This year, it is 54 Stops to Super Bowl LIV and I'm back with some more (and some of the same) little items for you about the upcoming big game.
#54-NFL'S CHAMPIONS OVER 100 YEARS: If you haven't heard, the NFL is celebrating its 100th season this year so it would be neat to look at some of the NFL champions over the years. This includes all NFL champs, including the pre-Super Bowl years.
MOST NFL TITLES
13-Packers
9-Bears
8-Giants
6-Patriots, Steelers
5-49ers, Cowboys, Redskins
4-Browns, Colts, Eagles, Lions
MOST NFL TITLE APPEARANCES
22-Giants
19-Bears
18-Packers
11-Patriots, Redskins
9-Browns, Rams
8-Broncos, Cowboys, Steelers
MOST NFL TITLE GAME LOSSES
14-Giants
10-Bears
6-Rams, Redskins
5-Broncos, Browns, Packers, Patriots
4-Bills, Vikings
3-Colts, Cowboys, Dolphins, Eagles
MOST NFL TITLE LOSSES WITHOUT A WIN
4-Vikings, Bills
2-Bengals, Falcons, Panthers
1-Chargers, Titans, Buffalo All-Americans, Pottsville Maroons
*The Jaguars and Texans are the only current NFL franchises to have never played in an NFL championship game.
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#53-MAHOMES IS YOUNG: Patrick Mahomes will be the 5th youngest quarterback to start a Super Bowl. Mahomes will be 24 years and 138 days old when he takes the field for Super Bowl LIV.
Dan Marino and Ben Roethlisberger were both 23 years old when they started Super Bowls. Neither had great games -- Marino's Dolphins were manhandled by the 49ers in Super Bowl XIX while Roethlisberger completed just 9 of 21 passes for 123 yards. Big Ben would actually win Super Bowl XL over the Seahawks with his controversial rushing touchdown coming up big.
David Woodley was 24 years old when he went 4-of-14 passing against the Redskins in Super Bowl XVII. He threw just five touchdowns for the Dolphins all season long heading into the game (it was the strike-shortened 1982 season) which led Miami to draft Marino the next spring.
The Rams' Jared Goff was 24 when he put up a stinker in Super Bowl LIII against the Patriots. This is quite an interesting list. Only one of the QBs younger than Mahomes would ever win a Super Bowl (Roethlisberger would win two) and two of them are or will be Hall of Famers (Roethlisberger, Marino).
#52-WEATHER COULD BE A FACTOR: There are some forecasts that have rain coming to South Florida on Sunday night which could be a big factor in who wins the game.
The weather has typically not been a factor in the Super Bowl. There have been 22 Super Bowls that have had at least a trace amount of precipitation during the game with only four games having at least a quarter of an inch of rain.
The wettest Super Bowl was also in Miami -- Super Bowl XLI -- as the Colts beat the Bears in a noticeable drizzle. There was 0.92 inches of rain during the game though it didn't dramatically alter the performance of the game. Super Bowl IV, which the Chiefs won, had over a half inch of rain at New Orleans' Tulane Stadium.
There have been some cold weather Super Bowls. Three games had snow on game day but all three Super Bowls were played indoors. Super Bowl XXXIV was played during an ice storm in Atlanta but was also played indoors. Super Bowl LII was the coldest Super Bowl as Minneapolis reached a high of 9 degrees and a low of -6. As far as outdoor cold games, Super Bowl VI in New Orleans never got above 43 degrees (the coldest high temperature) and dropped as low as 24.
#51-SEEING RED:.This will be the first Super Bowl where both teams' primary colors are red. The last time a "red team" won a Super Bowl was after the 1995 season when the 49ers beat the Chargers in Super Bowl XXIX. Since then, the Falcons (twice), 49ers and Cardinals all lost in the big game.
Currently the defending NBA champion (Toronto Raptors) and World Series champion (Washington Nationals) have red as a primary color.
The weather has typically not been a factor in the Super Bowl. There have been 22 Super Bowls that have had at least a trace amount of precipitation during the game with only four games having at least a quarter of an inch of rain.
The wettest Super Bowl was also in Miami -- Super Bowl XLI -- as the Colts beat the Bears in a noticeable drizzle. There was 0.92 inches of rain during the game though it didn't dramatically alter the performance of the game. Super Bowl IV, which the Chiefs won, had over a half inch of rain at New Orleans' Tulane Stadium.
There have been some cold weather Super Bowls. Three games had snow on game day but all three Super Bowls were played indoors. Super Bowl XXXIV was played during an ice storm in Atlanta but was also played indoors. Super Bowl LII was the coldest Super Bowl as Minneapolis reached a high of 9 degrees and a low of -6. As far as outdoor cold games, Super Bowl VI in New Orleans never got above 43 degrees (the coldest high temperature) and dropped as low as 24.
#51-SEEING RED:.This will be the first Super Bowl where both teams' primary colors are red. The last time a "red team" won a Super Bowl was after the 1995 season when the 49ers beat the Chargers in Super Bowl XXIX. Since then, the Falcons (twice), 49ers and Cardinals all lost in the big game.
Currently the defending NBA champion (Toronto Raptors) and World Series champion (Washington Nationals) have red as a primary color.
#50-REID IS BACK IN THE SUPER BOWL: Andy Reid will become the 24th head coach to reach two Super Bowls as a head coach. Bill Belichick leads all head coaches with nine appearances. Eight head coaches have been to at least four Super Bowls.
Marv Levy, Bud Grant and Dan Reeves are all 0-4 in Super Bowls. Chuck Noll is 4-0. Bill Walsh was 3-0.
Four head coaches lost their first Super Bowl appearance but would win their next one. Those include Hank Stram, Tom Landry, Bill Cowher and Dick Vermeil. Andy Reid is trying to join that group. Don Shula lost his first two Super Bowl trips before winning his first one.
Reid will become the 7th head coach to take two different franchises to a Super Bowl. Don Shula, Dan Reeves, Bill Parcells, Mike Holmgren, Dick Vermeil and John Fox have previously done so. Of those, only Reeves and Fox didn't win.
#49-BACK TO THE SUPER BOWL: The Chiefs are back in the Super Bowl for the first time in 50 years. Kansas City was in the very first Super Bowl, where they lost to the Packers. They would return in Super Bowl IV (the final game before the merger) where they would beat the Vikings.
The 49ers will be making their 7th Super Bowl appearance. They won their first five Super Bowls they played in (XVI, XIX, XXIII, XIV, XXIX), beating the Bengals twice, Dan Marino's Dolphins, John Elway's Broncos and the Chargers. It would take 18 years before they got back to the big game, where they lost a thriller to the Ravens in Super Bowl XLVII. The Niners have quite the Super Bowl history with this year's host city, Miami. They've won three Super Bowls (XIX, XXIII and XXIX) in Miami and beat the Miami Dolphins in Super Bowl XIX. #49-BACK TO THE SUPER BOWL: The Chiefs are back in the Super Bowl for the first time in 50 years. Kansas City was in the very first Super Bowl, where they lost to the Packers. They would return in Super Bowl IV (the final game before the merger) where they would beat the Vikings.
#48-COMMON OPPONENTS: The Chiefs and 49ers have faced three common opponents this season. The Chiefs beat the Ravens and Vikings but lost to the Packers. The 49ers beat the Packers twice and the Vikings in the playoffs and lost to the Ravens. Aside from the Niners' two wins over the Packers, each game was very close.
#47-SUPER BOWL SQUARES: Everyone participates in Super Bowl squares. You pay your money, write your name in the square and let fate decided not only what numbers you get but if they are any good. The digit you probably don't want? Two. That has been the final digit in the final score just four times ever. The number you want? Zero, obviously. There has been 212 quarters in 53 Super Bowls and here are the six most likely combinations:
20: 0,7
18: 0,3
17: 0,0
15: 3,7
12: 0,4
11: 4,7
The most common numbers for the first quarter is 0,0 (14 times), halftime is 0,7 and 3,7 (5 times), third quarter is 3,7 (5 times) and final score 4,7 (5 times).
There have been 13 different number combinations that have never appeared at the end of any quarterback in Super Bowl history.
These are: 1,1 ... 1,2 ... 2,3 ... 2,5 ... 2,6 ... 3,5 ... 4,5 ... 5,5 ... 5,6 ... 5,8 ... 7,8 ... 8,8 ... 8,9.
#46-AFC LOVES FEBRUARY: The Super Bowl will be held on February 2nd. Since the first February Super Bowl in 2002, the AFC is 11-6 in those games held in the calendar's shortest month:
Super Bowl XXXVI: Patriots beat Rams on February 3, 2002
Super Bowl XXXVIII: Patriots beat Panthers on February 1, 2004
Super Bowl XXXIX: Patriots beat Eagles on February 6, 2005
Super Bowl XL: Steelers beat Seahawks on February 5, 2006
Super Bowl XLI: Colts beat Bears on February 4, 2007
Super Bowl XLII: Giants beat Patriots on February 3, 2008
Super Bowl XLIII: Steelers beat Cardinals on February 1, 2009
Super Bowl XLIV: Saints beat Colts on February 7, 2010
Super Bowl XLV: Packers beat Steelers on February 6, 2011
Super Bowl XLVI: Giants beat Patriots on February 5, 2012
Super Bowl XLVII: Ravens beat 49ers on February 3, 2013
Super Bowl XLVIII: Seahawks beat Broncos on February 2, 2014
Super Bowl XLIX: Patriots beat Seahawks on February 1, 2015
Super Bowl 50: Broncos beat Panthers on February 7, 2016
Super Bowl LI: Patriots beat Falcons on February 5, 2017
Super Bowl LII: Eagles beat Patriots on February 4, 2018
Super Bowl LIV: Patriots beat Rams on February 3, 2019
#45-SCORE EARLY AND OFTEN: Getting on the board early in the Super Bowl means you have a 68% chance of winning.
*The team who scores first in a Super Bowl is 36-17.
*Teams who score at least 30 points are 27-3. Only the Cowboys (SB XIII), 49ers (SB XLVII) and Patriots (SB LII) scored at least 30 points and lost.
*Teams that score the first TD are 39-14.
*Teams leading at the half are 39-11 (there have been three ties)
#44-SHANAHANS ARE BACK: Niners head coach Kyle Shanahan joins his father Mike as the first father-son duo to head coach Super Bowl teams. Mike won Super Bowls XXXII and XXXIII as the head coach of the Denver Broncos. Kyle was the offensive coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons when they lost Super Bowl LI to the Patriots.
Mike Shanahan was also on the 49ers coaching staff when they last won a Super Bowl.
#43-TRIO DOMINATES THE SUPER BOWL, EXCEPT THIS YEAR: Since Super Bowl XXXVIII (a span of 17 years), the AFC has been represented by Peyton Manning, Tom Brady or Ben Roethlisberger 15 times. Brady went to 8 games in that time, Manning went to 4 while Big Ben has 3). The only off years were Super Bowl XLVII when the Ravens' Joe Flacco won it and this year with the Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes.
In that same 17 year span, the NFC has had 15 different QBs. The only repeats on that side are Eli Manning and Russell Wilson, who each went twice. Those four AFC quarterbacks have won 11 of the 16 previous Super Bowls.
With Manning retired, Brady in his 40s and Roethlisberger banged up, this streak may have ended forever.
#42-UNLIKELY CONTENDER: How did San Francisco get here? The 2019 49ers won more games than the franchise had won over the last three seasons combined. These Niners went 13-3 while the previous three teams went 12-36. They hadn't had a winning season since 2013, the season after their last Super Bowl appearance.
Before this year, over the last 16 years the Niners have had just three winning seasons, three postseason appearances and five playoff wins ... while having eight seasons where they lost at least 10 games. To put that into context, from 1981 to 1998, the Niners never had a season with at least 10 losses, had just one losing season, and missed the playoffs just twice.
The Niners are just the third team to reach the Super Bowl the year after winning 4 games or less (Bengals XXIII, Rams XXXIV).
#41-SUPER BOWL ON FOX: This will be the 9th time FOX will televise the Super Bowl, third most in history. FOX televised their first Super Bowl when the Packers and Patriots met in Super Bowl XXXI. Joe Buck and Troy Aikman will call the game, Erin Andrews and Chris Myers will be the sideline reporters and Terry Bradshaw will perform the trophy ceremony.
Buck will be making his 6th appearance as the play-by-play voice for a Super Bowl. Aikman will also make his 6th Super Bowl appearance as a color analyst but he won three Super Bowls as the quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys. John Madden is the only person to have called Super Bowls on all four major networks (ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC).
#40-NEXT GREAT MOMENT?: Every Super Bowl has that moment. That one moment. Sure, some have several memorable moments, but each has that one. Whether it is Wide Right. Or David Tyree. Or Julian Edelman. Or Lynn Swann's catch. Or Jackie Smith's drop. Doug Williams' 2nd quarter or One Yard Short.
