The night at Levi’s Stadium ended Sunday with some first-timers on the Super Bowl podium for the trophy presentation, and that didn’t just include Seattle Seahawks players and coaches.
NBC’s Maria Taylor also made her debut as the presenter of the Lombardi Trophy, taking on the role Mike Tirico served the last time the network hosted the Super Bowl. With Tirico now in the booth full-time, Taylor handed the trophy to the Seahawks’ brain trust.
As it turns out, Taylor and Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald had already crossed paths long ago, before either rocketed to the spotlight.
Here’s a look at the high school connection between Macdonald and Taylor.
SEAHAWKS WIN SUPER BOWL 60:
Did Mike Macdonald and Maria Taylor go to the same high school?
Macdonald and Taylor are both graduates of Centennial High School in Roswell, Georgia. Taylor graduated in 2005, while Macdonald graduated in 2006 after playing football and baseball at the school.
In 2024, Taylor posted a video calling MacDonald a “high school peer of mine” and did a high school reunion-themed interview with the Seahawks coach for a “Sunday Night Football” broadcast.
During the interview, Taylor presented Macdonald with a custom Centennial High School jersey, as well as a message from Centennial students. Here’s a full look at Taylor’s reunion with Macdonald:
Barely more than a year later, Taylor was on stage as the Lombardi Trophy was presented to Macdonald, marking a proud moment for Georgians and certainly for the school itself.
Centennial High School famous alumni
Here’s a look at Centennial High School’s notable alumni, including Macdonald and Taylor:
- Max Brosmer, Vikings QB
- Lorenzo Brown, former NBA PG
- Kaliii, rapper
- Mike Macdonald, Seahawks head coach
- Maria Taylor, NBC Sports host
- Everett Teaford, former MLB pitcher
- David Yankey, former NFL OL
Macdonald’s Super Bowl-winning season as Seahawks coach included a win over fellow Centennial High School QB Max Brosmer, and it remarkably ended with another Centennial alum handing him the Lombardi Trophy at Levi’s Stadium.
