Garland ISD has produced numerous successful athletes and a few were recently recognized for playing in past Super Bowls. As part of the 50th anniversary of the championship game, the NFL recognized the high school of every player who has played in a Super Bowl with a gold football.
Three former football players from Garland High School have that distinction. Mike Gandy played in Super Bowl XLIII for the Arizona Cardinals. He graduated from GHS in 1996 then attended Notre Dame. Karl Williams, a wide receiver who graduated from GHS in 1989 then played at A&M Kingsville before going on to play for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Super Bowl XXXVII. Bobby Boyd graduated from GHS in 1956 then attended the University of Oklahoma. He then played for the Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III. Boyd is still the No. 10 all-time leading interceptor in NFL history.
“They were all really g
reat football players,” GHS Head Football Coach Mike Jordan said. “It’s really cool to have been here to coach one of them. Mike [Gandy] didn’t even play football until his sophomore year. We actually got him out of a P.E. class. He had never played before and we talked him into coming out. Then there he was playing in a Super Bowl.”
Naaman Forest High School had two 2002 graduates who played in Super Bowl XLIV. Melvin Bullitt and Jacob Lacey both played for the Indianapolis Colts. Bullitt attended Texas A&M after graduating from NFHS. Lacey went to Oklahoma State University.
Denard Walker, South Garland High School graduate, played for the Tennessee Titans after graduating from Louisiana State University. He played in Super Bowl XXXIV.
“It’s a great feeling to see any of the guys go on and be successful in anything, but especially going on and playing in a Super Bowl,” Jordan said.
He added that one of the GHS gold fo
otballs will be placed in the trophy case at the field house and one will go in the trophy case at the school. Bobby Boyd’s football will be in the office of GISD Executive Athletic Director Homer B. Johnson and then moved into the press box during football season. Johnson coached Boyd at GHS.
The current Garland Owls football team members were also excited that even though it has been 20 years since any of the players graduated, there were guys who played there and worked out there and gone on to play in a Super Bowl.