Getty Ben Skowronek #11 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish was drafted to the Los Angeles Rams.
One member of the Los Angeles Rams’ 2021 NFL draft class already has someone in his family with this claim: Being a part of the franchise’s first and only Super Bowl championship.
Seventh-round choice Ben Skowronek was selected by the Rams at No. 249 overall, but he won’t be the first from his family tree to suit up for the franchise. According to the Chicago Sun-Times, the Notre Dame wide receiver’s uncle by marriage is former Rams quarterback Trent Green.
Green, who played from 1993 to 2008 and played his last NFL season with the Rams, took to Twitter to congratulate his nephew on getting selected, posting:
Green’s Ties to the ‘Greatest Show on Turf’
For Ram fans who vividly remember Green, he was originally pegged to be the opening day starter before the 1999 season. The former eighth rounder out of Indiana University was lured in via free agency and awarded a four-year, $17.5 million contract to ignite a Rams offense that also made two additional offseason splashes: Trading for running back and future Hall of Famer Marshall Faulk plus drafting a young wide receiver named Torry Holt at No. 6 overall.
Green himself carried the burden of high expectations into St. Louis following his best season as a pro: Throwing for 3,441 yards, 23 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in 14 games with Washington. But then came the third preseason game, when Green sustained a season-ending knee injury against the San Diego Chargers.
From there, an unknown quarterback to the NFL world named Kurt Warner took the reins and spearheaded the Rams’ championship season. Despite not playing a single regular season or postseason game with St. Louis, Green was still rewarded with a 2000 Super Bowl ring.
Green Also Saw His Son Play With His Nephew in College
Not only is Skowronek part of the Green lineage, but he happened to catch passes from Green’s quarterback son T.J. while the two were brief teammates at Northwestern University.
Skowronek played four seasons and 43 games with the Wildcats from 2016 to 2019, totaling 110 career receptions for 1,417 yards and eight touchdowns. The younger Green joined the Wildcats’ recruiting class a year prior to Skowronek’s 2016 arrival to Evanston.
In his lone season with the Fighting Irish, which was his graduate transfer season, Skowronek caught 29 receptions for 439 yards and five touchdowns.
Skowronek Brings Athletic Family Genes & Blue-Collar Blocking to Rams
While Skowronek calls 16-year NFL veteran quarterback Green “uncle,” the former Wildcat and Fighting Irish wide receiver has another renowned family member in football lore: He is the distant relative of a former Heisman Trophy winner.
Notre Dame great Johnny Lujack won college football’s highest individual honor in 1947 by starring at quarterback. According to a September 12, 2020, article by the Chicago Sun-Times, the sister of Skowronek’s great-grandfather, Stanley Alice Skrowronek, was Lujack’s mother.
The latest Skowronek became one of four offensive draft selections for Los Angeles. His soon-to-be head coach Sean McVay lauded Skowronek’s blue-collar grit.
“I saw him in the goal line packages,” McVay said during a video conference with reporters following the conclusion of the draft. “He’s got a toughness, he’s got a good feel to his game where he’s got some versatility. So, you never know. Teams might have to treat him like a tight end, receiver, how we utilize him, but he’s not afraid to do the dirty work and he’s got a really good resume.”
Rams general manager Les Snead equally raved about Skowronek’s game and physical attributes.
“He’s tall, big, long arms, wide wingspan, can go up and get rebounds,” Snead told reporters. “Fun player to watch blocking.”
The Rams offense could embrace Skowronek’s ability to take on defenders outside of catching footballs. According to Blue & Gold Illustrated, Skowronek received a run-blocking grade of 89.0 by Pro Football Focus — making him the highest-graded run-blocking receiver.
But outside of his past gridiron work, Ram fans are likely loving the fact that the newest wide receiver and blocking option already has a family member who touched the Vince Lombardi Trophy with the Rams.