A dream literally came true for North Bay's Ryan Hunter last night.
"I'm a super bowl champion," stated Hunter simply on Twitter late Sunday night.
"Anyone who wishes to play professional football, the Super Bowl is the holy grail of it," he told the CBC earlier in the week.
Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who was selected Super Bowl MVP, led the Chiefs to 21 straight points in the final 6:13 for a 31-20 victory Sunday over the San Francisco 49ers in Miami Sunday night.
Hunter, a backup offensive lineman, was part of the 53-man playoff roster but was in a tracksuit while on the Chiefs' sidelines at the Super Bowl.
See related: Chiefs win NFL title with late surge
See related: Hunter makes Kansas City Chiefs roster
Hunter who moved away in high school to chase his dream south of the border in Buffalo became a Super Bowl Champion.
His former local high school team at Ecole Secondaire Algonquin, recognized him Sunday night.
"Congratulations to our former Baron, Ryan Hunter, who just made his dream come true tonight when his Kansas City Chiefs won super bowl 54 against the San Francisco 49ers," stated the Alqonquin Barons Football team Facebook page.
"You are a will that by hard work, sacrifice and perseverance that we can make our dreams come true. Congratulations also to his family, his father Ken, his mother Louise, Secretary here at esca, and his brother Scott, teaching here at ESCA. We are incredibly proud of you all."
Hunter was joined at the Super Bowl by his Mom and Dad, Ken and Louise Hunter, along with his uncle Denis Lacourse who resides in Temiscaming.
"Ryan Hunter, hard work, sacrifices and believing in yourself," stated Lacourse above the social media photo of Hunter kissing the Lombardi Trophy.
They were all invited with Ryan to the Chiefs private Super Bowl Party to celebrate.
It's been an up and down season literally for Hunter, who has moved back and forth between the practice and active roster this season.
He got the good news on January 7, that he had been added back to the active roster for the playoffs.
"Trust the process," the second-year offensive lineman stated via Twitter after the promotion.
The Bowling Green alum moved up from the practice squad replacing injured rookie safety Juan Thornhill who was put on injured reserve.
The 24-year-old got into three games early in the season and played roughly 14 snaps in the team's early-season loss to the Indianapolis Colts.
The 2019-20 football season has been a special one for North Bay as Mike O'Shea, coach of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, won the Grey Cup in the fall and now Hunter won the Super Bowl.
Hunter was not the only Canadian to win the Super Bowl with the Chiefs. Starting offensive guard Laurent-Duvernay Tardif, who played his college football at McGill, became the first player from Quebec to win the Super Bowl.