Check out my list of each Super Bowl's top moment.
#39-YOUR REFEREE IS: Bill Vinovich. Vinovich began his NFL career as a side judge in 2001 before becoming a referee in 2004. He actually retired from on-field duties in 2007 due to a heart condition but returned with doctors' blessings in 2012 as a substitute before taking on a full time role soon after. Vinovich will be starting his second Super Bowl. His last Super Bowl as a referee was Super Bowl XLIX when the Patriots beat the Seahawks and was also an alternate for Super Bowl XLVII ... the last time the 49ers reached the Super Bowl. This season, Vinovich reffed the 49ers' Week 6 win over the Rams and the Chiefs' Week 8 loss to the Packers. He also worked last season's NFC Championship game that featured the notorious no-call on a pass interference that helped send the Rams to the Super Bowl.
#38-DIVISION ALL IN: The only divisions that don't have all of their members with appearances in a Super Bowl are the AFC North (Browns), AFC South (Texas, Jaguars) and NFC North (Lions).
The NFC East is the only division that has all their members with Super Bowl championships. The AFC West (Chargers) and AFC East (Bills) have seen three of their four members win a title. The NFC East is the only division to have each of their members in multiple Super Bowls. The Cowboys have been to eight, the Redskins and Giants have been to five and the Eagles have been to three.
#37-NFC EAST TOPS THEM ALL: The NFC East easily has the most Super Bowl champions than any other division. The 13 titles won bests the AFC North and AFC East for the top honors. The NFC East dominated from 1986-1995. In that span, the Giants ('86, '90), Redskins ('87, '91) and Cowboys ('92, '93, '95) went to and won 7 of 10 Super Bowls during that decade. The only other Super Bowl champ was San Francisco ('88, '89, '94).
Here's a rundown of the divisions:
13-NFC EAST (Cowboys-5, Giants-4, Redskins-3, Eagles-1)
9-AFC EAST (Patriots-6, Dolphins-2, Jets-1)
8-AFC NORTH (Steelers-6, Ravens-2)
7-NFC WEST (Niners-5, Rams-1, Seahawks-1)
7-AFC WEST (Raiders-3, Broncos-3, Chiefs-1)
5-NFC NORTH (Packers-4, Bears-1)
2-AFC SOUTH (Colts-2)2-NFC SOUTH (Buccaneers-1, Saints-1)
As for Super Bowl appearances, the NFC East and AFC East are tops:
21-NFC EAST (Cowboys-8, Redskins-5, Giants-5, Eagles-3)
21-AFC EAST (Patriots-11, Dolphins-5, Bills-4, Jets-1)
17-AFC WEST (Broncos-8, Raiders-5, Chiefs-3, Chargers-1)
15-NFC WEST (Niners-7, Rams-4, Seahawks-3, Cardinals-1)
12-AFC NORTH (Steelers-8, Ravens-2, Bengals-2)
11-NFC NORTH (Packers-5, Vikings-4, Bears-2)
6-NFC SOUTH (Falcons-2, Panthers-2, Bucs-1, Saints-1)
5-AFC SOUTH (Colts-4, Titans-1)
Note that this is under the current divisional format. Prior to 1970 merger, divisions were vastly different. Since the merger, the 1970 Colts won in the AFC East and the 1998 Falcons went to the Super Bowl as a member of the NFC West. That would technically give the AFC East 21 Super Bowl appearances and 9 Super Bowl titles ... and the NFC West 14 Super Bowl appearances.
Also, from 1970 to 2001 both conferences had a Central Division. Now, those divisions are essentially the makeup of the current North divisions (Buccaneers left the NFC Central for the NFC South; the Titans and Jaguars left the AFC Central for the AFC South) so there really isn't any real differences there. But for informational purposes, here is what those now defunct divisions did:
Super Bowl championships
6-AFC CENTRAL (Steelers-5, Ravens-1)
2-NFC CENTRAL (Packers-1, Bears-1)
Super Bowl appearances
9-AFC CENTRAL (Steelers-5, Bengals-2, Ravens-1, Titans-1)
6-NFC CENTRAL (Vikings-3, Packers-2, Bears-1)
#36-THERE IS ANOTHER VINCE LOMBARDI TROPHY OUT THERE: There have been 53 Super Bowls to date yet there are 54 Vince Lombardi Trophies (given to the Super Bowl winning team) out and about. How is that?
Well, that little ditty comes to light after the passing of Rams owner Georgia Frontiere. Frontiere's husband, former-Colts and Rams owner Carroll Rosenbloom, is the reason behind the story.
When Colts owner Carroll Rosenbloom, Frontiere's late husband, traded the Colts for the Rams in a franchise swap in 1972, he decided he wanted to keep the Lombardi Trophy the Colts won in Super Bowl V. When Super Bowl VII took place in Los Angeles, Rosenbloom told the Colts he was going to put on a display of Super Bowl trophies and asked them to bring it to the West Coast. They did. There was no display, and Rosenbloom never returned the trophy. After the Colts complained to the league office, former NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle had a duplicate made for the Colts, which remains in Baltimore (it was originally shipped to Indianapolis when the team moved but a deal was struck and it was returned to Maryland). The original Super Bowl V trophy? It presumably was in Frontiere's possession and now belongs to her heirs.
So, there are two Vince Lombardi trophies awarded for Super Bowl V yet neither are with the franchise that won it. The original was in St. Louis with Frontiere with the other in Baltimore, the Colts old digs. Meanwhile, Indianapolis can only show off the trophy they won over the Bears.
#35-PEOPLE WATCH THE SUPER BOWL: Of the 20 most watched television broadcasts in United States history, 19 of them are Super Bowls. Super Bowl XLIX leads the pack as the most watched all-time (that's the Patriots-Seahawks Super Bowl). The only telecast that wasn't a Super Bowl? The M*A*S*H series finale in 1983. That is currently 9th all-time.
#34-TOP SEEDS MEET AGAIN IN THE SUPER BOWL: This Super Bowl features the No. 1 seed in the NFC against the No. 2 seed in the AFC. The No. 1 seed vs No. 2 seed matchup is the most prevalent in the Super Bowl, happening 14 times.
Prior to this season, four of the last six years saw the two top seeds faced off. The lone top seeds that didn't make it to the Super Bowl in that span were the 2016 Dallas Cowboys, the 2018 New Orleans Saints and 2018 Kansas City Chiefs. Here is the most likely seeding matchups in Super Bowl history:
14: #1 vs #2
13: #1 vs #1
5: #2 vs #4
4: #1 vs #4
3: #1 vs #3
2: #1 vs #51: #2 vs #2
1: #1 vs #6
1: #2 vs #3
1: #2 vs #6
#33-NEWBIE QBS Both starting quarterbacks will be making their first appearances in the Super Bowl. Now, while Patrick Mahomes will be making his first trip to the Super Bowl, Jimmy Garappolo will actually be going to his third big game. He was Tom Brady's backup with the Patriots in Super Bowls XLIX and LI but he didn't appear in either game. This will be the first Super Bowl since XLVII to feature both QBs who are making their first starts.
Garoppolo will the be the first quarterback to start a Super Bowl after winning a Super Bowl as a backup since Super Bowl XXIX when both the 49ers Steve Young (49ers in XXIII, XXIV) and the Chargers Stan Humphries (Redskins in XXVI) both accomplished that feat.
#32-CHAMPIONSHIP CITIES: San Francisco and Kansas City have had championship success, most recently in baseball, though their football teams have had quite a gap since their last titles.
For San Francisco, it has been since the 1994 season that their Niners have won a Super Bowl. From 1980 to 1994, the Niners won five Super Bowls and have only made it to another once since. The MLB's Giants won three World Series titles in 2010, 2012 and 2014. The Golden State Warriors moved to San Francisco this season, but had won three NBA championships in the last five years across the bay in Oakland.
The Chiefs won Super Bowl IV and hasn't been back since. In the meantime, the MLB Royals won a World Series in 1985 and more recently in 2015. In fact, the 2014 World Series saw these two cities tangle when the Giants beat the Royals in seven games. Sporting Kansas City won the MLS Cup in 2013 (the city's Wizards won it in 2000).
#31-BACK TO MIAMI: The Miami area is hosting their 11th Super Bowl, breaking a tie with New Orleans for most in history (New Orleans will tie for the top spot again in Super Bowl LVIII). They hosted Super Bowl XXIX when the 49ers beat the Chargers, 49-26, and Super Bowl XXIII when the Niners beat the Bengals, 20-16.
Hard Rock Stadium will be hosting their sixth Super Bowl -- only the Mercedes-Benz Superdome has hosted more (7). Both of the 49ers aforementioned Super Bowl appearances in the Miami area were at what is now Hard Rock Stadium.
#30-QUARTERBACKS COMING BACK: 19 quarterbacks have started multiple Super Bowls. Tom Brady leads the pack with nine starts as a QB for a Super Bowl (for perspective, only Peyton Manning, John Elway. Terry Bradshaw, Joe Montana, Jim Kelly and Roger Staubach have all started as many as four). Four of the last five Super Bowls (and five of the last eight) have been won by a quarterback who had won a Super Bowl before.
Super Bowl LIV will feature two quarterbacks making their first start, though Jimmy Garoppolo has been on two Super Bowl championship teams.
#29- FUTURE SUPER BOWLS: Super Bowl LIV will be held in the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, FL. The Miami area will be hosting its 11th Super Bowl.
Super Bowl LV will stay in Florida and be held at Tampa's Raymond James Stadium; the new Los Angeles' SoFi Stadium will host Super Bowl LVI; State Farm Stadium in Glendale, AZ will host Super Bowl LVII and the Superdome in New Orleans will host Super Bowl LVIII.
#28-SUPER BOWL POST-PROGRAMMING: FOX will air the season premiere episode of "The Masked Singer" after the game.
The trend recently is for the network broadcasting the Super Bowl loves breaking in new shows or extended shows following the game. "Undercover Boss" (CBS, 2010), "Extreme" (ABC, 1995), "Homicide" (NBC, 1993), "Davis Rules" (ABC, 1991), "Grand Slam" (CBS, 1990), "The Wonders Years" (ABC, 1988), "Hard Copy" (CBS, 1987), "The Last Precinct" (NBC, 1986), "MacGruder and Loud" (ABC, 1985), "Airwolf" (CBS, 1984), "The A-Team" (NBC, 1983) and "Brothers and Sisters" (NBC, 1979) as shows who debuted after the Super Bowl.
Some other big-time heavyweights have also appeared right after the game. "Lassie," "All in the Family," "60 Minutes," "CHiPs," "Archie Bunker's Place," "Friends," "The X-Files," "The Simpsons," "Survivor," "Grey's Anatomy," "House", "This Is Us" and "The Office" all have been post-Super Bowl shows.
#27-BEEN THERE, DONE THAT: There have been 23 Super Bowls where one starting QB comes in with Super Bowl experience while the other one doesn't. Does experience matter? Well, the QB with the experience is just 13-10 in those games.
However, in five of the last eight occasions of this happening the new guy won. Nick Foles (new) beat Tom Brady (old), Russell Wilson (new) beat Peyton Manning (old), Aaron Rodgers (new) beat Big Ben (old), Drew Brees (new) beat Peyton Manning (old) and Eli Manning (new) beat Tom Brady (old) in their first Super Bowl matchup. Three of the last four years the old guys won -- Peyton Manning (old) beat Cam Newton (new), Tom Brady (old) beat Matt Ryan (new) and Tom Brady (old) beat Jared Goff (new).
This Super Bowl will be a bit of a twist. Both quarterbacks will be making their first starts in the big game but San Francisco's Jimmy Garoppolo was Tom Brady's backup on two Super Bowl championship teams. He played zero snaps in those two games but he did all the pregame preparation and was dressed on the sideline for those two games. That does count as some experience but it isn't like performing on that kind of stage.
#26-SUPER BOWL CONSUMPTION: Some nice stats for you:
8 million: Total pounds of popcorn consumed on Super Bowl Sunday.
28 million: Pounds of potato chips consumed.53.5 million: Pounds of avocados consumed.
222,792: Number of football fields worth of farmland to grow all that corn, potatoes, and avocados.
11.8: Depth, in feet, of guacamole consumed if it were spread across the football field.
293,000: Number of miles of potato chips, laid end to end, consumed during the game.
1 billion: Number of chicken wings consumed on Super Bowl Sunday.
325.5 million: Gallons of beer drank by Americans that day.
493: Number of Olympic-sized swimming pools that could be filled with all that beer.
20%: Increase in anti-acid sales the Monday after the game.
7 million: Number of employees who will not show up to work Monday.
#25-STICK WITH THE FAVORITES: Kansas City enters Super Bowl LIV as the slight favorites. Yeah, there are upsets, but don't count on them. The favorite has won 12 of the last 21 Super Bowls. In fact the favorite is 34-19 in the Super Bowl. Teams favored by at least seven points are 19-6.
