Only three former Terps players will be in the NFL playoffs this season, with two suiting up on the field and one making his head coaching playoff debut.
Frank Reich, who brought the Indianapolis Colts to the playoffs in his first year as head coach, will kick off Wild Card Weekend with a game in Houston against the Texans on Saturday. While this is his first playoff game as a head coach, Reich won the Super Bowl as offensive coordinator for the Eagles last season. He was hired by the Colts shortly after.
Reich played quarterback at Maryland in the Bobby Ross era, spending most of his career as a Terp in a backup role behind Boomer Esiason. He’s known in Maryland history as the leader of a 31-point comeback against Miami in 1984 in what was then the largest comeback in NCAA history.
Quinton Jefferson, who was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in 2016, will be taking on the Cowboys in the other Saturday matchup. As a defensive tackle, Jefferson recorded 10.5 sacks, two interceptions and three forced fumbles in his four years at Maryland. He’s appeared in 25 games in three years in Seattle but has yet to see the field in the postseason.
The Terp who will likely see the most game time is J.C. Jackson, and he and the Patriots earned the second seed in the AFC and a first-round bye. Jackson has exceeded expectations in his first season as an un-drafted rookie, with 22 tackles, three interceptions and six passes defended.
With disappointing years by the Jaguars, Panthers, Steelers and Vikings, none of the six former Terps from last year’s NFL playoffs are returning. The Vikings loss to the Bears Sunday kept Stefon Diggs and the Vikings from securing the last NFL Wild Card spot, while the Ravens win over the Browns sent Sean Davis, Darrius Heyward-Bey, Trey Edmunds and the Steelers home for the offseason.
While only two players will be representing the Terps on the field this postseason, it gives Maryland fans a chance to see fresh faces pursue the Lombardi Trophy.
