It is getting close to that very special time of year. The NFL postseason is almost in the books again and that means that the Super Bowl is just around the corner. Unfortunately, for most football fans around here, the Cowboys didn’t even make the playoffs so there will be no local celebrations.
But that got us thinking about whether there have ever been any Super Bowl champs that can call Texarkana home. We’ve trawled through the history books to find out if any of our hometown heroes have gone from the sports pages and online betting sites to sizing up for a Super Bowl winner’s ring.
Texarkana is obviously a place that loves its sports – and our sons and daughters have gone on to become champions in a number of fields, including those who made it to the NFL. But are there any Super Bowl champions among them?
McTelvin Agim
Most recently with the Tennessee Titans, Agim was born in Texarkana and played the majority of high school football just up the road in Hope. He played across offense and defense at that time and as a five-star recruit, committed to Arkansas. As a Razorback, Agim was utilized as both a defensive end and a defensive tackle.
Agim was taken by the Denver Broncos as the 95th pick overall in the third round of the 2020 NFL Draft. He has since signed temporary contracts with the Indianapolis Colts and the Houston Texans before the Titans last season. Although he hasn’t been able to push for a Super Bowl appearance yet, he did win two Arkansas high school state shot put titles and will be hoping for more honors next season, whoever he signs with.
Joseph Anderson
A graduate of Texas High School in Texarkana, Anderson initially went to Louisiana Tech University before transferring to Texas Southern where he played the remaining three years of his college football career. He then went undrafted in 2012 before earning a spot on the Chicago Bears roster, mostly on special teams.
A series of injuries saw Anderson cut from the Bears and he went on to sign temporary deals with the Eagles and the Jets, before finally trying his luck in Canada with the Montreal Alouettes. He may not have won a Super Bowl but he always showed true Texarkana perseverance, most notably when he turned up outside the Houston Texans stadium with a sign requesting a spot on the roster.
Ryan Mallett
This former quarterback was born in Batesville, AR but played at Texas High School before committing to Michigan. He then transferred to Arkansas where he became a highly accomplished QB. Mallett was rated as the number four player overall before the 2011 NFL Draft but was eventually taken by the New England Patriots in the third round.
As backup to Tom Brady, Mallett’s appearances were few and far between but he also played for the Houston Texans and the Baltimore Ravens in what ended up being a six-year NFL career. After retiring from the game, Mallett spent some time as a high school coach in Arkansas but he tragically died at the age of 35 while in Florida.
Nathan Vasher
Another alumnus of Texas High School in Texarkana, Vasher played seven seasons in the NFL, mostly for the Chicago Bears. After graduating from high school, he started his college career as a strong safety for the Texas Longhorns before moving to cornerback. He won both the Cotton Bowl and the Holiday Bowl in his time there and set a number of records in his senior year.
Those performances earned him a contract with the Bears, being taken in the fourth round of the 2004 NFL Draft. He was voted to the Pro Bowl in just his second year in the league, played postseason football for two years running, and ultimately finished his career with the Lions after six years in Chicago. No Super Bowl appearances here either but he has put in work as a coach since, hoping to train the stars of tomorrow.

Rod Smith
Possibly the greatest-ever football player to come from Texarkana, Rod Smith also holds the esteemed position of being a local son who went on to win a Super Bowl. After playing both football and basketball at Arkansas Senior High School, Smith went to Missouri Southern State and was a top-rated player in Division II.
That relatively low level of college football meant that Smith went undrafted in the 1994 NFL Draft but was signed as a free agent by the Denver Broncos, where he initially played wide receiver alongside the legendary John Elway. In 14 years in Denver, Smith set many records for an undrafted player including recording over 1,000 yards receiving in eight of those years.
Smith played in the Pro Bowl on three occasions and, almost 20 years after his retirement, he still holds a number of franchise records. But his greatest accomplishments were probably his back-to-back Super Bowl victories in 1997 and 1998. He was a starting wide receiver in both games and scored a touchdown against the Falcons at Super Bowl XXXIII. Injuries ended his career but he is regarded as one of the most-loved Broncos of all time and arguably the best-ever NFL player to come from Texarkana.