#24-STILL, NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE UNDERDOG: Over the past 14 Super Bowls, six of them had a team whose playoff seed was either 4, 5 or 6. Those teams are 5-1 when they get there (only the 2008 Cardinals didn't win – and they nearly did) with those teams beating either a No. 1 or No. 2 seed. Here is a short list of some notable Super Bowl upsets:
Super Bowl III: The Baltimore Colts came in as 18-point favorites. They left watching the Jets' Joe Namath fulfilling his prediction of an upset. Super Bowl IV: The Kansas City Chiefs spanked the Minnesota Vikings, despite being a 12-point underdog.
Super Bowl VII: Oddly, the undefeated Miami Dolphins entered the game as 1.5-point underdogs to the Washington Redskins.
Super Bowl XXV: The Buffalo Bills would begin their four game Super Bowl losing streak by succumbing to the Giants, who were 7-point dogs.
Super Bowl XXXII: The Denver Broncos, an 11.5-point underdog, ended the AFC's thirteen game losing streak by beating Green Bay.
Super Bowl XXXVI: These New England Patriots began their dynasty by beating the St. Louis Rams, who were 14-point favorites.
Super Bowl XLII: The 12-point dog Giants ended the Patriots perfect season with a magical game. See, it can happen. Just because we all think one way doesn't mean we cannot be shocked. After all, those 2001 Rams were juggernauts who were former champions and were heavy favorites. They left without the trophy.
#23-NFC OWNS THE COIN TOSS, BUT ... : The NFC has won 19 of the last 22 coin tosses, including a 14 year winning streak mixed in. The team that wins the opening coin toss is just 24-29 in the game. That averages out to, well, the flip of a coin. Also, the coin has landed on heads 25 times and tails 28 times.
The coin toss winner has been the Super Bowl loser in 16 of the last 22 games and is 24-29 all-time.
SB 53: Rams won the toss, lost the game
SB 52: Patriots won the toss, lost the game
SB 51: Falcons won the toss, lost the game
SB 50: Panthers won the toss, lost the game
SB 49: Seahawks won the toss, lost the game
SB 48: Seahawks won the toss and the game
SB 47: Ravens won the toss and the game
SB 46: Patriots won the toss, lost the game
SB 45: Packers won the toss and the game
SB 44: Saints won the toss and the game
SB 43: Cardinals won the toss, lost the game*
SB 42: Giants won the toss and the game
SB 41: Bears won the toss, lost the game
SB 40: Seahawks won the toss, lost the game
SB 39: Eagles won the toss, lost the game
SB 38: Panthers won the toss, lost the game
SB 37: Buccaneers won the toss and the game
SB 36: Rams won the toss, lost the game
SB 35: Giants won the toss, lost the game
SB 34: Rams won the toss and the game
SB 33: Falcons won the toss, lost the game
SB 32: Packers won the toss, lost the game
SB 31: Patriots won the toss, lost the game
*A little aside to this is that the Arizona Cardinals won the toss and deferred to the second half. The Steelers chose to receive which means the Cards were the first team in Super Bowl history to win the coin toss and kickoff. Since then, deferring to the second half is now the norm. The Seahawks would do the same in Super Bowls XLVIII and XLIX, Panthers in Super Bowl 50, Falcons in Super Bowl LI, Eagles in Super Bowl LII and Rams in Super Bowl LIII.
#22-KICKIN' IT UP, PICKIN' IT UP AND MAKING SURE YOU SCORE: Some more little stats for you:
- There has been at least one successful field goal in 51 of 53 Super Bowls.
- Teams that have been shut out for one half (either the first or second) are a combined 1-19. The lone winner was those 1972 Dolphins who went scoreless in the second half of Super Bowl VII.
- Only one Super Bowl featured teams from the same state. Super Bowl XXIX between the Chargers and 49ers. The Giants and Bills both are "New York" teams, but the Giants play their home games in New Jersey.
- Also, teams that intercept a pass for a TD are 12-1 in the Super Bowl. The 2016 Falcons were the first team to have a pick-six and lose a Super Bowl.
#21-NFC WEST vs AFC WEST: Super Bowl LIIV matches up teams from the NFC West and AFC West. This will be the 5th time these two divisions have met for the Super Bowl. Here is how the other meetings turned out.
XXIV: 49ers beat Broncos
XXIX: 49ers beat ChargersXXXIII: Broncos beat Falcons
XLVIII: Seahawks beat Broncos
The Falcons were members of the NFC West in Super Bowl XXXIII.
#20-THINGS NON-FOOTBALL FANS CAN SAT TO FIT IN: Look, I know that there are people in America that will be attending Super Bowl parties because... well, they love to party. Some won't know who's playing in the game until they get there. Don't worry. So the diehards around the party who actually care about the game won't think you're a newbie, I'm here to help.
Here are a few vague quotes that you can use so you fit in among the football fans. You don't have to engage in a conversation with these, just drop these in from time to time you will at look somewhat informed.
"The Chiefs are finally back again, eh?"
"I wonder who Joe Montana is rooting for?"
"You just gotta convert those third downs!"
"Don't sleep on that Niners' running attack!"
"Kelce needs a lot of touches."
"Third and long? I'd blitz."
"Remember the Bud Bowl?"
"I got a few bucks on this game."
"Damnit! I left my squares sheet at home!"
"It's nice to see the 49ers back in the Super Bowl!"
When there is a penalty called for holding, just say, "yeah, he was tackling him!"
"I bet there were some great parties this week down in Miami?"
"Bold prediction: Nick Bosa as MVP!"
"I'm just so glad the Patriots aren't playing, am I right?"
"Defense wins championships."
Use only in a close game: "This could come down to who has the ball last."
#19-WEARING WHITE IS KEY: Since the Chiefs are designated the home team, they get to pick their jerseys for the Super Bowl (they chose red). Typically the road team will wear white for the game but in recent seasons, some teams have been bucking the trend and went with their white jerseys. Good choice. In fact, the team that has worn white uniforms has won the last 13 of the last 14 Super Bowls (Patriots, Eagles, Patriots, Broncos, Patriots, Seahawks, Ravens, Giants, Saints, Steelers, Giants, Colts, Steelers, Patriots). The Packers won Super Bowl XLV wearing green. The Patriots won last year's Super Bowl victory while wearing white.
White jerseys are 35-18 in Super Bowl games.
#18-ALTERNATE VIEWING: Not interested in the Super Bowl? Well, here are some alternatives to watch. Remember, there's not only the Puppy Bowl, but a Kitten Bowl and Fish Bowl as well.
ABC: "America's Funniest Home Videos" and "Shark Tank" marathon
NBC: "America's Got Talent" marathon
CBS: "60 Minutes", "NCIS", "FBI"
A&E: "Live PD" marathon
AMC: "Breaking Bad" marathon
ANIMAL: Puppy Bowl XVI
BET: "Canal Street"
BRAVO!: "Real Housewives of Atlanta" marathon
CNN: "Death Row Stories" marathon
COMEDY CENTRAL: "South Park" marathon
E!: "Sex and the City" marathon
ESPN: Boxing
FOX SPORTS 1: "PBC Collection" marathon
FX: "The Wolf Of Wall Street"
FXX: "Family Guy" marathon
HGTV: "Home Town" marathon
FOOD NETWORK: "Worst Cooks In America" marathon
GAMESHOW: "Family Feud" marathon
IFC: "Tropic Thunder"
LIFETIME: "50 First Dates", "Sex and the City",
LOGO: "Three's Company" marathon
MTV: "Ridiculousness" marathon
NBC SPORTS: "American Ninja Warrior" marathon
OXYGEN: "Snapped" marathon
OWN: "20/20 On OWN" marathon
PARAMOUNT: "Cops" marathon
POP: "NCIS: New Orleans" marathon
REELZ: "World's Most Evil Killers" marathon
SYFY: "Futurama" marathon
TBS: "Miss Congeniality 2", "Identity Thief"
TLC: "Dr. Pimple Popper: The Poppy Bowl"
TNT: "Catch Me If You Can"
TRU: "Impractical Jokers" marathon
TV1: "Sanford and Son" marathon
USA: "SVU" marathon
VICE: "Intervention" marathon
WE: "Law & Order" marathon
WGN: "Cops" marathon
#17-THE NO. 1 DRAFT PICKS: Eric Fisher joins an impressive list of No. 1 overall picks to reach a Super Bowl. Super Bowl 50 was the very first Super Bowl where both quarterbacks were No. 1 overall draft picks (Peyton Manning, Cam Newton).
Only Terry Bradshaw, Jim Plunkett, John Elway, Troy Aikman, Manning and Eli Manning have been top overall picks that also won a Super Bowl as a starting QB. Paul Hornung, Bubba Smith, Terry Bradshaw, Jim Plunkett, John Matuszak, Ed Jones, George Rogers, John Elway, Troy Aikman, Russell Maryland, Drew Bledsoe, Keyshawn Johnson, Orlando Pace, Peyton Manning, David Carr and Eli Manning have all been No. 1 picks who also won a Super Bowl.
However, Hornung, Bledsoe and Carr were just roster guys for their titles. Bledsoe did start and lose a Super Bowl.
The lowest drafted quarterback to start and win a Super Bowl is Brad Johnson (9th round pick, 227th overall, 1992). Bart Starr was selected in the 17th round, the 200th pick). Kurt Warner won a Super Bowl despite going undrafted. Steve Young wasn't taken in the conventional NFL draft but in the 1984 supplemental draft.
Fisher is trying to be the first non-QB that was selected No. 1 overall to win a Super Bowl since Orlando Pace (1997 draft, Super Bowl XXXIV). Keyshawn Johnson, Russell Maryland, Ed Jones, George Rogers and Bubba Smith are among the No. 1 non-quarterbacks to win the Super Bowl.
#16-LIST OF SUPER BOWL NO-NAMES: Below are guys that made their names in the Super Bowl. Some of these guys were pretty good NFLers before their breakout games ... some we haven't heard of before or since ... but performing well on the biggest of stages makes them legends.
Doug Williams (Redskins): It wasn't that Williams was a no-name as much as things really didn't pan out for him. Dude really came off the scrap heap. Williams did nothing much of note in his first years at Tampa Bay or in his USFL stint. Redskins coach Joe Gibbs (who coached Doug in Tampa) gave him a shot in 1986 to back up Jay Schroeder. In '87, Schroeder had some shoulder issues late in the season and Williams did a good job taking over. So much so that there was a QB controversy. Williams got the nod and the rest is history.
What Williams did in the 2nd quarter of Super Bowl XXII is nothing short of remarkable. He was 9-of-11 for 228 yards and 4 TDs. Again, that was just in the 2nd quarter! Williams would win the game's MVP and become the first (and only, so far) black quarterback to win a Super Bowl.
Timmy Smith (Redskins): If Doug Williams didn't win the MVP, Smith would have. Smith rushed for 204 yards (still a Super Bowl record) and two TDs. Coming into the game, Smith had rushed for just 129 yards that season. His career lasted just 15 games after the Super Bowl.
Max McGee (Packers): McGee is famous for his pre-Super Bowl I partying. With Boyd Dowler injured early in the game, a hung-over McGee would step in and catch the first TD pass in Super Bowl history. He would go on to catch seven passes for 138 yards and two TDs ... three more receptions than he had all season long.
Jeff Hostetler (Giants): People forget that Phil Simms didn't start the G-men's second Super Bowl title. Simms hurt his ankle late in the season and Hoss took it the rest of the way. He had the least amount of playing time of any QB to start a Super Bowl. He held up well, throwing for 222 yds and a TD.
Dan Bunz (49ers): The linebacker was instrumental in the greatest goal line stand in Super Bowl history, stuffing the Bengals four times with goal to go. The defining play was Bunz' tackle on a swing pass to Charles Alexander on third down (he was also in on the stop on fourth down).
Larry Brown (Cowboys): The running joke after Super Bowl XXX was that Brown was the Steelers' Neil O'Donnell's favorite target. Too bad he played for the other team. Brown picked off two O'Donnell throws ... his final game with Dallas. He used the MVP award to get a nice fat contract with the Raiders and did nothing much of note after the fact.
Dwight Smith (Buccaneers): If Brown won an MVP award for picking off two passes ... why didn't Smith win won for taking two picks back for TDs? He was a nickelback used a lot in a game where (a) Oakland's offensive attack warranted it and (b) the Raiders were so far behind that they had to take chances. Why ....
Dexter Jackson (Buccaneers): ... because Smith's second TD came in the closing seconds after the ballots had already been counted. Jackson had picked off two passes himself (none that went for TDs) that were momentum changers. And Jackson wouldn't have won the award either if not for fan voting taking place in the game (Simeon Rice was the press' pick).
