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Sacramento Product Shaq Thompson Heads To Super Bowl In Rookie Season

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) – The big game is set, and a favorite Sacramento son is now Super Bowl-bound.

Grant High School graduate Shaq Thompson and his Carolina Panthers are heading to the Super Bowl. He is only in his first year in the big leagues.

"[It's] great to have someone representing from the 916," said a fan watching Carolina's game against the Arizona on Sunday.

On the field, he's number 54. To his high school coach, the legendary Mike Alberghini, Thompson is one in a million.

"Shaq Thompson is one of my all-time favorite as far as being a good human being," Alberghini said.

We talked to Coach Alberghini before the Panthers' game against the Cardinals. He showed us a collage of Shaq Thompson pictures over the years.

As he watches his young player grow up, there's one quality he knows will always set him apart.

"He's so level headed," Alberghini said. "He's always kind of talked about as being really up here,and he's always kind of lived like he's right here."

Thompson, the humble linebacker living the dream and spreading Sacramento pride.

"We're going to win this game. We're going to beat the Broncos," a fan said.

Another player with local ties, former Sacramento State player Todd Davis, will be on the Broncos sideline come the Super Bowl.

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