If Joe Burrow is the Cincinnati Bengals’ marquee leading man, then Quinton Spain should be high on the credits list of supporting athletes.

From Petersburg High School where he starred in both football and basketball, Spain is now a starting offensive guard for the much-improved Bengals.

The 6-foot-4, 330-pound Spain provided much of the protection for quarterback Burrow in its pecking-order-changing 41-17 win over the Baltimore Ravens on Oct. 24.

Burrow, the former Heisman Trophy winner from Louisiana State University, was 23 for 38 for 416 yards and three touch-downs, and was sacked just once, thanks to Spain and the rest of the O-Line.

Undrafted out of West Virginia, Spain played previously with the Tennessee Titans and Buffalo Bills and went to Cincinnati last year to serve as one of Burrow’s on-field bodyguards.

Spain is one of numerous home-grown Richmond/Tri-Cities standouts that football fans can follow each week in NFL action.

Here’s at least a partial list of the 804’s “hometown heroes,” with high schools and colleges they attended. This list includes only players who grew up in Richmond and the Tri-Cities areas.

It’s a fluid list with rosters changing daily due to injuries and coaching decisions.

Seattle Seahawks: Russell Wilson (Collegiate School; North Carolina State/ Wisconsin). Currently injured, but has been the Seahawks quarterback since 2012.

Seattle Seahawks: Duane Brown (Hermitage High; Virginia Tech). Seahawks offensive tackle since 2017.

Seattle Seahawks: Darrell Taylor (Hopewell High; Tennessee). Rookie linebacker.

New York Jets: Morgan Moses (Meadowbrook High; Virginia). Offensive lineman since 2014.

New York Jets: Mekhi Becton (Highland Springs High, Louisville). Second season offensive lineman.

Dallas Cowboys: Maurice Canady (Varina High, Virginia). In first season as Cowboys’ cornerback.

Minnesota Vikings: Christian Darrisaw (born in Petersburg; Virginia Tech). Vikings’ rookie offensive tackle.

Philadelphia Eagles: Anthony Harris (L.C. Bird High; Virginia). Strong safety.

Philadelphia Eagles: K’Von Wallace (Highland Springs High, Clemson). Second season as Eagles’ free safety.

Detroit Lions: Jalen Elliott (L.C. Bird High, Notre Dame). Second season safety.

Cleveland Browns: Tim Harris (Varina High, Virginia). Cornerback.

Tennessee Titans: Sharif Finch (Henrico High, Temple). Linebacker.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Josh Wells (Hanover High, James Madison). Second year offensive lineman.

Las Vegas Raiders: Clelin Ferrell (Benedictine, Clemson). Third season defensive end.

Source: ProFootballReference.com