Former Temple star Terrance Knighton a leader in Denver

Temple alum and current Broncos nose tackle hopes to be the second straight former Owl to win the Lombardi Trophy.

It seems like every year a Temple alum is in the Super Bowl.

Last year, it was running back Bernard Pierce hoisting the Lombardi Trophy with the Baltimore Ravens. And back in 2006, it was Raheem Brock who was triumphant alongside quarterback Peyton Manning in Super Bowl XLI.

And this year, Terrance Knighton, who helps anchor the Denver Broncos defense, will again represent Philadelphia on sports biggest stage.

The 2009 third-round draft pick by the Jaguars plays nose tackle for the Broncos, and has learned that being in the middle of the action demands leadership.

“Well I think that’s naturally going to happen,” Knighton told reporters early this week. “I feel like I’m a natural leader; I think wherever I am, people just gravitate towards me and with that it requires a responsibility to help other guys and bring them along.”

Knighton started his career at Windsor High School in Connecticut, a Patriots fan, and at Temple helped Al Golden usher in an era of success new to Philadelphia college sports fans.

“At Temple also, and then Jacksonville,” Knighton said, “I never asked for a leadership role, it just happened that way.”

The New England native ironically had to face his family after taking care of business against Tom Brady and the Patriots in the AFC Championship game.

“The only thing they were saying was, ‘Just don’t hurt [Tom] Brady,’”Knighton said. “That’s all they kept saying to me. So that happened that we won and I’m in the Super Bowl. They were just worried about Tom Brady’s longevity.”