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San Francisco 49ers player Ben Bartch, a former St. John’s University student Block
Head football coach Gary Fasching for the College of St. Benedict/St. John’s University recently shared the path of rising star offensive lineman Ben Bartch.
A graduate of SJU, Bartch now plays on the San Francisco 49ers football team and was in this year’s Super Bowl. He got his start at SJU in Collegeville near St. Joseph.
Coach Fasching remembers receiving a call from Bartch’s mother after his junior year in high school. The family lived in McMinnville, Ore. and were coming to visit relatives in Minnesota. At that time, Bartch was a “string bean” of a fellow, 6′ 5” and about 230 pounds. He and his mother were impressed with St. John’s campus and program and what the school stood for. SJU requested to see high-school films of Bartch’s upcoming senior year of football.
The films showed him playing tight end, defensive end and defensive lineman positions in high school. Films of him playing basketball were also included, which Fasching said showed a lot of skill, good footwork, quickness and excellent eye-hand coordination. During his high school senior year, Bartch committed to the SJU football program.
During his college freshman year he was 6′ 6” and weighed 230 pounds. He mostly played junior varsity level as a tight end. His coaches were already noticing his potential.
In his sophomore year, Bartch found himself as the third-string tight end as there were two very good players ahead of him. He was mainly a blocker but also filled the half- and full-back positions at times. Coaches suggested to Fasching that Bartch would probably excel in the offensive line position.
“Bartch agreed to switch to the offensive-line position and worked incredibly hard during his junior year,” Fasching said. “By this time Ben weighed 275 pounds and worked diligently in the weight room. He had a really good year and earned all-conference honors. He even concocted his own version of a high-protein smoothie.”
Barth’s dedication to his sport began to strengthen even more in the following years, Fasching noted.
“Professional scouts began to call because our SJU quarterback was on their radar,” he said. “We recommended they also check out Ben on the offensive line. Word spread quickly among the scouts, and Ben’s playing films were sent out. That was just the start. After his junior year, some scouts said ‘Bartch is good enough to draft after the 3rd round draft pick.'”
Ben worked even harder.
His senior year found Bartch weighing in at 305 pounds. He was voted the best offensive lineman in the league, and named All-American. After graduation in 2020, he was a fourth-round draft pick for the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Unfortunately, he suffered a knee injury during his second year of play with Jacksonville. During his third year (2023) he was placed on the “practice squad” list. Players on that list could be approached by any professional team.
During the middle of the 2023-24 season, the San Francisco 49ers signed Bartch, now weighing 325 pounds, as offensive lineman. That opened the opportunity for Bartch to play in the 2024 Super Bowl, a game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the 49ers. The Chiefs won the Superbowl, 25-22.
A CSB/SJU alumni interview reported Bartch still keeps in close contact with coaches and teammates who meant so much to him during his time in Collegeville.
“It’s an honor to represent not only my family but also St. John’s,” Bartch said during the early 2024 interview. “It’s pretty cool. It’s a great opportunity and I feel very blessed and honored to have the opportunity to play in this game. We talk regularly – even before I was playing in the Super Bowl. I built so many great relationships and friendships during my time there at SJU. I had a lot of great coaches who gave me a lot of direction and guidance and were great resources for me.”
Bartch was the 10th SJU football player to be selected for a National Football League draft and the first one ever to play in a Super Bowl.
San Francisco 49ers player Ben Bartch, a former St. John’s University student
