| Venue: State Farm Stadium, Glendale Date: Sunday, 12 February Begin: 23:30 GMT (16:30 MST) |
| BBC protection: Take heed to commentary on BBC Radio 5 Reside and observe reside textual content on the BBC Sport web site and app |
No matter occurs in Tremendous Bowl 57, historical past can be made in Arizona’s state capital of Phoenix on Sunday.
It was thought the Buffalo Payments could be right here after the pre-season Tremendous Bowl favourites have been carried into the play-offs by an emotional wave of assist.
However whereas their safety Damar Hamlin continued to get well from struggling a cardiac arrest on the sector final month, the Payments have been stopped by the Cincinnati Bengals.
That bought final yr’s runners-up excited concerning the prospect of returning to the NFL’s championship sport. Alas, the Bengals have been edged out in a thriller by the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs.
That ensured a rarity in that the Tremendous Bowl will characteristic the season’s finest two groups and finest two gamers as Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs face Jalen Hurts and the Philadelphia Eagles.
It will likely be the first Super Bowl to feature two black players as the starting quarterbacks. It’ll even be the primary to characteristic brothers on opposing groups. However which of them can be lifting the Lombardi Trophy is a troublesome one to name.
If that is not sufficient, celebrity Rihanna will make her first reside efficiency in 5 years as she performs this yr’s half-time present.
You can observe reside textual content commentary on the BBC Sport web site and app, plus reside commentary on BBC Radio 5 Reside.
There will even be post-match video highlights.
Tremendous Bowl or the Kelce Bowl?
From the second the Chiefs booked their spot alongside the Eagles, Jason and Travis Kelce knew what was coming – a media circus.
They’ve tried to minimize the importance of two brothers dealing with one another within the Tremendous Bowl. In any case, 53 gamers will go well with up for every workforce on Sunday, and the brothers won’t ever be on the sector on the identical time.
That is as a result of they each play on offence. Eagles centre Jason snaps the ball to his quarterback then blocks the opposite workforce’s defence. Tight ends like Travis block too however the Chiefs star can be one of many NFL’s most prolific receivers.
However strive as they may, questions concerning the ‘Kelce Bowl’ preserve coming throughout Tremendous Bowl week. Now the brothers have embraced it. Their mom has even change into a celeb too.
Count on to see loads of Donna Kelce in her half-and-half jersey on Sunday, in addition to Jason’s spouse Kylie. She is closely pregnant with their third youngster so can be accompanied by her nurse on the huge sport.
‘A particular second that hopefully lives on endlessly’
Philadelphia’s Jalen Hurts will change into the eighth black quarterback to start out a Tremendous Bowl and goals to be the fourth to win it – after Doug Williams (1988), Russell Wilson (2014) and Mahomes (2020).
However this Sunday’s showpiece within the Phoenix suburb of Glendale would be the first the place each the beginning QBs are black.
Traditionally, black gamers have been steered away from ‘thinking’ positions resembling quarterback in the direction of ‘athletic’ positions resembling receiver due to doubts over their management qualities, however this landmark helps to additional bust that delusion.
“I feel it is historic,” Hurts mentioned on Opening Evening, which kicks off Tremendous Bowl week. “It units the inspiration for what’s to return.”
Mahomes added: “To be enjoying with a man like Jalen, who I do know is doing it the correct approach, it’ll be a particular second that hopefully lives on endlessly.”
Coaches face their former groups
Mahomes, 27, is anticipated to be named this season’s Most Beneficial Participant on Thursday forward of Hurts, 24, after each led their groups to a 14-3 report.
There have been then no main shocks within the play-offs so this yr’s Tremendous Bowl would be the first to characteristic the highest seed in every Convention since 2018 – when the Eagles beat the New England Patriots for his or her solely earlier Tremendous Bowl win.
There’s now a statue of the second Doug Pederson and Nick Foles known as the ‘Philly Particular’ play which gave the Eagles victory, however each have already moved on.
A core group of veterans stay from Tremendous Bowl 52, together with Jason Kelce, however in any other case the Eagles have efficiently rebuilt their roster. They handed Nick Sirianni his first head coach job in 2021 whereas Hurts is in his second season as a starter.
Kansas Metropolis even have latest Tremendous Bowl pedigree – that is their third in 4 years – however their success has been pushed by the identical coach-QB partnership of Andy Reid and Mahomes.
In all 5 seasons as a starter, Mahomes has reached a minimum of the AFC Championship sport, however the Chiefs did need to rebuild their offensive line after failing to guard Mahomes because the Tampa Bay Buccaneers denied Kansas City a third Super Bowl win in 2021.
Reid, 64, will face his former workforce after main the Eagles to 5 NFC Championship Video games and one Tremendous Bowl in 14 years, earlier than taking cost of the Chiefs in 2013.
Sirianni spent 4 years teaching with Kansas Metropolis earlier than Reid introduced in his personal workers however the 41-year-old did acknowledge this week that Reid took the time to speak about his profession, reward him on his growth and want him properly for the longer term.
It is definitely gone properly with the Eagles, and Sirianni’s facet are slight favourites within the tightest betting because the Patriots beat the Seattle Seahawks in 2015 – the final Tremendous Bowl to be held on the State Farm Stadium.
Rihanna makes long-awaited return
That is the fourth Tremendous Bowl to be staged in Arizona – all in Phoenix – and the third on the State Farm Stadium, beforehand known as the College of Phoenix Stadium.
Nicknamed ‘the Massive Toaster’ for its look, it has a retractable roof which is anticipated to be open on Sunday – because it was in 2008 and 2015 – with this set to be Arizona’s warmest Tremendous Bowl because the temperature is forecast to hit the mid-20s this weekend.
Phoenix can be internet hosting a PGA golf occasion this weekend and a report 180,000 passengers are anticipated to move via Sky Harbor airport on Monday – 60,000 greater than a median day.
Fan occasions and tailgate events can be staged throughout ‘the Valley’, because the Phoenix space is understood, together with two hosted by four-time Tremendous Bowl winner Rob Gronkowski and NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal.
There’s additionally a free-to-enter fan park which is able to maintain the first-ever official watch get together and stage a set by native band Jimmy Eat World.
Rapper Cardi B is doing two exhibits this weekend whereas nation singer Chris Stapleton will carry out Sunday’s nationwide anthem however the Tremendous Bowl headliner is most undoubtedly Rihanna.
The Barbadian singer, 34, will carry out reside for the primary time since 2018 in what must be a memorable half-time present.
This yr’s Tremendous Bowl stats
- Accomplished in 2006, the State Farm Stadium value $455m and has a capability of 73,000
- The US TV viewers is anticipated to be about 100m (one in three US adults)
- The TV broadcast is ready to characteristic 70 commercials, costing $7m for a 30-second slot
- The most affordable resale ticket prices about $4,400
- The American Gaming Affiliation expects a report 50.4m to wager a complete of $16bn
- Patrick Mahomes could possibly be the thirteenth quarterback to win a number of Tremendous Bowls
- Mahomes is also the seventh participant to win the NFL MVP, Tremendous Bowl MVP and Tremendous Bowl in the identical season
- No participant has received the NFL MVP and Tremendous Bowl in the identical season since Kurt Warner in 1999. Since then, 9 MVP winners have gone on to lose within the NFL’s title sport.
