FRISCO, Texas — It was no surprise to see a former North Texas high school football player on the game's biggest stage Sunday night. NFL rosters are full of Metroplex natives.
One just happened to make one of the game's biggest plays in the Super Bowl.
Nick Bolton, who graduated from Frisco's Lone Star High School in 2018, made a crucial "scoop and score" touchdown, recovering a Jalen Hurts fumble and stalling the Eagles' first-half momentum.
Philadelphia would lead 24-14 at halftime, but the Chiefs and quarterback Patrick Mahomes mounted a comeback and clinched the game with a 27-yard field goal from Harrison Butker.
In what would have been a Super Bowl rarity, Bolton nearly scored another touchdown in the second half, again on a scoop and score. He recovered a dropped pass that was initially ruled a fumble. But a review overturned the play, ruling it an incompletion, not a turnover.
Still, nothing could take away from Bolton's elation, as he talked with Michael Strahan of "Good Morning America" early Monday morning.
"Still surreal, man," Bolton said. "I'm still trying to soak it in, man. Spending time with my teammates and family, and I haven't gone to sleep. We're up and happy to be here."
Strahan asked Bolton if what he heard was true: Did he really dream of scoring a defensive touchdown?
"I kind of had a dream about it, I think two nights ago, or I guess three nights ago now," Bolton said. "I dreamed about it, and it came to fruition, and that play happened. It's kind of surreal. I came to the sidelines, and I was like, 'Did that just happen?' I couldn't enjoy the moment because I felt like I was living through a dream again."
Sunday night's win was extra special for Bolton. His mother, who has been battling health issues, was able to be there in person.
"Having her come to this game, of this magnitude, and happening the way it did, it's a dream come true," Bolton said.
Strahan suggested maybe Bolton's mother should get the ring for this one.
"Oh yeah," Bolton said. "She'll probably end up getting that one and holding onto that one for a while for me."
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