Percy Howard (Cowboys): Never heard of him? Well, Howard came into Super Bowl X and caught a 34-yd touchdown pass from Roger Staubach. That was the only reception he had in his entire career.
Don Beebe (Bills): Beebe has been on six Super Bowl teams ... but will be remembered most for running down Leon Lett and stripping the ball right before crossing the endzone in Super Bowl XXVII.
David Tyree (Giants): Tyree will always be a legend for his amazing catch in Super Bowl XLII. A guy pretty much no one had heard of before and hasn't done anything since will be immortalized with possibly the greatest play in Super Bowl history.
Mario Manningham (Giants): He only caught 5 passes for 73 yards in Super Bowl XLVI, it was a huge 38-yard reception on the Giants' final, game-winning drive that will stick among the Super Bowl's greatest moments.
Malcolm Butler (Patriots): Butler was an undrafted rookie when he made one of the biggest plays in Super Bowl history: intercepting Russell Wilson in Super Bowl XLIX with the game on the line.
James White (Patriots): Coming into Super Bowl LI, White had rushed for just 260 yards, caught for 984 yards and scored 11 total touchdowns in his three seasons in the league. In that Super Bowl, White caught 14 passes ... a Super Bowl record ... for 110 yards and three total touchdowns. He is the only player to score in overtime of a Super Bowl.
#15-SUPER BOWL MVPS IN CANTON: Winners of 26 Super Bowl MVP awards have gone on to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. You have Bart Starr (twice), Joe Namath, Len Dawson, Roger Staubach, Larry Csonka, Franco Harris, Lynn Swann, Fred Biletnikoff, Randy White, Terry Bradshaw (twice), Joe Montana (three times), John Riggins, Marcus Allen, Richard Dent, Troy Aikman, Steve Young, Jerry Rice, Emmitt Smith, Kurt Warner, Terrell Davis, Ray Lewis and John Elway. Other winners, like Peyton Manning, Drew Brees, Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady can look forward to seeing their busts in Canton one day (that hikes the number up to 33). So could Eli Manning, which would make it 35 Super Bowl winners.
From Super Bowl 1 to Super Bowl XX, 16 of the 20 Super Bowl MVPs were elected to the Hall of Fame.
Granted, not all winners of the Super Bowl MVP award go on to anything much. Guys like Larry Brown, Harvey Martin, Dexter Jackson, Desmond Howard, Mark Rypien, Deion Branch and Jake Scott have also won the award and the Hall is no where in their future.
#14-SIX WORST SUPER BOWLS: Look, they aren't all winners. Some Super Bowls just aren't very good. Whether they are blowouts or just poorly played, some are just duds.
1. Super Bowl V: This one was nicknamed the "Blunder Bowl" for good reason. There were 11 turnovers in the game with the Colts – who won – committing seven of them. The Dallas Cowboys were called for 10 penalties. This game stunk so badly that the MVP award was given to Chuck Howley of the losing Cowboys (the only time the Super Bowl MVP played for the losing team). Sure, Jim O'Brien kicked the game winning field goal at the end of the game, but even that was set up by a turnover.
2. Super Bowl XII: Dallas was in yet another sloppy game. Good thing the Broncos were sloppier (Denver turned the ball over eight times and completed just eight passes).Denver QB Craig Morton was horrible – he completed just four of 15 passes for 39 yards and four interceptions. Yikes! (There was also lingering questions about the IRS checking into his tax returns.) Both teams combined for 20 penalties.
3. Super Bowl XL: It was a ho-hum game that's only excitement came on an Antwaan Randle-El touchdown pass to Hines Ward. That's pretty much all the Steelers had: three big plays that ended up with TDs (the above play, a Willie Parker 75-yd TD run and an awkward pass from Ben Roethlisberger to Ward). Seattle shot themselves in the foot with bad penalties, bad red zone efficiency and turnovers. The game is one of the most controversial as many people felt that the Seahawks had a lot of bad calls go against them. Big Ben's QB rating is the lowest by any Super Bowl winning quarterback.
4. Super Bowl XX: The Bears dominated and we all loved seeing the Fridge plop into the end zone. Still, this looked like an exhibition game against a local high school team than a Super Bowl. Chicago dominated this game with their defense and made Pats QB Tony Eason look foolish (he is the only starting QB to not complete a pass). There have been several blowouts in Super Bowl history, but this is the only one where the losing team looked like it had no business being there. The saddest thing is that Walter Payton didn't get a shot at running in a TD. Jim McMahon snuck in a TD twice and the Fridge got a shot, but not Walter. A shame.
5. Super Bowl 50: One of the worst offensive showings in Super Bowl history. Denver, who won the game, gained under 200 yards of offense and had only 11 first downs. Quarterbacks Cam Newton and Peyton Manning were sacked a combined 12 times and both had quarterback ratings around 55. The teams combined to go 4-of-29 on third down and turned the ball over six times. Sigh.
6. Super Bowl 53: In a day and age where scoring records were being smashed with high octane offenses and stricter rules defensively, it came as a shock to see the Patriots and Rams play to a 13-3 result. The Patriots held a 3-0 lead at halftime and the first touchdown of the game wasn't scored until 7 minutes were left in the game -- latest in Super Bowl history. The one touchdown scored in the entire game was the least ever. The 13 points by New England marks the lowest point total for a Super Bowl winner, the 16 points were the fewest in a game.
#13-HOSTING THE SUPER BOWL MEANS NOT BEING THERE YOURSELF: No team has ever played on their home field in the Super Bowl. It has never happened. Never. Most fans know that. But if you really look into it, it hasn't even been close. First, some stats on this.
- Of the 54 Super Bowls, 47 of them were played in a stadium that was a home field for an NFL team.
- Since the Jets and Giants share MetLife Stadium, they were both hosts of Super Bowl XLVIII
- Super Bowl VIII was played in Rice Stadium in Houston. The Oilers used to play there but at that time playing at the Astrodome.
- Five Super Bowls were played at the Pasadena Rose Bowl and one was at Stanford Stadium. Neither was home to an NFL franchise at the time.
- The Los Angeles Rams did play in Super Bowl XIV which was in Pasadena. The San Francisco 49ers played in Super Bowl XIX in Stanford. Those are the closest examples of a team playing a "home Super Bowl." Neither were their home fields but both were certainly in their geographic footprint.
- Not only has no team hosted a Super Bowl, of the 48 teams who could of... only eight even made the playoffs that year! Amazing. Of those eight, only four won a single playoff game and only the 2017 Vikings even made the conference championship game.
#12-PASSING FANCY: Of the 23 most pass attempts in a Super Bowl game in history, 18 were for the losing team. In fact, of the 11 most pass attempts in a Super Bowl, 9 were for the losing team.
Tom Brady is the only winner (he did so twice) among the top 11 pass attempts games. Of the top 23, only Brady (three times), Kurt Warner and Nick Foles were winners. The losers of the top 11 were Jim Kelly (twice), Donovan McNabb, Dan Marino, Matt Hasselbeck, Stan Humphries, Peyton Manning, Neil O'Donnell and Drew Bledsoe.
Also, of the top 10 player rushing attempt games in Super Bowl history, only Eddie George in Super Bowl XXXIV played for the losing team. Of the top 28 rush attempts for a player, only George, John Riggins, Marshawn Lynch, Larry Brown and Shaun Alexander played for the losing team.
#11-DON'T TRAIL BY DOUBLE DIGITS: Teams that are facing a double-digit deficit are 4-45. A couple things are interesting about that stat. First, the only teams to come back from a 10-point deficit or more and win are the Washington Redskins in Super Bowl XXII, the New Orleans Saints in Super Bowl XLIV, the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLIX (all three of them by 10 points) and the New England Patriots' magical 25-point comeback in Super Bowl LI.
The Patriots trailed 28-3 to the Falcons in the third quarter of Super Bowl LI before reeling off 31 straight points to end the game.
The Skins trailed 10-0 before scoring the next 42 points. The Saints scored 31 of the next 38 points after trailing 10-0. That also makes those two Super Bowls the only ones where both teams faced a double digit deficit.
Also, it is quite amazing that 47 of 53 Super Bowls have seen one team go up by at least 10 at some point in the game.
#10-SUPER BOWL DATES: Here are just a few dumb notes about Super Bowl dates. Super Bowl XXIX was and will always be the only Super Bowl that was played on the same day (29) as the Roman numeral of the game. January 26th is the most popular date for a Super Bowl as a record four games have been played on that date. And, if you go in order from the earliest date (January 9th) to the latest (February 7th), the only days to not have held the Super Bowl are January 10, 19, and 23.
This will be the second Super Bowl held on February 2nd.
Jan 9-XI
Jan 11-IV
Jan 12-III, IX
Jan 13-VIII
Jan 14-II, VII
Jan 15-I, XII
Jan 16-VI
Jan 17-V
Jan 18-X
Jan 20-XIV, XIX
Jan 21-XIII
Jan 22-XVIII, XXIII
Jan 24-XVI
Jan 25-XV, XXI, XXXII
Jan 26-XX, XXVI, XXXI, XXXVII
Jan 27-XXV
Jan 28-XXIV, XXX, XXXV
Jan 29-XXIX
Jan 30-XVII, XXVIII, XXXIV
Jan 31-XXII, XXVII, XXXIII
Feb 1-XXXVIII, XLIII, XLIX
Feb 2-XLVIII, LIV
Feb 3-XXXVI, XLII, XLVI. LIII
Feb 4-XLI. LII
Feb 5-XL, XLVI
Feb 6-XXXIX, XLV
Feb 7-XLIV, 50
#9-STILL HAVEN'T WON ONE: There are now four franchises that have never appeared in a Super Bowl (Lions, Browns, Jaguars and Texans). But there are eight others that have never won the Super Bowl in any of their appearances. They are the Buffalo Bills, Cincinnati Bengals, Tennessee Titans, San Diego Chargers, Minnesota Vikings, Arizona Cardinals, Carolina Panthers and Atlanta Falcons. The Bills and Vikings have lost four games apiece; the Panthers and Bengals have each lost two. The rest lost on their only trip.
And while the Jaguars (1995) and Texans (2002) haven't been to the big game, they don't have quite the drought as some other franchises. The Jets haven't been to the Super Bowl since the 1968 season. The Chiefs are making their first Super Bowl appearance since the 1969 season.
It's been a while since the Vikings (1976), Dolphins (1984), Bengals (1988) and Redskins (1991) have been there as well.
#8-FOR YOUR ENTERTAINMENT: Demi Lovato will sing the National Anthem prior to Super Bowl LIV.
Jennifer Lopez will be the halftime performer. Joining her will be Shakira.
#7-MVPs WINNING THE SUPER BOWL: Ten NFL MVPs have gone on to win the Super Bowl. The illustrious ten:
I-Bart Starr (Packers)
XIII-Terry Bradshaw (Steelers)
XVII-Mark Moseley (Redskins)
XXI-Lawrence Taylor (Giants)
XXIV-Joe Montana (49ers)
XXVIII-Emmitt Smith (Cowboys)
XXIX-Steve Young (49ers)
XXXI-Brett Favre (Packers)
XXXIII-Terrell Davis (Broncos)
XXXIV-Kurt Warner (Rams)
Starr, Bradshaw, Montana, Smith, Young and Warner would also go on to win the Super Bowl MVP that season.
#6-SIX BEST SUPER BOWLS: Here are what I believe are the six best Super Bowls, ever. You can debate this all you want (which is fine), but these six were all great games with exciting finishes and are memorable in one way or another.
1. Super Bowl LI: I mean, the first and only overtime game in Super Bowl history. The Patriots trailing 28-3 in the third quarter then scoring 31 unanswered points to win the game. Julian Edelman's amazing catch. All the passing records set. Just the stunned feeling you had all game that the Falcons could be crushing New England like that and then seeing Tom Brady and company buzzsaw to the win. Simply one of the most amazing games in NFL history.
2. Super Bowl XXV: This was a great matchup in every way. With a backdrop of war, this game had all kinds of emotion as the game began (thanks, Whitney). That vaunted Bills offense against the stuffy Giants defense. The lead changed times on four occasions. In the end, an old guy like Ottis Anderson ate up the clock and Scott Norwood missed the only time the winner of the Super Bowl came down to the final play (even if Vinatieri missed those Pats FGs, the games would've went into overtime). Giants defensive coordinator Bill Belichick's defensive gameplan for this game in enshrined at the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
3. Super Bowl XLII: Yes, the Giants take another top spot. Their amazing run just to get to the Super Bowl and matching the undefeated Patriots blow-for-blow. Eli Manning's escape and David Tyree's catch has become one of the top plays in Super Bowl history. Second biggest upset ever.
