EMMAUS, Pa. — Students filled the Emmaus High School main gymnasium Wednesday to cheer for a graduate of the school and Macungie native about to play in the Super Bowl.
Kyzir White, who began his NFL career when he was drafted by the Los Angeles Chargers in 2018, joined the Eagles before this season on a one-year contract.
- Emmaus High School graduate Kyzir White is set to play for the Eagles this weekend during Super Bowl LVII
- Students at EHS gathered Wednesday to record the Eagles' fight song to congratulate and cheer on White.
- White is in his first season for the Eagles after four seasons with the L.A. Chargers.
Now closer to home and on his way to potentially give the Eagles another title, those back at his high school gathered Wednesday to sing the Eagles' fight song and to wish him luck.
"It's crazy, especially because he played the same position as I did," Emmaus High football player Dylan Darville said. "It's just perfect. It's a perfect story. I'm happy for him, we're all happy for him."
Football player EJ Boney, who said his brother played with White, said, "I've known Kyzir since I was, like, a baby. So it's nice to see him finally make it a big, It's exciting because we haven't had this yet for Emmaus."
After graduating from Emmaus High in 2014, White first attended Lackawanna College in Scranton, where he played for two seasons before transferring to West Virginia University.
How is started…. How it’s going!!!! Emmaus great @KyzirWhite8 set to play in the Super Bowl next Sunday! The whole community is rooting for you, Kyzir! #hornetpride #onceahornetalwaysahornet pic.twitter.com/0JennpDgjP
— Emmaus Football (@EmmausFootball) February 4, 2023
In an interview with the Philadelphia Inquirer newspaper, White said he's a "big family guy." With many relatives in the area, that's no secret to those at Emmaus High School.
"It's awesome to see he still has connections here to the program," football Coach Harold Fairclough said. "He has some family members that are in the middle school [football] program and at the varsity level, as well.
"So we see him pretty often."
Fairclough said White came to speak to those on the team in 2020 and gave messages about hard work, but also being humble.
"You know, just not letting anybody set limitations on you," Fairclough said.
Fairclough said the Emmaus community is proud and rooting for White.
White has 110 tackles so far this season as linebacker, playing in 17 games.
Two of White's older brothers also played for West Virginia, and later were involved with the NFL.
Kevin White spent last season with the New Orleans Saints after playing for both the San Francisco 49ers and the Chicago Bears, who drafted him in the first round in 2015.
Ka'Raun White went undrafted before brief stints with the Seattle Seahawks and Cincinnati Bengals, before being briefly signed to a reserve/future contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
After this season, Kyzir White will be a free agent, and it remains to be seen if the hometown hero will continue with the hometown team next season.
Super Bowl LVII will be broadcast on Fox at 6:30 p.m. Sunday.
