Tweet #EIUBleedBlue

Eastern Illinois football once again has several ties to the National Football League as the playoffs begin this weekend with linebacker Kamu Grugier-Hill, head coach Sean Payton and general manager Ryan Pace all involved with playoff teams.
 
Grugier-Hill is a starting linebacker for the Philadelphia Eagles as the defending Super Bowl Champions open defense of their title on Sunday afternoon against the Chicago Bears.  The Eagles are the No. 6 seed in the NFC earning one of the two wild card spots with a 9-7 record.  Grugier-Hill finished the regular season with 45 tackles adding one sack and a forced fumble.
 
Payton is in his 12th season as the head coach of the New Orleans Saints having led the team to the NFC South Division title and No. 1 seed in the NFC this season.  The Saints finished the regular season with a 13-3 record as they are making the playoffs for the seventh time under Payton.  New Orleans won Super Bowl XLIV following the 2009 regular season.
 
Pace is in his fourth season as the general manager of the Chicago Bears having built a roster that produced a 12-4 record this season resulting in the NFC North Division title and No. 3 seed in the NFC.  The Bears will host Philadelphia on Sunday afternoon in the opening weekend of the playoffs.  This marks the first playoff appearance for the Bears since 2010.
 
In addition to the three active connections to the NFL in the playoffs, former EIU & Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo will be on the CBS call of several NFL playoff games including this year's Super Bowl.
 
The Panthers have had a player on the last two Super Bowl Champion teams with Grugier-Hill winning a Super Bowl ring last season with the Eagles.  Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo won one of his two Super Bowl Rings with the New England Patriots the previous season.