4. Super Bowl XXXIV: Not only was this a surreal matchup (remember that St. Louis and Tennessee weren't NFL cities six years earlier), but some cat named Kurt Warner was shredding up this game. The Titans staged one heck of a comeback (they were down 16-0) to have it ripped away from them on a bomb to Issac Bruce. Also, it had one of the greatest endings any football game could ever have.
5. Super Bowl XXIII: There were so many game changing moments in this one. Remember that the only times the 49ers led this game was at 3-0, and after Joe Montana's pass to John Taylor at the end of the game. Cincinnati had this one, but Super Joe took it away.
6. Super Bowl XXXVIII: The problem with this Super Bowl is that the 1st and 3rd quarters were terrible. However, the 2nd and 4th were just outstanding! In the fourth quarter alone, there were 37 points scored, which is a Super Bowl record for points scored in a quarter. It was just the second to have five TDs scored (the Redskins did that by themselves 16 years earlier). And it ended with an Adam Vinatieri field goal with :04 left. Oh, and we got a little nipple action at halftime.
#5-ALL TIME SERIES: The Chiefs and Niners have met 13 previous times. San Francisco holds a 7-6 advantage ... but has lost three of the last four meetings. The most memorable game between these two happened on September 11, 1994 when Joe Montana's Chiefs hosted his former team, the 49ers, at Arrowhead. Montana threw two touchdowns and Steve Young threw two interceptions in the Chiefs' 24-17 win. The last time these two met was last season when Kansas City surged to a 35-7 lead in the 2nd quarter. The Niners made a valiant comeback attempt before losing 38-27. Patrick Mahomes threw for 314 yards and 3 TDs.
These two will next meet in the regular next season in 2022 in Santa Clara.
#4-OTHER SPORTS HAPPENINGS: If you are looking for some other sports to whet your appetite, you have a few options. The NBA has a national televised game on ABC, as Zion Williamson and the Pelicans take on the Rockets at 2pm ET (the Nuggets-Pistons, Suns-Bucks and Bulls-Raptors are available on League Pass).
The NHL will have three games, with the Penguins facing the Capitals on NBC at 12:30pm ET (Blue Jackets-Canadiens and Canucks-Hurricanes are the other games). By the way, all three home teams hosted games on last year's Super Bowl Sunday.
There are 13 NCAA basketball games scheduled. The big games on tap are Illinois at Iowa (FS1), Georgetown Hall at St. John's (CBS),Wake Forest at Clemson (ESPNU), Utah at UCLA and Miami at Pittsburgh (ACCN).
#3-QUARTERBACKS: As I touched on before, we have two newbies at quarterback this year.
There have been twenty quarterbacks to start multiple Super Bowls. Of those 20, only Kelly, Tarkenton and Craig Morton never won at least one game. While not a starter in Super Bowl V, Earl Morrall did play most of the game for the Colts after Unitas was knocked out of the game in the 2nd quarter. Morrall started for the Colts in the legendary Super Bowl III loss to the Jets. Steve Young didn't start but threw three passes in Super Bowl XXIV (he started Super Bowl XXIX). Peyton Manning is the only quarterback to start and win two Super Bowls with different teams.
#2-IT HAS BEEN FOREVER: The Chiefs are making their first appearance in a Super Bowl in 50 years, by far the longest gap between trips. The Jets haven't been there in 51 years (1968), so their next trip would mark the longest gap. The Cleveland Browns haven't played for the NFL championship since the 1965 season while the Lions haven't been there since 1957. The Cardinals haven't won a championship since 1947.
#1-WHO IS GONNA WIN?: So let's be honest: I've been bad at this. I use reason and analysis and I pick wrong. I get sucked into being daring and I'm embarrassed.
So I am just going to use stupid reasoning and pick the San Francisco 49ers. No reason other than they will be wearing white jerseys on Sunday and I think that white jersey stat is one of the coolest and unlikeliest streaks in sports. I've also watched great offenses walk into the Super Bowl and get humbled by strong defenses. Not every time, but plenty of times where it isn't a cool and unlikely event. I've seen great quarterbacks not able to pull their teams off the mat. I'm going with that rather than individual matchups.
I'm picking the Niners to join the Patriots and Steelers with six Super Bowl wins, 31-27.
These are: 1,1 ... 1,2 ... 2,3 ... 2,5 ... 2,6 ... 3,5 ... 4,5 ... 5,5 ... 5,6 ... 5,8 ... 7,8 ... 8,8 ... 8,9.
#46-AFC LOVES FEBRUARY: The Super Bowl will be held on February 2nd. Since the first February Super Bowl in 2002, the AFC is 11-6 in those games held in the calendar's shortest month:
Super Bowl XXXVI: Patriots beat Rams on February 3, 2002
Super Bowl XXXVIII: Patriots beat Panthers on February 1, 2004
Super Bowl XXXIX: Patriots beat Eagles on February 6, 2005
Super Bowl XL: Steelers beat Seahawks on February 5, 2006
Super Bowl XLI: Colts beat Bears on February 4, 2007
Super Bowl XLII: Giants beat Patriots on February 3, 2008
Super Bowl XLIII: Steelers beat Cardinals on February 1, 2009
Super Bowl XLIV: Saints beat Colts on February 7, 2010
Super Bowl XLV: Packers beat Steelers on February 6, 2011
Super Bowl XLVI: Giants beat Patriots on February 5, 2012
Super Bowl XLVII: Ravens beat 49ers on February 3, 2013
Super Bowl XLVIII: Seahawks beat Broncos on February 2, 2014
Super Bowl XLIX: Patriots beat Seahawks on February 1, 2015
Super Bowl 50: Broncos beat Panthers on February 7, 2016
Super Bowl LI: Patriots beat Falcons on February 5, 2017
Super Bowl LII: Eagles beat Patriots on February 4, 2018
Super Bowl LIV: Patriots beat Rams on February 3, 2019
#45-SCORE EARLY AND OFTEN: Getting on the board early in the Super Bowl means you have a 68% chance of winning.
*The team who scores first in a Super Bowl is 36-17.
*Teams who score at least 30 points are 27-3. Only the Cowboys (SB XIII), 49ers (SB XLVII) and Patriots (SB LII) scored at least 30 points and lost.
*Teams that score the first TD are 39-14.
*Teams leading at the half are 39-11 (there have been three ties)
#44-SHANAHANS ARE BACK: Niners head coach Kyle Shanahan joins his father Mike as the first father-son duo to head coach Super Bowl teams. Mike won Super Bowls XXXII and XXXIII as the head coach of the Denver Broncos. Kyle was the offensive coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons when they lost Super Bowl LI to the Patriots.
Mike Shanahan was also on the 49ers coaching staff when they last won a Super Bowl.
#43-TRIO DOMINATES THE SUPER BOWL, EXCEPT THIS YEAR: Since Super Bowl XXXVIII (a span of 17 years), the AFC has been represented by Peyton Manning, Tom Brady or Ben Roethlisberger 15 times. Brady went to 8 games in that time, Manning went to 4 while Big Ben has 3). The only off years were Super Bowl XLVII when the Ravens' Joe Flacco won it and this year with the Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes.
In that same 17 year span, the NFC has had 15 different QBs. The only repeats on that side are Eli Manning and Russell Wilson, who each went twice. Those four AFC quarterbacks have won 11 of the 16 previous Super Bowls.
With Manning retired, Brady in his 40s and Roethlisberger banged up, this streak may have ended forever.
#42-UNLIKELY CONTENDER: How did San Francisco get here? The 2019 49ers won more games than the franchise had won over the last three seasons combined. These Niners went 13-3 while the previous three teams went 12-36. They hadn't had a winning season since 2013, the season after their last Super Bowl appearance.
Before this year, over the last 16 years the Niners have had just three winning seasons, three postseason appearances and five playoff wins ... while having eight seasons where they lost at least 10 games. To put that into context, from 1981 to 1998, the Niners never had a season with at least 10 losses, had just one losing season, and missed the playoffs just twice.
The Niners are just the third team to reach the Super Bowl the year after winning 4 games or less (Bengals XXIII, Rams XXXIV).
#41-SUPER BOWL ON FOX: This will be the 9th time FOX will televise the Super Bowl, third most in history. FOX televised their first Super Bowl when the Packers and Patriots met in Super Bowl XXXI. Joe Buck and Troy Aikman will call the game, Erin Andrews and Chris Myers will be the sideline reporters and Terry Bradshaw will perform the trophy ceremony.
Buck will be making his 6th appearance as the play-by-play voice for a Super Bowl. Aikman will also make his 6th Super Bowl appearance as a color analyst but he won three Super Bowls as the quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys. John Madden is the only person to have called Super Bowls on all four major networks (ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC).
#40-NEXT GREAT MOMENT?: Every Super Bowl has that moment. That one moment. Sure, some have several memorable moments, but each has that one. Whether it is Wide Right. Or David Tyree. Or Julian Edelman. Or Lynn Swann's catch. Or Jackie Smith's drop. Doug Williams' 2nd quarter or One Yard Short.
Check out my list of each Super Bowl's top moment.
#39-YOUR REFEREE IS: Bill Vinovich. Vinovich began his NFL career as a side judge in 2001 before becoming a referee in 2004. He actually retired from on-field duties in 2007 due to a heart condition but returned with doctors' blessings in 2012 as a substitute before taking on a full time role soon after. Vinovich will be starting his second Super Bowl. His last Super Bowl as a referee was Super Bowl XLIX when the Patriots beat the Seahawks and was also an alternate for Super Bowl XLVII ... the last time the 49ers reached the Super Bowl. This season, Vinovich reffed the 49ers' Week 6 win over the Rams and the Chiefs' Week 8 loss to the Packers. He also worked last season's NFC Championship game that featured the notorious no-call on a pass interference that helped send the Rams to the Super Bowl.
#38-DIVISION ALL IN: The only divisions that don't have all of their members with appearances in a Super Bowl are the AFC North (Browns), AFC South (Texas, Jaguars) and NFC North (Lions).
The NFC East is the only division that has all their members with Super Bowl championships. The AFC West (Chargers) and AFC East (Bills) have seen three of their four members win a title. The NFC East is the only division to have each of their members in multiple Super Bowls. The Cowboys have been to eight, the Redskins and Giants have been to five and the Eagles have been to three.
#37-NFC EAST TOPS THEM ALL: The NFC East easily has the most Super Bowl champions than any other division. The 13 titles won bests the AFC North and AFC East for the top honors. The NFC East dominated from 1986-1995. In that span, the Giants ('86, '90), Redskins ('87, '91) and Cowboys ('92, '93, '95) went to and won 7 of 10 Super Bowls during that decade. The only other Super Bowl champ was San Francisco ('88, '89, '94).
Here's a rundown of the divisions:
13-NFC EAST (Cowboys-5, Giants-4, Redskins-3, Eagles-1)
9-AFC EAST (Patriots-6, Dolphins-2, Jets-1)
8-AFC NORTH (Steelers-6, Ravens-2)
7-NFC WEST (Niners-5, Rams-1, Seahawks-1)
7-AFC WEST (Raiders-3, Broncos-3, Chiefs-1)
5-NFC NORTH (Packers-4, Bears-1)
2-AFC SOUTH (Colts-2)2-NFC SOUTH (Buccaneers-1, Saints-1)
As for Super Bowl appearances, the NFC East and AFC East are tops:
21-NFC EAST (Cowboys-8, Redskins-5, Giants-5, Eagles-3)
21-AFC EAST (Patriots-11, Dolphins-5, Bills-4, Jets-1)
17-AFC WEST (Broncos-8, Raiders-5, Chiefs-3, Chargers-1)
15-NFC WEST (Niners-7, Rams-4, Seahawks-3, Cardinals-1)
12-AFC NORTH (Steelers-8, Ravens-2, Bengals-2)
11-NFC NORTH (Packers-5, Vikings-4, Bears-2)
6-NFC SOUTH (Falcons-2, Panthers-2, Bucs-1, Saints-1)
5-AFC SOUTH (Colts-4, Titans-1)
Note that this is under the current divisional format. Prior to 1970 merger, divisions were vastly different. Since the merger, the 1970 Colts won in the AFC East and the 1998 Falcons went to the Super Bowl as a member of the NFC West. That would technically give the AFC East 21 Super Bowl appearances and 9 Super Bowl titles ... and the NFC West 14 Super Bowl appearances.
Also, from 1970 to 2001 both conferences had a Central Division. Now, those divisions are essentially the makeup of the current North divisions (Buccaneers left the NFC Central for the NFC South; the Titans and Jaguars left the AFC Central for the AFC South) so there really isn't any real differences there. But for informational purposes, here is what those now defunct divisions did:
Super Bowl championships
6-AFC CENTRAL (Steelers-5, Ravens-1)
2-NFC CENTRAL (Packers-1, Bears-1)
Super Bowl appearances
9-AFC CENTRAL (Steelers-5, Bengals-2, Ravens-1, Titans-1)
6-NFC CENTRAL (Vikings-3, Packers-2, Bears-1)
#36-THERE IS ANOTHER VINCE LOMBARDI TROPHY OUT THERE: There have been 53 Super Bowls to date yet there are 54 Vince Lombardi Trophies (given to the Super Bowl winning team) out and about. How is that?
