10 Super Bowl Things
1 – Super Bowl opening night in New Orleans is now behind us.
The Chiefs and Eagles are gone from the Superdome. The next big media spectacle is Thursday: the Super Bowl 59 pregame and halftime show news conference featuring Kendrick Lamar, Jon Batiste, Trombone Shorty, Lauren Daigle and Ledisi.
And then, of course, game time on Sunday.
2 – Andy Reid jokes about Patrick Mahomes’ ‘dad body’
Chiefs coach Andy Reid turned a question about the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue into an opportunity to make a joke at quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ expense.
The question concerned which of his players he’d pick to be featured in the magazine.
“Well, if it was a dad body, it would be Pat,” he said.
3 – Travis Kelce on possible proposal: ‘Next question’
Travis Kelce was asked if he planned to give anyone a special ring if the Chiefs win on Sunday.
“A Super Bowl ring?” he asked. “Next question.”
Kelce has been dating pop superstar Taylor Swift for more than a year. They smooched on the field after last year’s Super Bowl win and she is expected to attend the game.
4 – Chiefs’ Butker silent on question about gays
Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker, who has been outspoken on the subject of his Christian faith, went silent when asked, “What do you think about gays?”
An NFL official waved off the questioner and Butker, seemingly unfazed, went about answering other questions.
“I understand that this is a great evening and we’re here to focus on the game,” Butker said. “Maybe if I saw him without a camera we’d have a great conversation.”
5 – Patrick Mahomes would love to play in Australia
Patrick Mahomes said he’d love to play an NFL game in Australia.
Mahomes said his honeymoon was originally planned for Down Under, but COVID-19 forced a change to those plans.
“It’s been cool to see the NFL go global,” Mahomes said.
6 – Wentz is healthy for this Super Bowl, but still unlikely to play
Carson Wentz called his journey from star young quarterback in Philadelphia to backup in Kansas City a “whirlwind.”
Wentz feels fortunate to be at his second Super Bowl, even though he’s once again unlikely to play.
He was hurt seven years ago when he watched his backup Nick Foles lead the Eagles to the title. Now he’s the backup to Patrick Mahomes.
7 – Mahomes excited to have Brady on the Super Bowl call
Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes has 17 playoff wins as a starting quarterback. The only player in NFL history with more will be at the Super Bowl on Sunday as well.
In the broadcast booth, that is.
Tom Brady will be part of the broadcast team for Fox. He won 35 playoff games as a starter, including seven Super Bowls.
“I have so much respect for Tom and he’s been someone that’s given me so much advice in my career,” said Mahomes, who’s seeking his fourth Super Bowl title. “So, it’ll be really cool and I’m sure he’ll break it down and it’ll be a great game and I’m excited for the fans to see it.”
8 – How did Chiefs get to three straight Super Bowls? Patrick Mahomes credits Andy Reid
Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes may get a lot of the credit for Kansas City having a chance to win three consecutive Super Bowls.
But he says the credit should go to coach Andy Reid.
“It starts with coach Reid,” Mahomes said. “The culture that he’s built, we know it’s a day-by-day process. It’s awesome to be in the Super Bowl but we have to go put in the work every single day first. And I’m glad we’re here.”
Reid says the Chiefs make it easy for him.
“Listen, they’re good human beings, and that’s the most important thing,” Reid said. “Good football players, but most of all I’m proud of them for just being good guys.”
9 – Saquon Barkley picks an interesting favorite color
Among the highlights of Saquon Barkley’s opening-night media session were some questions that had nothing to do with football.
They included:
Favorite color? “I’m gonna go red.” (He then paused, realizing red is part of Kansas City’s primary color scheme.) “Maybe that wasn’t the right color to say at this moment,” he said.
Favorite Mexican dish? “Is a quesadilla a Mexican dish? It is? I’ll go with that.”
Message to Giants fans? “It’s nothing but love. I’ll be naive to think they weren’t supportive to me over the last six years. … All the things that happened over there and the love I have for them is the reason I’m able to have the success I’m having now.”
10 – NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell shot down the perception that officials favor the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Chiefs are going for a three-peat Sunday in a rematch against the Philadelphia Eagles, who lost to Kansas City 38-35 two years ago.
The two-time defending champions have benefited from calls that have gone their way in the playoffs, including officials’ ruling that the Buffalo Bills came up short on a critical fourth down in the AFC championship game.
“It’s a ridiculous theory for anyone who might take it seriously,” Goodell said. “But at the end of the day it’s something we have to work at, how do we make our officiating better.”
(Associated Press)
