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Packers' John Kuhn grew up a Cowboys fan, ready to see what Cowboys Stadium's got
GREEN BAY , Wis. — The one player on Green Bay's roster with a Super Bowl ring picked it up when he played for Pittsburgh and grew up a Cowboys fan.
How's that for irony?
John Kuhn concedes he's a whirlwind of emotions these days. The fullback who elicits chants of "Kuhn, Kuhn" whenever the Packers get near the goal line at Lambeau Field is the team's lone authority on Super Bowl success, even though he had nothing to do with the Steelers' success.
Kuhn was on the practice squad when Pittsburgh won Super Bowl XL. He watched the game from the sideline as the Steelers beat Seattle.
He'll have a more vital role in the outcome of Super Bowl XLV.
Receiver Greg Jennings led the Packers with 12 touchdowns during the regular season. Kuhn was next with six. He's scored two touchdowns during the team's playoff surge, one on the ground and one through the air. He will be the lead blocker as Green Bay attempts to establish running back James Starks against a stout Steelers run defense.
What memories does Kuhn have of his Super Bowl experience?
"It doesn't matter if you're Aaron Rodgers or a guy off the practice squad," said Kuhn, who was claimed off waivers by Green Bay before the start of the 2007 season. "The media day is a trip for everybody. That's exciting.
"Every day you kind of wake up and go through the NFL-mandated meeting the press in one of the rooms and then you go to practice and to work and you forget all about it being a Super Bowl. You bear down in practice for a little bit, and you go back and just enjoy yourself."
His advice is simple.
"Just embrace every moment because the week goes pretty fast," Kuhn said. "Everything's so special, and it's so different. It's not a typical week, so just take every moment and really embrace it, soak it in.
"But remember that at the end of the week, all your memories will be that much sweeter if you get the win."
The Steelers have a chance to win their third Super Bowl in the last six seasons. This isn't the first rodeo for their nucleus.
The Packers counter with a practice-squad player from one of those titles and two players who made it to a Super Bowl and lost.
Cornerback Charles Woodson played in Super Bowl XXXVII for Oakland. He admits the Raiders "didn't show up" in their 48-21 loss to Tampa Bay.
Defensive end Ryan Pickett was a rookie with St. Louis when the Rams lost to New England one year earlier.
"I'm still sick to this day that I got there and lost," Pickett said.
Kuhn was born between Pittsburgh and Philadelphia in York, Pennsylvania. His father corrupted him and had him root for the Cowboys. He went to college at Shippensburg in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference and finished with 27 school records.
Kuhn hoped the Packers would meet the Steelers in the Super Bowl. He's pumped to play in Cowboys Stadium for the first time to, "see what that stadium's got."
And what about the Super Bowl ring he picked up?
"It's at home here," Kuhn said. "I keep it in the safe.
"I don't look at it all that much. I was on the practice squad. I got a lot of great experiences out of it, and it was a tremendous time, a great week.
"But I've always told myself I wanted to get on an active roster and win one on the field."
GREEN BAY , Wis. — The one player on Green Bay's roster with a Super Bowl ring picked it up when he played for Pittsburgh and grew up a Cowboys fan.
How's that for irony?
John Kuhn concedes he's a whirlwind of emotions these days. The fullback who elicits chants of "Kuhn, Kuhn" whenever the Packers get near the goal line at Lambeau Field is the team's lone authority on Super Bowl success, even though he had nothing to do with the Steelers' success.
Kuhn was on the practice squad when Pittsburgh won Super Bowl XL. He watched the game from the sideline as the Steelers beat Seattle.
He'll have a more vital role in the outcome of Super Bowl XLV.
Receiver Greg Jennings led the Packers with 12 touchdowns during the regular season. Kuhn was next with six. He's scored two touchdowns during the team's playoff surge, one on the ground and one through the air. He will be the lead blocker as Green Bay attempts to establish running back James Starks against a stout Steelers run defense.
What memories does Kuhn have of his Super Bowl experience?
"It doesn't matter if you're Aaron Rodgers or a guy off the practice squad," said Kuhn, who was claimed off waivers by Green Bay before the start of the 2007 season. "The media day is a trip for everybody. That's exciting.
"Every day you kind of wake up and go through the NFL-mandated meeting the press in one of the rooms and then you go to practice and to work and you forget all about it being a Super Bowl. You bear down in practice for a little bit, and you go back and just enjoy yourself."
His advice is simple.
"Just embrace every moment because the week goes pretty fast," Kuhn said. "Everything's so special, and it's so different. It's not a typical week, so just take every moment and really embrace it, soak it in.
"But remember that at the end of the week, all your memories will be that much sweeter if you get the win."
The Steelers have a chance to win their third Super Bowl in the last six seasons. This isn't the first rodeo for their nucleus.
The Packers counter with a practice-squad player from one of those titles and two players who made it to a Super Bowl and lost.
Cornerback Charles Woodson played in Super Bowl XXXVII for Oakland. He admits the Raiders "didn't show up" in their 48-21 loss to Tampa Bay.
Defensive end Ryan Pickett was a rookie with St. Louis when the Rams lost to New England one year earlier.
"I'm still sick to this day that I got there and lost," Pickett said.
Kuhn was born between Pittsburgh and Philadelphia in York, Pennsylvania. His father corrupted him and had him root for the Cowboys. He went to college at Shippensburg in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference and finished with 27 school records.
Kuhn hoped the Packers would meet the Steelers in the Super Bowl. He's pumped to play in Cowboys Stadium for the first time to, "see what that stadium's got."
And what about the Super Bowl ring he picked up?
"It's at home here," Kuhn said. "I keep it in the safe.
"I don't look at it all that much. I was on the practice squad. I got a lot of great experiences out of it, and it was a tremendous time, a great week.
"But I've always told myself I wanted to get on an active roster and win one on the field."