Well, that little ditty comes to light after the passing of Rams owner Georgia Frontiere. Frontiere's husband, former-Colts and Rams owner Carroll Rosenbloom, is the reason behind the story.
When Colts owner Carroll Rosenbloom, Frontiere's late husband, traded the Colts for the Rams in a franchise swap in 1972, he decided he wanted to keep the Lombardi Trophy the Colts won in Super Bowl V. When Super Bowl VII took place in Los Angeles, Rosenbloom told the Colts he was going to put on a display of Super Bowl trophies and asked them to bring it to the West Coast. They did. There was no display, and Rosenbloom never returned the trophy. After the Colts complained to the league office, former NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle had a duplicate made for the Colts, which remains in Baltimore (it was originally shipped to Indianapolis when the team moved but a deal was struck and it was returned to Maryland). The original Super Bowl V trophy? It presumably was in Frontiere's possession and now belongs to her heirs.
So, there are two Vince Lombardi trophies awarded for Super Bowl V yet neither are with the franchise that won it. The original was in St. Louis with Frontiere with the other in Baltimore, the Colts old digs. Meanwhile, Indianapolis can only show off the trophy they won over the Bears.
#35-PEOPLE WATCH THE SUPER BOWL: Of the 20 most watched television broadcasts in United States history, 19 of them are Super Bowls. Super Bowl XLIX leads the pack as the most watched all-time (that's the Patriots-Seahawks Super Bowl). The only telecast that wasn't a Super Bowl? The M*A*S*H series finale in 1983. That is currently 9th all-time.
#34-TOP SEEDS MEET AGAIN IN THE SUPER BOWL: This Super Bowl features the No. 1 seed in the NFC against the No. 2 seed in the AFC. The No. 1 seed vs No. 2 seed matchup is the most prevalent in the Super Bowl, happening 14 times.
Prior to this season, four of the last six years saw the two top seeds faced off. The lone top seeds that didn't make it to the Super Bowl in that span were the 2016 Dallas Cowboys, the 2018 New Orleans Saints and 2018 Kansas City Chiefs. Here is the most likely seeding matchups in Super Bowl history:
14: #1 vs #2
13: #1 vs #1
5: #2 vs #4
4: #1 vs #4
3: #1 vs #3
2: #1 vs #51: #2 vs #2
1: #1 vs #6
1: #2 vs #3
1: #2 vs #6
#33-NEWBIE QBS Both starting quarterbacks will be making their first appearances in the Super Bowl. Now, while Patrick Mahomes will be making his first trip to the Super Bowl, Jimmy Garappolo will actually be going to his third big game. He was Tom Brady's backup with the Patriots in Super Bowls XLIX and LI but he didn't appear in either game. This will be the first Super Bowl since XLVII to feature both QBs who are making their first starts.
Garoppolo will the be the first quarterback to start a Super Bowl after winning a Super Bowl as a backup since Super Bowl XXIX when both the 49ers Steve Young (49ers in XXIII, XXIV) and the Chargers Stan Humphries (Redskins in XXVI) both accomplished that feat.
#32-CHAMPIONSHIP CITIES: San Francisco and Kansas City have had championship success, most recently in baseball, though their football teams have had quite a gap since their last titles.
For San Francisco, it has been since the 1994 season that their Niners have won a Super Bowl. From 1980 to 1994, the Niners won five Super Bowls and have only made it to another once since. The MLB's Giants won three World Series titles in 2010, 2012 and 2014. The Golden State Warriors moved to San Francisco this season, but had won three NBA championships in the last five years across the bay in Oakland.
The Chiefs won Super Bowl IV and hasn't been back since. In the meantime, the MLB Royals won a World Series in 1985 and more recently in 2015. In fact, the 2014 World Series saw these two cities tangle when the Giants beat the Royals in seven games. Sporting Kansas City won the MLS Cup in 2013 (the city's Wizards won it in 2000).
#31-BACK TO MIAMI: The Miami area is hosting their 11th Super Bowl, breaking a tie with New Orleans for most in history (New Orleans will tie for the top spot again in Super Bowl LVIII). They hosted Super Bowl XXIX when the 49ers beat the Chargers, 49-26, and Super Bowl XXIII when the Niners beat the Bengals, 20-16.
Hard Rock Stadium will be hosting their sixth Super Bowl -- only the Mercedes-Benz Superdome has hosted more (7). Both of the 49ers aforementioned Super Bowl appearances in the Miami area were at what is now Hard Rock Stadium.
#30-QUARTERBACKS COMING BACK: 19 quarterbacks have started multiple Super Bowls. Tom Brady leads the pack with nine starts as a QB for a Super Bowl (for perspective, only Peyton Manning, John Elway. Terry Bradshaw, Joe Montana, Jim Kelly and Roger Staubach have all started as many as four). Four of the last five Super Bowls (and five of the last eight) have been won by a quarterback who had won a Super Bowl before.
Super Bowl LIV will feature two quarterbacks making their first start, though Jimmy Garoppolo has been on two Super Bowl championship teams.
#29- FUTURE SUPER BOWLS: Super Bowl LIV will be held in the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, FL. The Miami area will be hosting its 11th Super Bowl.
Super Bowl LV will stay in Florida and be held at Tampa's Raymond James Stadium; the new Los Angeles' SoFi Stadium will host Super Bowl LVI; State Farm Stadium in Glendale, AZ will host Super Bowl LVII and the Superdome in New Orleans will host Super Bowl LVIII.
#28-SUPER BOWL POST-PROGRAMMING: FOX will air the season premiere episode of "The Masked Singer" after the game.
The trend recently is for the network broadcasting the Super Bowl loves breaking in new shows or extended shows following the game. "Undercover Boss" (CBS, 2010), "Extreme" (ABC, 1995), "Homicide" (NBC, 1993), "Davis Rules" (ABC, 1991), "Grand Slam" (CBS, 1990), "The Wonders Years" (ABC, 1988), "Hard Copy" (CBS, 1987), "The Last Precinct" (NBC, 1986), "MacGruder and Loud" (ABC, 1985), "Airwolf" (CBS, 1984), "The A-Team" (NBC, 1983) and "Brothers and Sisters" (NBC, 1979) as shows who debuted after the Super Bowl.
Some other big-time heavyweights have also appeared right after the game. "Lassie," "All in the Family," "60 Minutes," "CHiPs," "Archie Bunker's Place," "Friends," "The X-Files," "The Simpsons," "Survivor," "Grey's Anatomy," "House", "This Is Us" and "The Office" all have been post-Super Bowl shows.
#27-BEEN THERE, DONE THAT: There have been 23 Super Bowls where one starting QB comes in with Super Bowl experience while the other one doesn't. Does experience matter? Well, the QB with the experience is just 13-10 in those games.
However, in five of the last eight occasions of this happening the new guy won. Nick Foles (new) beat Tom Brady (old), Russell Wilson (new) beat Peyton Manning (old), Aaron Rodgers (new) beat Big Ben (old), Drew Brees (new) beat Peyton Manning (old) and Eli Manning (new) beat Tom Brady (old) in their first Super Bowl matchup. Three of the last four years the old guys won -- Peyton Manning (old) beat Cam Newton (new), Tom Brady (old) beat Matt Ryan (new) and Tom Brady (old) beat Jared Goff (new).
This Super Bowl will be a bit of a twist. Both quarterbacks will be making their first starts in the big game but San Francisco's Jimmy Garoppolo was Tom Brady's backup on two Super Bowl championship teams. He played zero snaps in those two games but he did all the pregame preparation and was dressed on the sideline for those two games. That does count as some experience but it isn't like performing on that kind of stage.
#26-SUPER BOWL CONSUMPTION: Some nice stats for you:
8 million: Total pounds of popcorn consumed on Super Bowl Sunday.
28 million: Pounds of potato chips consumed.53.5 million: Pounds of avocados consumed.
222,792: Number of football fields worth of farmland to grow all that corn, potatoes, and avocados.
11.8: Depth, in feet, of guacamole consumed if it were spread across the football field.
293,000: Number of miles of potato chips, laid end to end, consumed during the game.
1 billion: Number of chicken wings consumed on Super Bowl Sunday.
325.5 million: Gallons of beer drank by Americans that day.
493: Number of Olympic-sized swimming pools that could be filled with all that beer.
20%: Increase in anti-acid sales the Monday after the game.
7 million: Number of employees who will not show up to work Monday.
#25-STICK WITH THE FAVORITES: Kansas City enters Super Bowl LIV as the slight favorites. Yeah, there are upsets, but don't count on them. The favorite has won 12 of the last 21 Super Bowls. In fact the favorite is 34-19 in the Super Bowl. Teams favored by at least seven points are 19-6.
#24-STILL, NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE UNDERDOG: Over the past 14 Super Bowls, six of them had a team whose playoff seed was either 4, 5 or 6. Those teams are 5-1 when they get there (only the 2008 Cardinals didn't win – and they nearly did) with those teams beating either a No. 1 or No. 2 seed. Here is a short list of some notable Super Bowl upsets:
Super Bowl III: The Baltimore Colts came in as 18-point favorites. They left watching the Jets' Joe Namath fulfilling his prediction of an upset. Super Bowl IV: The Kansas City Chiefs spanked the Minnesota Vikings, despite being a 12-point underdog.
Super Bowl VII: Oddly, the undefeated Miami Dolphins entered the game as 1.5-point underdogs to the Washington Redskins.
Super Bowl XXV: The Buffalo Bills would begin their four game Super Bowl losing streak by succumbing to the Giants, who were 7-point dogs.
Super Bowl XXXII: The Denver Broncos, an 11.5-point underdog, ended the AFC's thirteen game losing streak by beating Green Bay.
Super Bowl XXXVI: These New England Patriots began their dynasty by beating the St. Louis Rams, who were 14-point favorites.
Super Bowl XLII: The 12-point dog Giants ended the Patriots perfect season with a magical game. See, it can happen. Just because we all think one way doesn't mean we cannot be shocked. After all, those 2001 Rams were juggernauts who were former champions and were heavy favorites. They left without the trophy.
#23-NFC OWNS THE COIN TOSS, BUT ... : The NFC has won 19 of the last 22 coin tosses, including a 14 year winning streak mixed in. The team that wins the opening coin toss is just 24-29 in the game. That averages out to, well, the flip of a coin. Also, the coin has landed on heads 25 times and tails 28 times.
The coin toss winner has been the Super Bowl loser in 16 of the last 22 games and is 24-29 all-time.
SB 53: Rams won the toss, lost the game
SB 52: Patriots won the toss, lost the game
SB 51: Falcons won the toss, lost the game
SB 50: Panthers won the toss, lost the game
SB 49: Seahawks won the toss, lost the game
SB 48: Seahawks won the toss and the game
SB 47: Ravens won the toss and the game
SB 46: Patriots won the toss, lost the game
SB 45: Packers won the toss and the game
SB 44: Saints won the toss and the game
SB 43: Cardinals won the toss, lost the game*
SB 42: Giants won the toss and the game
SB 41: Bears won the toss, lost the game
SB 40: Seahawks won the toss, lost the game
SB 39: Eagles won the toss, lost the game
SB 38: Panthers won the toss, lost the game
SB 37: Buccaneers won the toss and the game
SB 36: Rams won the toss, lost the game
SB 35: Giants won the toss, lost the game
SB 34: Rams won the toss and the game
SB 33: Falcons won the toss, lost the game
SB 32: Packers won the toss, lost the game
SB 31: Patriots won the toss, lost the game
*A little aside to this is that the Arizona Cardinals won the toss and deferred to the second half. The Steelers chose to receive which means the Cards were the first team in Super Bowl history to win the coin toss and kickoff. Since then, deferring to the second half is now the norm. The Seahawks would do the same in Super Bowls XLVIII and XLIX, Panthers in Super Bowl 50, Falcons in Super Bowl LI, Eagles in Super Bowl LII and Rams in Super Bowl LIII.
#22-KICKIN' IT UP, PICKIN' IT UP AND MAKING SURE YOU SCORE: Some more little stats for you:
- There has been at least one successful field goal in 51 of 53 Super Bowls.
- Teams that have been shut out for one half (either the first or second) are a combined 1-19. The lone winner was those 1972 Dolphins who went scoreless in the second half of Super Bowl VII.
- Only one Super Bowl featured teams from the same state. Super Bowl XXIX between the Chargers and 49ers. The Giants and Bills both are "New York" teams, but the Giants play their home games in New Jersey.
