Is Rocky Lombardi related to Vince Lombardi? Looking at Northern Illinois QB's family

Northern Illinois quarterback Rocky Lombardi shares a last name with the famous Green Bay Packers coach Vince Lombardi. That has led many to wonder if the signal-caller is related to the coaching legend.

To make matters all the more confusing, his great-grandfather is named Vince Lombardi too. However, this Vince Lombardi wasn't a famous coach.

The Northern Illinois passer isn't related to Vince Lombardi, the coach, according to a 2018 report in the Detroit Free Press. Questions of the possible familial connection first bubbled up when Rocky was a player with the Michigan State Spartans.

Although Rocky Lombardi was born in Ann Arbor, Michigan, he was raised in Clive, Iowa, where he attended Valley High School. There, he came out as a three-star recruit. On the other hand, Vince Lombardi is a New Yorker, who grew up in Brooklyn.

Rocky Lombardi, the son of a coach, just not Vince Lombardi

Rocky's father, Tony Lombardi, was a football coach too, though on the opposite side to which his son plays. Tony was the defensive coordinator for Eastern Michigan from 1998 to 1999. He was also named the interim head coach for Eastern Michigan in 1999.

Rocky Lombardi's 2023 season

Rocky Lombardi threw for 2,074 yards, with 10 touchdown passes and five interceptions in 2023. He had a poor QBR of 35.8, which ranked him 114th in the nation. He was some 500 yards shy of his career-high yardage of 2021.

In his first season at Northern Illinois, he threw for 2,597 yards with 15 touchdown passes and eight interceptions. That year, he had a 131.7 rating which was slightly higher than this year's 123.6 rating. In 2021, he had a completion percentage of 58.3 percent, as compared to this year's 57.4 percent.

He is closing his senior year with a 6-6 record, and a trip to the Camellia Bowl where he'll attempt to beat the Arkansas State Red Wolves.