent 15 years among college programs before even heading to the NFL.

Denver Broncos DL Coach Bill Kollar (2001-05)

Similarly, Kollar has spent 25 years in the NFL DL coaching ranks spending time with the Falcons, Rams, Bills, Texans and Broncos.