| 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 Dwell and observe stay textual content on the BBC Sport web site and app |
No matter occurs in Tremendous Bowl 57, historical past will likely 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 had been carried into the play-offs by an emotional wave of help.
However whereas their security Damar Hamlin continued to get better from struggling a cardiac arrest on the sphere final month, the Payments had been stopped by the Cincinnati Bengals.
That received final 12 months’s runners-up excited in regards to the prospect of returning to the NFL’s championship sport. Alas, the Bengals had 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 greatest two groups and greatest two gamers as Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs face Jalen Hurts and the Philadelphia Eagles.
It is going to be the first Tremendous Bowl to characteristic two black gamers because the beginning quarterbacks. It’ll even be the primary to characteristic brothers on opposing groups. However which of them will likely be lifting the Lombardi Trophy is a troublesome one to name.
If that is not sufficient, celebrity Rihanna will make her first stay efficiency in 5 years as she performs this 12 months’s half-time present.
You’ll observe stay textual content commentary on the BBC Sport web site and app, plus stay commentary on BBC Radio 5 Dwell.
There may 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 going through one another within the Tremendous Bowl. In any case, 53 gamers will swimsuit up for every staff on Sunday, and the brothers won’t ever be on the sphere 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 staff’s defence. Tight ends like Travis block too however the Chiefs star can be one of many NFL’s most prolific receivers.
However attempt as they may, questions in regards to the ‘Kelce Bowl’ hold coming throughout Tremendous Bowl week. Now the brothers have embraced it. Their mom has even turn out to be 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 little one so will likely be accompanied by her nurse on the massive sport.
‘A particular second that hopefully lives on ceaselessly’
Philadelphia’s Jalen Hurts will turn out to be the eighth black quarterback to begin 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 ‘considering’ positions corresponding to quarterback in direction of ‘athletic’ positions corresponding to receiver due to doubts over their management qualities, however this landmark helps to additional bust that delusion.
“I believe it is historic,” Hurts stated on Opening Evening, which kicks off Tremendous Bowl week. “It units the inspiration for what’s to come back.”
Mahomes added: “To be taking part in with a man like Jalen, who I do know is doing it the appropriate means, it may be a particular second that hopefully lives on ceaselessly.”
Coaches face their former groups
Mahomes, 27, is predicted to be named this season’s Most Precious Participant on Thursday forward of Hurts, 24, after each led their groups to a 14-3 file.
There have been then no main shocks within the play-offs so this 12 months’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 referred to 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 not less than the AFC Championship sport, however the Chiefs did should rebuild their offensive line after failing to guard Mahomes because the Tampa Bay Buccaneers denied Kansas Metropolis a 3rd Tremendous Bowl win in 2021.
Reid, 64, will face his former staff 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 need him nicely for the longer term.
It is definitely gone nicely with the Eagles, and Sirianni’s aspect 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 referred to as the College of Phoenix Stadium.
Nicknamed ‘the Massive Toaster’ for its look, it has a retractable roof which is predicted 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 file 180,000 passengers are anticipated to go by Sky Harbor airport on Monday – 60,000 greater than a median day.
Fan occasions and tailgate events will likely be staged throughout ‘the Valley’, because the Phoenix space is thought, 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 can maintain the first-ever official watch occasion 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 positively Rihanna.
The Barbadian singer, 34, will carry out stay for the primary time since 2018 in what ought to be a memorable half-time present.
This 12 months’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 predicted 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 file 50.4m to wager a complete of $16bn
- Patrick Mahomes could possibly be the thirteenth quarterback to win a number of Tremendous Bowls
- Mahomes may be 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.