- Also, teams that intercept a pass for a TD are 12-1 in the Super Bowl. The 2016 Falcons were the first team to have a pick-six and lose a Super Bowl.
#21-NFC WEST vs AFC WEST: Super Bowl LIIV matches up teams from the NFC West and AFC West. This will be the 5th time these two divisions have met for the Super Bowl. Here is how the other meetings turned out.
XXIV: 49ers beat Broncos
XXIX: 49ers beat ChargersXXXIII: Broncos beat Falcons
XLVIII: Seahawks beat Broncos
The Falcons were members of the NFC West in Super Bowl XXXIII.
#20-THINGS NON-FOOTBALL FANS CAN SAT TO FIT IN: Look, I know that there are people in America that will be attending Super Bowl parties because... well, they love to party. Some won't know who's playing in the game until they get there. Don't worry. So the diehards around the party who actually care about the game won't think you're a newbie, I'm here to help.
Here are a few vague quotes that you can use so you fit in among the football fans. You don't have to engage in a conversation with these, just drop these in from time to time you will at look somewhat informed.
"The Chiefs are finally back again, eh?"
"I wonder who Joe Montana is rooting for?"
"You just gotta convert those third downs!"
"Don't sleep on that Niners' running attack!"
"Kelce needs a lot of touches."
"Third and long? I'd blitz."
"Remember the Bud Bowl?"
"I got a few bucks on this game."
"Damnit! I left my squares sheet at home!"
"It's nice to see the 49ers back in the Super Bowl!"
When there is a penalty called for holding, just say, "yeah, he was tackling him!"
"I bet there were some great parties this week down in Miami?"
"Bold prediction: Nick Bosa as MVP!"
"I'm just so glad the Patriots aren't playing, am I right?"
"Defense wins championships."
Use only in a close game: "This could come down to who has the ball last."
#19-WEARING WHITE IS KEY: Since the Chiefs are designated the home team, they get to pick their jerseys for the Super Bowl (they chose red). Typically the road team will wear white for the game but in recent seasons, some teams have been bucking the trend and went with their white jerseys. Good choice. In fact, the team that has worn white uniforms has won the last 13 of the last 14 Super Bowls (Patriots, Eagles, Patriots, Broncos, Patriots, Seahawks, Ravens, Giants, Saints, Steelers, Giants, Colts, Steelers, Patriots). The Packers won Super Bowl XLV wearing green. The Patriots won last year's Super Bowl victory while wearing white.
White jerseys are 35-18 in Super Bowl games.
#18-ALTERNATE VIEWING: Not interested in the Super Bowl? Well, here are some alternatives to watch. Remember, there's not only the Puppy Bowl, but a Kitten Bowl and Fish Bowl as well.
ABC: "America's Funniest Home Videos" and "Shark Tank" marathon
NBC: "America's Got Talent" marathon
CBS: "60 Minutes", "NCIS", "FBI"
A&E: "Live PD" marathon
AMC: "Breaking Bad" marathon
ANIMAL: Puppy Bowl XVI
BET: "Canal Street"
BRAVO!: "Real Housewives of Atlanta" marathon
CNN: "Death Row Stories" marathon
COMEDY CENTRAL: "South Park" marathon
E!: "Sex and the City" marathon
ESPN: Boxing
FOX SPORTS 1: "PBC Collection" marathon
FX: "The Wolf Of Wall Street"
FXX: "Family Guy" marathon
HGTV: "Home Town" marathon
FOOD NETWORK: "Worst Cooks In America" marathon
GAMESHOW: "Family Feud" marathon
IFC: "Tropic Thunder"
LIFETIME: "50 First Dates", "Sex and the City",
LOGO: "Three's Company" marathon
MTV: "Ridiculousness" marathon
NBC SPORTS: "American Ninja Warrior" marathon
OXYGEN: "Snapped" marathon
OWN: "20/20 On OWN" marathon
PARAMOUNT: "Cops" marathon
POP: "NCIS: New Orleans" marathon
REELZ: "World's Most Evil Killers" marathon
SYFY: "Futurama" marathon
TBS: "Miss Congeniality 2", "Identity Thief"
TLC: "Dr. Pimple Popper: The Poppy Bowl"
TNT: "Catch Me If You Can"
TRU: "Impractical Jokers" marathon
TV1: "Sanford and Son" marathon
USA: "SVU" marathon
VICE: "Intervention" marathon
WE: "Law & Order" marathon
WGN: "Cops" marathon
#17-THE NO. 1 DRAFT PICKS: Eric Fisher joins an impressive list of No. 1 overall picks to reach a Super Bowl. Super Bowl 50 was the very first Super Bowl where both quarterbacks were No. 1 overall draft picks (Peyton Manning, Cam Newton).
Only Terry Bradshaw, Jim Plunkett, John Elway, Troy Aikman, Manning and Eli Manning have been top overall picks that also won a Super Bowl as a starting QB. Paul Hornung, Bubba Smith, Terry Bradshaw, Jim Plunkett, John Matuszak, Ed Jones, George Rogers, John Elway, Troy Aikman, Russell Maryland, Drew Bledsoe, Keyshawn Johnson, Orlando Pace, Peyton Manning, David Carr and Eli Manning have all been No. 1 picks who also won a Super Bowl.
However, Hornung, Bledsoe and Carr were just roster guys for their titles. Bledsoe did start and lose a Super Bowl.
The lowest drafted quarterback to start and win a Super Bowl is Brad Johnson (9th round pick, 227th overall, 1992). Bart Starr was selected in the 17th round, the 200th pick). Kurt Warner won a Super Bowl despite going undrafted. Steve Young wasn't taken in the conventional NFL draft but in the 1984 supplemental draft.
Fisher is trying to be the first non-QB that was selected No. 1 overall to win a Super Bowl since Orlando Pace (1997 draft, Super Bowl XXXIV). Keyshawn Johnson, Russell Maryland, Ed Jones, George Rogers and Bubba Smith are among the No. 1 non-quarterbacks to win the Super Bowl.
#16-LIST OF SUPER BOWL NO-NAMES: Below are guys that made their names in the Super Bowl. Some of these guys were pretty good NFLers before their breakout games ... some we haven't heard of before or since ... but performing well on the biggest of stages makes them legends.
Doug Williams (Redskins): It wasn't that Williams was a no-name as much as things really didn't pan out for him. Dude really came off the scrap heap. Williams did nothing much of note in his first years at Tampa Bay or in his USFL stint. Redskins coach Joe Gibbs (who coached Doug in Tampa) gave him a shot in 1986 to back up Jay Schroeder. In '87, Schroeder had some shoulder issues late in the season and Williams did a good job taking over. So much so that there was a QB controversy. Williams got the nod and the rest is history.
What Williams did in the 2nd quarter of Super Bowl XXII is nothing short of remarkable. He was 9-of-11 for 228 yards and 4 TDs. Again, that was just in the 2nd quarter! Williams would win the game's MVP and become the first (and only, so far) black quarterback to win a Super Bowl.
Timmy Smith (Redskins): If Doug Williams didn't win the MVP, Smith would have. Smith rushed for 204 yards (still a Super Bowl record) and two TDs. Coming into the game, Smith had rushed for just 129 yards that season. His career lasted just 15 games after the Super Bowl.
Max McGee (Packers): McGee is famous for his pre-Super Bowl I partying. With Boyd Dowler injured early in the game, a hung-over McGee would step in and catch the first TD pass in Super Bowl history. He would go on to catch seven passes for 138 yards and two TDs ... three more receptions than he had all season long.
Jeff Hostetler (Giants): People forget that Phil Simms didn't start the G-men's second Super Bowl title. Simms hurt his ankle late in the season and Hoss took it the rest of the way. He had the least amount of playing time of any QB to start a Super Bowl. He held up well, throwing for 222 yds and a TD.
Dan Bunz (49ers): The linebacker was instrumental in the greatest goal line stand in Super Bowl history, stuffing the Bengals four times with goal to go. The defining play was Bunz' tackle on a swing pass to Charles Alexander on third down (he was also in on the stop on fourth down).
Larry Brown (Cowboys): The running joke after Super Bowl XXX was that Brown was the Steelers' Neil O'Donnell's favorite target. Too bad he played for the other team. Brown picked off two O'Donnell throws ... his final game with Dallas. He used the MVP award to get a nice fat contract with the Raiders and did nothing much of note after the fact.
Dwight Smith (Buccaneers): If Brown won an MVP award for picking off two passes ... why didn't Smith win won for taking two picks back for TDs? He was a nickelback used a lot in a game where (a) Oakland's offensive attack warranted it and (b) the Raiders were so far behind that they had to take chances. Why ....
Dexter Jackson (Buccaneers): ... because Smith's second TD came in the closing seconds after the ballots had already been counted. Jackson had picked off two passes himself (none that went for TDs) that were momentum changers. And Jackson wouldn't have won the award either if not for fan voting taking place in the game (Simeon Rice was the press' pick).
Percy Howard (Cowboys): Never heard of him? Well, Howard came into Super Bowl X and caught a 34-yd touchdown pass from Roger Staubach. That was the only reception he had in his entire career.
Don Beebe (Bills): Beebe has been on six Super Bowl teams ... but will be remembered most for running down Leon Lett and stripping the ball right before crossing the endzone in Super Bowl XXVII.
David Tyree (Giants): Tyree will always be a legend for his amazing catch in Super Bowl XLII. A guy pretty much no one had heard of before and hasn't done anything since will be immortalized with possibly the greatest play in Super Bowl history.
Mario Manningham (Giants): He only caught 5 passes for 73 yards in Super Bowl XLVI, it was a huge 38-yard reception on the Giants' final, game-winning drive that will stick among the Super Bowl's greatest moments.
Malcolm Butler (Patriots): Butler was an undrafted rookie when he made one of the biggest plays in Super Bowl history: intercepting Russell Wilson in Super Bowl XLIX with the game on the line.
James White (Patriots): Coming into Super Bowl LI, White had rushed for just 260 yards, caught for 984 yards and scored 11 total touchdowns in his three seasons in the league. In that Super Bowl, White caught 14 passes ... a Super Bowl record ... for 110 yards and three total touchdowns. He is the only player to score in overtime of a Super Bowl.
#15-SUPER BOWL MVPS IN CANTON: Winners of 26 Super Bowl MVP awards have gone on to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. You have Bart Starr (twice), Joe Namath, Len Dawson, Roger Staubach, Larry Csonka, Franco Harris, Lynn Swann, Fred Biletnikoff, Randy White, Terry Bradshaw (twice), Joe Montana (three times), John Riggins, Marcus Allen, Richard Dent, Troy Aikman, Steve Young, Jerry Rice, Emmitt Smith, Kurt Warner, Terrell Davis, Ray Lewis and John Elway. Other winners, like Peyton Manning, Drew Brees, Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady can look forward to seeing their busts in Canton one day (that hikes the number up to 33). So could Eli Manning, which would make it 35 Super Bowl winners.
From Super Bowl 1 to Super Bowl XX, 16 of the 20 Super Bowl MVPs were elected to the Hall of Fame.
Granted, not all winners of the Super Bowl MVP award go on to anything much. Guys like Larry Brown, Harvey Martin, Dexter Jackson, Desmond Howard, Mark Rypien, Deion Branch and Jake Scott have also won the award and the Hall is no where in their future.
#14-SIX WORST SUPER BOWLS: Look, they aren't all winners. Some Super Bowls just aren't very good. Whether they are blowouts or just poorly played, some are just duds.
1. Super Bowl V: This one was nicknamed the "Blunder Bowl" for good reason. There were 11 turnovers in the game with the Colts – who won – committing seven of them. The Dallas Cowboys were called for 10 penalties. This game stunk so badly that the MVP award was given to Chuck Howley of the losing Cowboys (the only time the Super Bowl MVP played for the losing team). Sure, Jim O'Brien kicked the game winning field goal at the end of the game, but even that was set up by a turnover.
2. Super Bowl XII: Dallas was in yet another sloppy game. Good thing the Broncos were sloppier (Denver turned the ball over eight times and completed just eight passes).Denver QB Craig Morton was horrible – he completed just four of 15 passes for 39 yards and four interceptions. Yikes! (There was also lingering questions about the IRS checking into his tax returns.) Both teams combined for 20 penalties.
3. Super Bowl XL: It was a ho-hum game that's only excitement came on an Antwaan Randle-El touchdown pass to Hines Ward. That's pretty much all the Steelers had: three big plays that ended up with TDs (the above play, a Willie Parker 75-yd TD run and an awkward pass from Ben Roethlisberger to Ward). Seattle shot themselves in the foot with bad penalties, bad red zone efficiency and turnovers. The game is one of the most controversial as many people felt that the Seahawks had a lot of bad calls go against them. Big Ben's QB rating is the lowest by any Super Bowl winning quarterback.
