From top left: Stefon Diggs, Kendall Fuller, Dorian O’Daniel, Sam Mustipher. Photos courtesy of Buffalo Bills, Washington Football Team, Kansas City Chiefs, and Chicago Bears team websites.
The NFL playoffs get underway this weekend with six games — three on Saturday including the NFC East Champion Washington Football Team hosting the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at 8:15 pm on NBC — and three on Sunday including the Baltimore Ravens (11-5) at the Tennessee Titans (11-5) at 1 p.m. on ABC.
Four players involved in the playoffs played together ten years ago at Good Counsel High School. Stefon Diggs, wide receiver with the Buffalo Bills, Kendall Fuller, cornerback with the Washington Football Team, Dorian O’Daniel, linebacker with the Kansas City Chiefs, and Sam Mustipher, center for the Chicago Bears were all classmates and teammates at the Olney school in 2011.
Not surprisingly, the 2011 Falcons went 12-0 and won the WCAC Championship. They ended the season ranked #1 in the Washington Post poll for the third straight year and finished fourth in Sports Illustrated’s national rankings. Last year, Diggs, Fuller and O’Daniel played in the playoffs and this year, Mustifer joins his former teammates.
One person who will be watching the games perhaps more intently than most is the man who coached all four players at Good Counsel, Bob Milloy, the winningest football coach in Maryland high school history. Milloy, now retired, told MyMCM, “You have those kind of guys, it can make you a very good coach. I’m extremely proud and it’s very special to turn on the TV and watch my guys.” He added, “I have to load upon on my Cheetos.”
- Stefon Diggs (Buffalo Bills): Diggs played was the Washington Post All-Met Defensive Player of the Year as a cornerback at Good Counsel in 2011. In his sixth year in the NFL – the first five with the Minnesota Vikings – and his first season with the Buffalo Bills, Diggs had a career year leading the NFL in catches (127) and yards (1535). He scored 8 touchdowns. The Bills (13-3) host the Indianapolis Colts (11-5) on Saturday at 1 pm.
- Kendall Fuller (Washington Football Team): Fuller was Washington Post Offensive Player of the Year as a wide receiver in 2012. Fuller won a Super Bowl with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2020 before coming back to the WFT for his second stint in DC this year. Fuller started 14 games at cornerback in 2020 leading the team with four interceptions.
- Dorian O’Daniel (Kansas City Chiefs): O’Daniel was named to the Washington Post All-Met 1st team in 2012. He won a National Championship with Clemson in 2016 and a Super Bowl with the Chiefs in 2020. O’Daniel, in his third year with the Chiefs, is a linebacker but is primarily a special teams player. The Chiefs – the number one seed in the AFC – have a bye week this weekend and will host the lowest remaining seeded team in the AFC team team
- Sam Mustipher (Chicago Bears): Mustifer was a star offensive lineman at Good Counsel before attending Notre Dame. He is now the Bears’ starting center. The Bears (8-8) face the New Orleans Saints (12-4) on Sunday at 4:40 pm on CBS.
