Countdown to kickoff is back! USC will kick off its 2026 football season on August 29 when the Trojans host San Jose State at the Coliseum. In this series, we will be counting down the days until the season opener by highlighting a notable Trojan who wore each number.
Tofay, we look at another Super Bowl champion defensive lineman in Brandon Pili.
Position: Defensive line
Years played at USC: 2017-2022
Career highlights: Pili was USC’s first ever football player from the state of Alaska. Between 2017 and 2022-he served as a key backup defensive lineman for the Trojans. His final season at USC was his best statistical one, when he recorded 25 tackles, one sack, and one pass defended.
For two years, Pili shared the USC campus with his younger sister, Alissa, who played for the women’s basketball team. The younger Pili later transferred to Utah, and spent the past two seasons playing in the WNBA.
After USC: Pili signed with the Miami Dolphins as an undrafted free agent following the 2023 NFL Draft. He made the team, becoming the first Alaskan to play in the league since 2014. He appeared in 12 games for Miami over two seasons, before being waved in 2024.
Last year, Pili signed with the Seattle Seahawks and had the best season of his career. In February, he won his first Super Bowl with Seattle.
This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: USC countdown to kickoff: Recalling Trojans DL Brandon Pili
Reporting by Adam Bradford, Trojans Wire / Trojans Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
