First Johnnie takes field on Super Bowl Sunday

The St. John’s alumni network can add a new name and accolade to its list of graduated Johnnies: Ben Bartch—played in Super Bowl LVIII.

Bartch, a 2020 SJU graduate and offensive lineman for the San Francisco 49ers, was on the losing side of his team’s 25-22 overtime loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl on Sunday. However, that doesn’t discredit the rarity of a player making the leap from Division III to football’s ultimate stage.

“At our level, it’s amazing,” SJU offensive line coach Mike Magnuson said. “It’s almost surreal that we have somebody on that stage.”

Bartch saw on-field action several times on San Francisco’s field goal team, playing in some of the game’s most critical moments. For him, preparing to play in the Super Bowl was a childhood dream come true.

He spoke about this in an interview last week with the CSB+SJU newsroom. He declined an interview request from The Record after the Super Bowl.

“It’s really all still sinking in for me,” Bartch said last week. “This is what any player dreams of—regardless of whether they came from Division I, Division II, Division III or NAIA.”

At St. John’s, Bartch started his career as a tight end before transitioning to the offensive line in the summer before his junior year. According to Fasching, it took some convincing to get him to switch positions, but once he did, he fully committed to the change.

“I think this is the the important part of the of his story,” SJU head coach Gary Fasching said. “Once he decided that he was going to play the offensive line, he did everything to make himself into the kind of player that would dominate that position.”

Over the course of two years, Bartch added over 50 pounds to his six-foot-six frame, helped in part by his now-legendary smoothie consisting of seven scrambled eggs, cottage cheese, quick grits, peanut butter, bananas and Gatorade.

Fasching said Bartch quickly took to playing on the line.

Both Fasching and SJU offensive line coach Mike Magnuson spoke about a game at St. Olaf during Bartch’s senior year as one where his ability stood out.

According to Magnuson, St. John’s passed the ball 38 times throughout the game.

Thirty-five out of those 38 times, St. Olaf did not even attempt to get past Bartch.

He ended up pass-protecting just three times the entire game.

In the spring of this senior year at St. John’s, Bartch went on the play in the Senior Bowl, competing against Division I players for the first time.

After graduating, he was taken in the fourth round of the 2020 NFL Draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars. He played there for three full seasons before the 49ers signed him off the Jacksonville practice squad during this NFL season.

According to Magnuson, Bartch’s understanding of the game has only grown.

“Now it’s kind of the pupil teaching the teacher,” Magnuson said. “I’ll call him and ask, ‘What do you think about this?’ or ‘What’s some of the stuff you’re doing that would fit with what we do to make us better?’”

Despite his ascent to professional football from his DIII roots, Fasching said Bartch has maintained the same level of character he exhibited while attending SJU. As a senior, Magnuson said Bartch still carried handbags and other equipment for the linemen out to practice each day, setting an example for his teammates.

“He has all the characteristics which you’d look for in not only a football player but a good person,” Magnuson said. “He was always fully engaged, a student of the game and a great teammate.”

Bartch still remains connected to SJU. Current SJU junior football player Tommy Hessburg, who also transitioned from tight end to offensive line, said Bartch visited virtually with Johnnie offensive linemen before a game this fall, giving them technical and mental advice before the game.

Hessburg believes Bartch’s success at the professional level displays the quality of Division III football.

“I think it shows that there are still some dogs in DIII” Hessburg said. “A lot of people don’t think too highly of DIII football, but it was pretty cool to see that somebody was able to make it all the way.”

To Fasching, the impact of Bartch playing in the Super Bowl extends beyond just Bartch himself.

“We’re just proud of him,” Fasching said. “The fact that you have a St. John’s guy that you coached played in the Super Bowl—it was a special thing certainly for him—but I think it was special for all of us who coached him also.”