NFL

25 Things Fans Missed While Watching Super Bowl LVII

Darren - February 14, 2023

NFL

25 Things Fans Missed While Watching Super Bowl LVII

Darren - February 14, 2023

Half and Half

Donna and Ed Kelce were the proudest parents in America during Super Bowl LVII. Their sons, Travis and Jason, became the first brothers to compete against each other for a Vince Lombardi Trophy. Donna became a media darling before the event because of her half-and-half jackets and jerseys as she refused to pick a side.

The loving mother didn’t care who won as long as her sons stayed safe. It helped that they both won rings in previous campaigns with their franchises. In the end, Travis and Kansas City emerged victorious this time. Some fans missed Donna’s exuberance but it was one of the most wholesome parts of the game’s build-up (via HITC).

<< Previous

NEXT >>

No Crypto

Everybody pays attention to Super Bowl commercials because they’re usually entertaining. But many fans missed a major difference from 2022. One industry was conspicuous in its absence after it suffered a lot of damage to its reputation. Cryptocurrencies didn’t dominate in nearly the same way as they did last year.

They saw a massive fall in popularity after the Sam Bankman-Fried scandal. Meanwhile, cryptocurrencies crashed across the board as customers lost millions of dollars. We don’t know if the NFL opted not to associate with the controversial sector. Perhaps the crypto bros didn’t have the money to pay for a Super Bowl ad this year (via ESPN).

<< Previous

NEXT >>

Redemption Stories

This was an emotional night for the Chiefs because there were several redemption stories. Many members of the national sports media members threw Mahomes under the bus after their one-sided Super Bowl loss to Tampa. This time he had a brilliant performance on one leg and proved his toughness and elite skills. Meanwhile, Andy Reid inspired his franchise to a mesmerizing comeback in the second half.

Kadarius Toney deserves a mention after he turned his career around. After making him a first-round pick in 2021, the Giants traded him to Kansas City after his sophomore year because they thought he was a bust. But the right situation and environment changed everything for the young man. Now he’s a Super Bowl winner and could be one of the best players on the best team in the league (via Four States Home Page).

<< Previous

NEXT >>

Shaky Platform

We’ve already mentioned Rihanna’s halftime performance but focused on her pregnancy. Now let’s turn to the bravery of her set because she took a significant risk. The superstar stood on a floating platform as she belted out a stream of hits. Some fans missed the stage’s instability but it caught others’ attention.

But this didn’t appear to faze the pregnant pop icon as she delivered her greatest hits with aplomb. It’s easy to forget how many great songs Rihanna has but there’s an entire catalog. Countless Super Bowl halftime shows haven’t lived up to expectations, but this was one of the best of the past decade (via The Guardian).

<< Previous

NEXT >>

Family Time

One of Patrick Mahomes‘ best traits is that he’s one of the NFL’s most humble players. He lives in a relatively modest house and puts his family above everything else. Some fans missed his post-game reunion with his wife Brittney and his daughter Sterling. It was a beautiful moment that shows why Mahomes puts his body on the line. Indeed, he was injured in the Chiefs’ first playoff game and gutted it out through a high ankle sprain to beat both the Cincinnati Bengals and the Eagles, something that cannot be overstated.

And he does all that for his beloved family. Mahomes met Brittney in high school and the pair remained true to each other. They recently had their second child together, a son named Bronze, so it’s going to be a great year for the couple. Mahomes doesn’t seek drama or spend his money on flashy purchases like other stars. The NFL couldn’t have a better ambassador than the two-time Super Bowl winner (via Good Morning America).

<< Previous

NEXT >>

Home of the Chiefs

The Chiefs Kingdom rattled some cages when they stayed true to one of their time-honored traditions. At the end of the national anthem, they always chant ‘home of the Chiefs’ instead of ‘home of the brave.” There’s nothing new about this but it still infuriates certain elements of the NFL fanbase who take these things seriously.

We should talk more about how Chris Stapleton delivered arguably the best rendition since Whitney Houston. The Stars and Stripes is an exceptionally difficult song and many people mangle it. But he sang it with aplomb and moved Nick Sirianni to tears. Everybody enjoyed the moment because it was beautiful (via WSAZ).

<< Previous

NEXT >>

Cara’s T-Shirt

Some NFL fans hate the reality that many people only care about the halftime show. Cara Delevinge appears to fall into this category because she supported Rihanna. The model wore a Fenty t-shirt with a polarizing logo. It read: “Rihanna concert interrupted by a football game, but whatever.”

This rubbed some football fans up the wrong way. But there’s nothing wrong with Delevinge showing support for her friend. Indeed, many people don’t care about the result. They enjoy the spectacle of the performances and wacky commercials. There was something for everyone at Super Bowl LVII (via People).

<< Previous

NEXT >>

Hungry Jason

The Kelce brothers received a lot of attention throughout the game. Some fans missed this hilarious moment after Travis scored a touchdown. Jason was sitting on the Philly bench when he decided to munch on a snack. It appears to be an energy bar but many viewers related to the moment. The shot became an instant meme because of his expression and the timing.

It proves that there’s never a bad time to eat, even during the biggest game of an athlete’s life. In the end, Jason wound up on the losing side but he still played well. Perhaps he should have had more snacks because they may have helped him reach another level. Casual fans instantly loved the brilliant center (via USA Today).

<< Previous

NEXT >>

Trailblazers

Black quarterbacks are finally overcoming the prejudice that they faced for decades. It’s phenomenal to see more diversity in this position over the past few years. Super Bowl LVII witness another milestone that many fans missed. This wasn’t the first time that two black quarterbacks faced each other on opposite teams.

Patrick Mahomes led the way for the Chiefs and proved that he’s the greatest active NFL player. Meanwhile, Jalen Hurts had the game of his life as he proved that he is the franchise quarterback the Eagles dreamed of. It’s a great story but let’s hope that the likes of Lamar Jackson and Justin Fields follow in their footsteps (via BBC).

<< Previous

NEXT >>

Waddle Over Here

Terry Bradshaw was a brilliant player and remains a Pittsburgh legend. But it’s also true that his traditional values and lack of etiquette don’t belong on TV in 2023. Many fans missed the moment he appeared to fat-shame Andy Reid after his second Super Bowl win. Reid is one of the greatest NFL coaches in history and was enjoying a legacy-defining moment.

“Come on, waddle over here,” Bradshaw told Reid after the game before an interview. In the end, he said: “have a cheeseburger on us.” Reid laughed off these awkward comments because that’s the type of man he is. But it was tasteless and he didn’t deserve this type of humiliation in front of millions (via New York Post).

<< Previous

NEXT >>

Irrepressible Mahomes

Everybody knows that Mahomes had a great game but many fans missed his staggering records. Yes, he won a second ring and another Super Bowl MVP award. But these weren’t the most impressive parts of his season. The Chiefs quarterback became the first player to win the regular season MVP, the Super Bowl, and to lead the league in passing yards and touchdowns in the same season.

Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, and Kurt Warner are the only other players to achieve these accolades in their careers. But they accumulated them across multiple years instead of doing it all at once like Mahomes. The Kansas City icon is already one of the best players in history. His Hall of Fame credentials are better than many players in Canton now (via AP News). Also, as mentioned before, he gutted out an extremely painful high ankle sprain throughout the playoffs, an injury he aggravated in the second quarter of Super Bowl LVII. Mahomes is a gamer with the stats and the toughness to become the greatest ever and his arrow is only trending up.

<< Previous