4. Super Bowl XX: The Bears dominated and we all loved seeing the Fridge plop into the end zone. Still, this looked like an exhibition game against a local high school team than a Super Bowl. Chicago dominated this game with their defense and made Pats QB Tony Eason look foolish (he is the only starting QB to not complete a pass). There have been several blowouts in Super Bowl history, but this is the only one where the losing team looked like it had no business being there. The saddest thing is that Walter Payton didn't get a shot at running in a TD. Jim McMahon snuck in a TD twice and the Fridge got a shot, but not Walter. A shame.
5. Super Bowl 50: One of the worst offensive showings in Super Bowl history. Denver, who won the game, gained under 200 yards of offense and had only 11 first downs. Quarterbacks Cam Newton and Peyton Manning were sacked a combined 12 times and both had quarterback ratings around 55. The teams combined to go 4-of-29 on third down and turned the ball over six times. Sigh.
6. Super Bowl 53: In a day and age where scoring records were being smashed with high octane offenses and stricter rules defensively, it came as a shock to see the Patriots and Rams play to a 13-3 result. The Patriots held a 3-0 lead at halftime and the first touchdown of the game wasn't scored until 7 minutes were left in the game -- latest in Super Bowl history. The one touchdown scored in the entire game was the least ever. The 13 points by New England marks the lowest point total for a Super Bowl winner, the 16 points were the fewest in a game.
#13-HOSTING THE SUPER BOWL MEANS NOT BEING THERE YOURSELF: No team has ever played on their home field in the Super Bowl. It has never happened. Never. Most fans know that. But if you really look into it, it hasn't even been close. First, some stats on this.
- Of the 54 Super Bowls, 47 of them were played in a stadium that was a home field for an NFL team.
- Since the Jets and Giants share MetLife Stadium, they were both hosts of Super Bowl XLVIII
- Super Bowl VIII was played in Rice Stadium in Houston. The Oilers used to play there but at that time playing at the Astrodome.
- Five Super Bowls were played at the Pasadena Rose Bowl and one was at Stanford Stadium. Neither was home to an NFL franchise at the time.
- The Los Angeles Rams did play in Super Bowl XIV which was in Pasadena. The San Francisco 49ers played in Super Bowl XIX in Stanford. Those are the closest examples of a team playing a "home Super Bowl." Neither were their home fields but both were certainly in their geographic footprint.
- Not only has no team hosted a Super Bowl, of the 48 teams who could of... only eight even made the playoffs that year! Amazing. Of those eight, only four won a single playoff game and only the 2017 Vikings even made the conference championship game.
#12-PASSING FANCY: Of the 23 most pass attempts in a Super Bowl game in history, 18 were for the losing team. In fact, of the 11 most pass attempts in a Super Bowl, 9 were for the losing team.
Tom Brady is the only winner (he did so twice) among the top 11 pass attempts games. Of the top 23, only Brady (three times), Kurt Warner and Nick Foles were winners. The losers of the top 11 were Jim Kelly (twice), Donovan McNabb, Dan Marino, Matt Hasselbeck, Stan Humphries, Peyton Manning, Neil O'Donnell and Drew Bledsoe.
Also, of the top 10 player rushing attempt games in Super Bowl history, only Eddie George in Super Bowl XXXIV played for the losing team. Of the top 28 rush attempts for a player, only George, John Riggins, Marshawn Lynch, Larry Brown and Shaun Alexander played for the losing team.
#11-DON'T TRAIL BY DOUBLE DIGITS: Teams that are facing a double-digit deficit are 4-45. A couple things are interesting about that stat. First, the only teams to come back from a 10-point deficit or more and win are the Washington Redskins in Super Bowl XXII, the New Orleans Saints in Super Bowl XLIV, the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLIX (all three of them by 10 points) and the New England Patriots' magical 25-point comeback in Super Bowl LI.
The Patriots trailed 28-3 to the Falcons in the third quarter of Super Bowl LI before reeling off 31 straight points to end the game.
The Skins trailed 10-0 before scoring the next 42 points. The Saints scored 31 of the next 38 points after trailing 10-0. That also makes those two Super Bowls the only ones where both teams faced a double digit deficit.
Also, it is quite amazing that 47 of 53 Super Bowls have seen one team go up by at least 10 at some point in the game.
#10-SUPER BOWL DATES: Here are just a few dumb notes about Super Bowl dates. Super Bowl XXIX was and will always be the only Super Bowl that was played on the same day (29) as the Roman numeral of the game. January 26th is the most popular date for a Super Bowl as a record four games have been played on that date. And, if you go in order from the earliest date (January 9th) to the latest (February 7th), the only days to not have held the Super Bowl are January 10, 19, and 23.
This will be the second Super Bowl held on February 2nd.
Jan 9-XI
Jan 11-IV
Jan 12-III, IX
Jan 13-VIII
Jan 14-II, VII
Jan 15-I, XII
Jan 16-VI
Jan 17-V
Jan 18-X
Jan 20-XIV, XIX
Jan 21-XIII
Jan 22-XVIII, XXIII
Jan 24-XVI
Jan 25-XV, XXI, XXXII
Jan 26-XX, XXVI, XXXI, XXXVII
Jan 27-XXV
Jan 28-XXIV, XXX, XXXV
Jan 29-XXIX
Jan 30-XVII, XXVIII, XXXIV
Jan 31-XXII, XXVII, XXXIII
Feb 1-XXXVIII, XLIII, XLIX
Feb 2-XLVIII, LIV
Feb 3-XXXVI, XLII, XLVI. LIII
Feb 4-XLI. LII
Feb 5-XL, XLVI
Feb 6-XXXIX, XLV
Feb 7-XLIV, 50
#9-STILL HAVEN'T WON ONE: There are now four franchises that have never appeared in a Super Bowl (Lions, Browns, Jaguars and Texans). But there are eight others that have never won the Super Bowl in any of their appearances. They are the Buffalo Bills, Cincinnati Bengals, Tennessee Titans, San Diego Chargers, Minnesota Vikings, Arizona Cardinals, Carolina Panthers and Atlanta Falcons. The Bills and Vikings have lost four games apiece; the Panthers and Bengals have each lost two. The rest lost on their only trip.
And while the Jaguars (1995) and Texans (2002) haven't been to the big game, they don't have quite the drought as some other franchises. The Jets haven't been to the Super Bowl since the 1968 season. The Chiefs are making their first Super Bowl appearance since the 1969 season.
It's been a while since the Vikings (1976), Dolphins (1984), Bengals (1988) and Redskins (1991) have been there as well.
#8-FOR YOUR ENTERTAINMENT: Demi Lovato will sing the National Anthem prior to Super Bowl LIV.
Jennifer Lopez will be the halftime performer. Joining her will be Shakira.
#7-MVPs WINNING THE SUPER BOWL: Ten NFL MVPs have gone on to win the Super Bowl. The illustrious ten:
I-Bart Starr (Packers)
XIII-Terry Bradshaw (Steelers)
XVII-Mark Moseley (Redskins)
XXI-Lawrence Taylor (Giants)
XXIV-Joe Montana (49ers)
XXVIII-Emmitt Smith (Cowboys)
XXIX-Steve Young (49ers)
XXXI-Brett Favre (Packers)
XXXIII-Terrell Davis (Broncos)
XXXIV-Kurt Warner (Rams)
Starr, Bradshaw, Montana, Smith, Young and Warner would also go on to win the Super Bowl MVP that season.
#6-SIX BEST SUPER BOWLS: Here are what I believe are the six best Super Bowls, ever. You can debate this all you want (which is fine), but these six were all great games with exciting finishes and are memorable in one way or another.
1. Super Bowl LI: I mean, the first and only overtime game in Super Bowl history. The Patriots trailing 28-3 in the third quarter then scoring 31 unanswered points to win the game. Julian Edelman's amazing catch. All the passing records set. Just the stunned feeling you had all game that the Falcons could be crushing New England like that and then seeing Tom Brady and company buzzsaw to the win. Simply one of the most amazing games in NFL history.
2. Super Bowl XXV: This was a great matchup in every way. With a backdrop of war, this game had all kinds of emotion as the game began (thanks, Whitney). That vaunted Bills offense against the stuffy Giants defense. The lead changed times on four occasions. In the end, an old guy like Ottis Anderson ate up the clock and Scott Norwood missed the only time the winner of the Super Bowl came down to the final play (even if Vinatieri missed those Pats FGs, the games would've went into overtime). Giants defensive coordinator Bill Belichick's defensive gameplan for this game in enshrined at the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
3. Super Bowl XLII: Yes, the Giants take another top spot. Their amazing run just to get to the Super Bowl and matching the undefeated Patriots blow-for-blow. Eli Manning's escape and David Tyree's catch has become one of the top plays in Super Bowl history. Second biggest upset ever.
4. Super Bowl XXXIV: Not only was this a surreal matchup (remember that St. Louis and Tennessee weren't NFL cities six years earlier), but some cat named Kurt Warner was shredding up this game. The Titans staged one heck of a comeback (they were down 16-0) to have it ripped away from them on a bomb to Issac Bruce. Also, it had one of the greatest endings any football game could ever have.
5. Super Bowl XXIII: There were so many game changing moments in this one. Remember that the only times the 49ers led this game was at 3-0, and after Joe Montana's pass to John Taylor at the end of the game. Cincinnati had this one, but Super Joe took it away.
6. Super Bowl XXXVIII: The problem with this Super Bowl is that the 1st and 3rd quarters were terrible. However, the 2nd and 4th were just outstanding! In the fourth quarter alone, there were 37 points scored, which is a Super Bowl record for points scored in a quarter. It was just the second to have five TDs scored (the Redskins did that by themselves 16 years earlier). And it ended with an Adam Vinatieri field goal with :04 left. Oh, and we got a little nipple action at halftime.
#5-ALL TIME SERIES: The Chiefs and Niners have met 13 previous times. San Francisco holds a 7-6 advantage ... but has lost three of the last four meetings. The most memorable game between these two happened on September 11, 1994 when Joe Montana's Chiefs hosted his former team, the 49ers, at Arrowhead. Montana threw two touchdowns and Steve Young threw two interceptions in the Chiefs' 24-17 win. The last time these two met was last season when Kansas City surged to a 35-7 lead in the 2nd quarter. The Niners made a valiant comeback attempt before losing 38-27. Patrick Mahomes threw for 314 yards and 3 TDs.
These two will next meet in the regular next season in 2022 in Santa Clara.
#4-OTHER SPORTS HAPPENINGS: If you are looking for some other sports to whet your appetite, you have a few options. The NBA has a national televised game on ABC, as Zion Williamson and the Pelicans take on the Rockets at 2pm ET (the Nuggets-Pistons, Suns-Bucks and Bulls-Raptors are available on League Pass).
The NHL will have three games, with the Penguins facing the Capitals on NBC at 12:30pm ET (Blue Jackets-Canadiens and Canucks-Hurricanes are the other games). By the way, all three home teams hosted games on last year's Super Bowl Sunday.
There are 13 NCAA basketball games scheduled. The big games on tap are Illinois at Iowa (FS1), Georgetown Hall at St. John's (CBS),Wake Forest at Clemson (ESPNU), Utah at UCLA and Miami at Pittsburgh (ACCN).
#3-QUARTERBACKS: As I touched on before, we have two newbies at quarterback this year.
There have been twenty quarterbacks to start multiple Super Bowls. Of those 20, only Kelly, Tarkenton and Craig Morton never won at least one game. While not a starter in Super Bowl V, Earl Morrall did play most of the game for the Colts after Unitas was knocked out of the game in the 2nd quarter. Morrall started for the Colts in the legendary Super Bowl III loss to the Jets. Steve Young didn't start but threw three passes in Super Bowl XXIV (he started Super Bowl XXIX). Peyton Manning is the only quarterback to start and win two Super Bowls with different teams.
#2-IT HAS BEEN FOREVER: The Chiefs are making their first appearance in a Super Bowl in 50 years, by far the longest gap between trips. The Jets haven't been there in 51 years (1968), so their next trip would mark the longest gap. The Cleveland Browns haven't played for the NFL championship since the 1965 season while the Lions haven't been there since 1957. The Cardinals haven't won a championship since 1947.
#1-WHO IS GONNA WIN?: So let's be honest: I've been bad at this. I use reason and analysis and I pick wrong. I get sucked into being daring and I'm embarrassed.
So I am just going to use stupid reasoning and pick the San Francisco 49ers. No reason other than they will be wearing white jerseys on Sunday and I think that white jersey stat is one of the coolest and unlikeliest streaks in sports. I've also watched great offenses walk into the Super Bowl and get humbled by strong defenses. Not every time, but plenty of times where it isn't a cool and unlikely event. I've seen great quarterbacks not able to pull their teams off the mat. I'm going with that rather than individual matchups.
I'm picking the Niners to join the Patriots and Steelers with six Super Bowl wins, 31-27.
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