Jalen Sundell, a native of Maryville, Missouri, is preparing to make history as the first person born in his hometown to start in a Super Bowl. On Sunday, Sundell will take the field as the starting center for the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl 60 at Levi’s Stadium, facing the New England Patriots. His path to this extraordinary moment was shaped by the steadfast support of family and the close-knit Spoofhound community, underscoring the determination that fueled his rise from a small town to the national stage.
Early Influences and Family Support
Growing up in Maryville, a city located about 45 minutes north of St. Joseph, Jalen and his sister Serena shared a strong sibling bond grounded in their love for sports. Serena, herself a standout basketball player for Maryville High School and Kansas State University before moving on to play professionally in Australia’s Women’s National Basketball League, has often praised Jalen’s work ethic and humility.
“He’s been someone I’ve always been able to look up too,”
Serena said.
“His sport is something he takes very seriously, but he also has a lot of passions outside football and is humble. I’ll talk to him and he wouldn’t want talk to you about football first, he would bring up fishing or just talk about life. From the standpoint of him being my older brother, I’ve been able to see his work ethic and commitment. He’s helped me be elite in my professional sport (basketball).”
Jalen himself credits Maryville’s football culture and his family’s unwavering support as instrumental to his development. Despite challenges like injuries and limited college offers coming out of high school, he remained focused on maximizing every opportunity.
“I’m super proud of where I come from, being from Maryville and having a football culture that I grew up in,”
Sundell said.
“It helped build me into who I am and get to where I am. I’ve gone through plenty challenges with injuries, didn’t have a whole lot of college offers coming out of high school. I just needed a chance and I’ve tried to make the most of every opportunity given to me. I’ve had great support from people around me, my wife and my family. I wouldn’t have been able to keep going without them.”
The Turning Point in High School Football
Jalen’s ambition gained new momentum near the end of his sophomore year when Maryville High School head coach Matt Webb encouraged him about the possibility of playing college football. This support inspired Jalen to dedicate himself more seriously to conditioning and strength training during a crucial period when his body was still developing.
“He had a conversation with Coach Webb, who told him ‘Jalen you could actually play college football if that’s what you want to do,’”
said Bob Sundell, Jalen’s father.
“He took that to heart and that’s when he took off. He really started working hard in the weight room and conditioning as his body continued to grow.”
Despite not initially viewing the NFL as a clear goal, Jalen focused on improving step-by-step and mastering the small tasks in front of him, understanding that success is built incrementally.
“I wasn’t focused in high school on ‘I’m gonna make it to the NFL if I do this.’ It was always taking it one day at a time and doing it to the best of my ability. Focusing on the small things in front of you, stacking them underneath you can make the big moment happen,”
Jalen explained.
College Career and Versatility on the Offensive Line
Jalen’s football skills earned him a spot at North Dakota State University, where he redshirted his freshman year. He soon demonstrated remarkable adaptability by playing multiple positions on the offensive line, including right guard, left guard, and left tackle. Coaches took note of his team-first mentality and readiness to tackle any challenge.
“He was always up for a challenge. I could have put Jalen at any of the positions on the offensive line and he would have been just fine. Right before we went into the spring of 2021, we were having to play that COVID season. He moved to center for the first time outside of few practice reps where he was actually snapping the ball and making all the calls,”
said North Dakota State offensive coordinator Dan Larson.
“I think it was a position he really gravitated towards. I think he liked having the responsibility of making calls on the line of scrimmage and communicating.”
Despite injury setbacks during his college years, Jalen’s persistence led to a strong senior season, during which he started at center and also shifted to tackle as the team required.
Challenges in the NFL Draft and Early Professional Setbacks
Jalen entered the NFL Draft projected as a mid-to-late round pick, but concerns about a recurring foot injury caused teams to hesitate, and he went undrafted. This unexpected disappointment was a difficult moment for him and his family.
“With those medical issues everybody backed off and he went undrafted,”
Bob Sundell recounted.
“After the draft, we sat around the house after our draft party. We were waiting for phone calls and finally something got worked out with Cleveland (Browns). We took a deep sigh of relief.”
Although the Cleveland Browns offered Jalen a tryout, a subsequent medical examination led them to rescind the opportunity, forcing Jalen to confront uncertainty about his future.
“They did some medicals on him and said ‘Thanks, but no thanks, we’re going to send you home,’”
Bob said.
“He got back in the car and drove home. At that point there were no other real offers or opportunities for him. So that summer, it was kind of a touch and go, and what do I do? And maybe football’s not for me. We suggested, you know, why have you come this far? Maybe you just need to get healthy and see what happens in the fall.”
Finding a New Start with the Seattle Seahawks
Despite these setbacks, Jalen received a fresh opportunity with the Seattle Seahawks, marking the beginning of his NFL career. The Pacific Northwest became an unexpected but meaningful home for the Sundell siblings as Serena was drafted by the Seattle Storm in the 2025 WNBA draft, briefly joining Jalen in the city.
“It was surreal to hear her get the call from Seattle. I was excited for both my kids to be in the same city and to be able to see both of them,”
said Korena, their mother.
“I know it didn’t work out for Serena, but the feeling at that moment was amazing.”
The Significance of Sundell’s Super Bowl Appearance
As Sundell prepares to start at center in Super Bowl 60, his family reflects on the emotional impact of his achievement. For Korena, his mother, the moment transcends football—it is a testament to perseverance and belief in hard work.
“As soon as the game (NFC Championship) was over, I was crying. We were kind of separated at that point, but it was surreal,”
Korena said.
“Realizing that we are actually going to have our kid play in the Super Bowl, it’s surreal.”
Jalen’s journey highlights how determination and support can propel athletes from small schools in the Midwest to the grandest stage of professional sports. He hopes his story will inspire others who may feel overlooked.
“It means a bunch to have so much support. I hope I can inspire kids from all over the Midwest from small schools who may feel unnoticed or overlooked that they can make it (in professional sports),”
Jalen stated.
“All it takes is a little opportunity and to your put your mind to it. You dream about it as a kid. But to say that it’s actually going to happen as a kid, I don’t know if I would have believed it.”
