It’s time to find a comfortable couch, a big screen and a pile of nachos. The Super Bowl is Sunday, and Vermonters can find plenty of reasons to watch even without the Patriots playing this year.
Here’s what you need to know going into the big game.
This post was adapted from Vermont Edition host Connor Cyrus’ conversation with Mitch Wertlieb, which aired Friday, Feb. 10.
What are the basics?
Super Bowl 57 is Sunday, Feb. 12 at 6:30 p.m. ET. The Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs will be facing off at the State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
What's different about the Super Bowl this year?
The Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs were the only teams this season to amass 14 wins. Surprisingly, having the two best regular season records match up in the final game is rare. This will be the sixth time that this has happened since the 1970 merger.
This is also the first time in Super Bowl history that two siblings will face off: Kansas City tight end Travis Kelce is the brother of Philadelphia center Jason Kelce.
This year will be the first time two Black quarterbacks will face off in the biggest football game.
“The first Black quarterback to play in a Super Bowl was Doug Williams in 1988. And when you think about it, the Super Bowl started, the first one was in 1967,” said Wertlieb. “So it took that long just to have one Black starting quarterback, now we have two facing each other for the first time ever.”
This is a step forward in terms of the representation of Black athletes in the Super Bowl. This also points to where there are more steps to be taken.
“There are only three Black head coaches in the NFL. And that's ridiculous in a league where 70% of the players are Black,” Wertlieb said.
Who are some key players to know?
“It's all about the quarterbacks in this game,” Wertlieb said. On the Kansas City side, watch quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
“He's a dynamic young player, he's got just a cannon for an arm,” Wertlieb said. Mahomes turned in an outstanding win in 2022’s divisional round playoff against the Buffalo Bills with 13 seconds left on the clock. “That might have been the greatest playoff football game ever in the history of the NFL,” Wertlieb said.
Mahomes has been nursing a high ankle sprain over the last couple of weeks. He’s had some time to rest leading up to the Super Bowl, but it could affect his signature mobility in the game.
Philadelphia quarterback Jalen Hurts is “just as good, also with a very powerful arm and an incredible running quarterback,” Wertlieb said. Hurts led the league for quarterbacks in rushing this year. “And at 24 years old, you're going to be hearing his name a lot in the years to come,” Wertlieb said.
Why Rihanna's halftime show is a big deal
After turning down an offer to headline the Super Bowl halftime show in 2019, Rihanna is due to take the stage this year for a massive performance.
“This is really exciting because she has not performed in quite some time,” Cyrus said. “She has been working on her beauty brand, Fenty Beauty, and that has really taken off, making her a billionaire.”
It’s been more than six years since Rihanna’s last album release (she did release two songs for the “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” soundtrack). Fans are dying to hear more from her.
More from NPR: Everything leading up to Rihanna's Halftime Show
Are there any Vermont or New England connections to the 2023 Super Bowl?
Joe Thuney is the only player in the Super Bowl this year with ties to New England. After being drafted by the Patriots in 2016, he played five seasons with the squad and won two championships.
Thuney was part of the Patriots team that lost to the Eagles in 2017. Now with the Kansas City Chiefs, he looks to grab his third championship against the reigning NFC champions.
The Patriots have struggled to make it past the wild card stage in the post-Tom Brady era.
“Look, Patriots fans have been spoiled for so long through the Brady years. All those championships, all the playoff appearances, all divisional wins,” Wertlieb said. “It's fine, I think, to let other teams have their glory moment.”
Mitch Wertlieb and Connor Cyrus’ predictions for the outcome and spread
Mitch Wertlieb’s advice: “Pick the team with the city that has the best food.” That means a classic Philly cheesesteak squaring off against Kansas City barbeque (and sauce).
Wertlieb: Philadelphia by 3
Cyrus: Kansas City by 7
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