By Olivia Hummer on January 24, 2017

As the New England Patriots and Atlanta Falcons prepare to face off in Super Bowl LI, former Cardinal Cameron Fleming, Austin Hooper, Jordan Richards and Levine Toilolo are getting ready to step onto football’s biggest stage.

Eight former Stanford players had been on the rosters in last weekend’s conference championships.

In the NFC Championship on Sunday, Hooper and Toilolo led the Falcons to a 44-21 blowout win over the Green Bay Packers. The tight ends saw significant action, each playing on more than 60 percent of the offensive snaps. Hooper pulled in two passes for 23 yards, while Toilolo had one reception for five yards. This will be the first Super Bowl appearance for both the rookie Hooper and the fourth-year Toilolo.

On the other side of the field, running back Ty Montgomery recorded three carries for 17 yards, the best mark among Green Bay rushers not named Aaron Rodgers. Montgomery sustained a rib injury in the third quarter and did not return. After opening the season as a wide receiver, Montgomery’s breakout campaign has secured his role as the Packers’ go-to man on the ground heading into the offseason. Defensively, rookie inside linebacker Blake Martinez registered two solo tackles.

Later that evening, the Patriots defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC Championship. The win sends New England tight end Cameron Fleming to his second Super Bowl in three seasons. For the Steelers, guard David DeCastro played on every offensive snap, capping off an impressive 2016 Pro Bowl campaign. He will face off against a former teammate, Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman, when the AFC takes on the NFC in Orlando on Sunday, Jan. 29.

Catch the former Cardinal for the final time this season when the Patriots and Falcons take the field in Houston on Sunday, Feb. 5.

Contact Olivia Hummer at ohummer ‘at’ stanford.edu.