In this split photo, Cincinnati Bengals’ Jessie Bates (30) runs before an NFL football game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Baltimore Ravens, …

In this split photo, Cincinnati Bengals’ Jessie Bates (30) runs before an NFL football game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Baltimore Ravens, Sunday, Dec. 26, 2021, in Cincinnati, and Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Ben Skowronek (18) walks onto the field during a NFL divisional playoff football game between the Los Angeles Rams and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Sunday, January 23, 2022 in Tampa, Fla. (Associated Press)

The Big Game

Super Bowl LVI to feature Fort Wayne’s Bates III, Skowronek

Posted: Jan 31, 2022 / 01:49 PM EST

Updated: Jan 31, 2022 / 01:49 PM EST

In this split photo, Cincinnati Bengals’ Jessie Bates (30) runs before an NFL football game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Baltimore Ravens, …

Posted: Jan 31, 2022 / 01:49 PM EST

Updated: Jan 31, 2022 / 01:49 PM EST

LOS ANGELES (WANE) — Fort Wayne will be well represented in Super Bowl LVI.

Snider graduate Jessie Bates III, a Cincinnati Bengals safety, and Homestead alum Ben Skowronek, a Los Angeles Rams wide receiver, will face off in the NFL’s championship game Sunday, Feb. 13 at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.

Cincinnati beat the Kansas City Chiefs 27-24 in overtime Sunday to win the AFC Championship, while Los Angeles defeated the San Francisco 49ers 20-17 to secure the NFL Championship.

Bates is in his 4th year with the Bengals as the team’s starting free safety. Skowronek, a rookie, is a backup receiver.

Bates and Skowronek will become the 4th and 5th Fort Wayne natives to play in the Super Bowl.