MIAMI — Southern High School graduate Deon Yelder won his first Super Bowl Feb. 2 as the Kansas City Chiefs came back to defeat the San Francisco 49ers, 31-20.
Yelder graduated from Southern in 2013 before walking onto Western Kentucky University's football team. He originally entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent before signing with the New Orleans Saints in 2018.
This season was Yelder's second with the Chiefs, getting his first career reception against the Lions in Week 4. Yelder posted a picture with the Lombardi Trophy on Instagram.
"Everybody Who Doubted Me THANK YOU🖤," Yelder captioned the photo.
Yelder's high school basketball coach, Shedrick Jones Jr., said the Chiefs tight end did not even play football until his junior year of high school.
His athleticism and coachability made him standout in both sports, but Jones said it was clear he would go further in football.
"You could tell where he was going to succeed on the next level," Jones said. "He got some college offers in basketball too, but I think he knew if he was going to go further, football was his best bet."
Former Kentucky defensive coordinator Matt House also won his first ring as the Chiefs' linebackers coach. House was with UK from 2016-2018.
Sam Madison, a Kentucky Pro Football Hall of Famer who set records during his time at the University of Louisville, is currently the Chiefs' secondary coach. This is Madison's second ring after winning as a player in Super Bowl XLII.
Make it easy to keep up-to-date with more stories like this. Download the WHAS11 News app now. For Apple or Android users.
Have a news tip? Email assign@whas11.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter feed.