By: David McCaffery
It’s always been my opinion that NFL football is an amazing storytelling medium. The same can be said of all professional sports. Every team has a story. Every player has a story. It is these stories that comprise the heart and soul of the game we love. Each game features athletic competition, high drama, heroes and villains, and just about all you could ask for in a narrative.
On Sunday evening, the world will witness the 49th Super Bowl in NFL history, and as is always the case, there will be no shortage of stories unfolding.
Super Bowl XLIX: The Stories Make the Moment
This is a legacy game for Tom Brady. Make no mistake about it. Putting aside “Deflategate” for a moment, Brady is appearing in his sixth Super Bowl, and the stakes are high. After winning his first three Super Bowl appearances, Tom Terrific has dropped his last two. A win on Sunday cements Brady as one of the very best of all time (although that’s hardly in question). A third consecutive defeat drops his record in the big game to .500 and will inevitably lead to whispers in some circles about his legacy. It may not be fair, but unfortunately it comes with the territory.
Speaking of legacies, Brady’s opposing quarterback Russell Wilson is in the process building one of his own. A win here would solidify him as one of the game’s greats with two Lombardi Trophies in his first three years, setting him up for a colossal payday this offseason when he negotiates his next contract. The Russell Wilson brand becomes more marketable every day, and on Sunday night it could reach new heights.
Bill Belichick is very likely the greatest coach the NFL has seen over the last twenty years. Like Brady, he enters his sixth Super Bowl with something to prove. Belichick has often been vilified by the media for his occasionally crusty demeanor and alleged history of bending the rules. While he’ll likely never fully silence his most vocal detractors, he can go a long way towards quieting their cries with a fourth Lombardi Trophy.
Seahawks coach Pete Carroll has a lot on the line as well. Like Belichick, he’s faced his share of criticism, and a win here would be poetic justice for the man who served as the Pats head coach before Belichick. Since returning to the NFL three years ago, Carroll has built something special in Seattle and has reached levels of success that his critics never thought he could achieve at this level. Without question, this coaching match up will be one for the ages.
Marshawn Lynch is one of the best pure runners in football. His physical style and gritty determination have wowed fans for years. He’s also a really interesting guy. Much has been made of his lack of interest in speaking to the media, but at the same time it’s important to understand that not every player wants a microphone in his face. There are players who want to be in the spotlight and there are others, like Lynch, who just want to play the game without having to face a bunch of questions. It’s always been like this, and it’s hard to blame the man for feeling this way. I feel like the media’s being too tough on him through all of this. With that said, Lynch’s name is on many lips right now and while the NFL may not be pleased with him, controversy puts eyes on the product.
Will Richard Sherman play? Seattle’s shutdown cover man, the self-professed best corner in the league (that may very well be true) and his girlfriend are expecting the birth of their son any day now. While it appears Sherman will be available on Sunday, childbirth is an unpredictable thing. With that said, best wishes and congratulations to the future proud parents. Maybe the young man will one day be a shut down corner himself.
In February 2012, Rob Gronkowski played in his first Super Bowl, suffering a gut-wrenching defeat at the hands of the New York Giants. In a way, that had to be one of the most frustrating days of his career, not just because his team didn’t win the big one, but because he was basically relegated to the role of a spectator. Gronk was suffering from a high ankle sprain at the time, and wasn’t able to significantly contribute to his team that day. Three years later, it’s a much different story. He’s as healthy as he’s been in quite some time, and returned to his dominant form in a big way this year. He will be a vital component of the Patriots game plan and quite possibly the single most important player on the team’s offense. Could Gronk get his first ring on Sunday?
Will the Seattle pass rush be able to get pressure on Tom Brady? This is one of the key questions of this game. We all know what Brady is capable of when he has time to throw. There’s no doubt that the ‘Hawks have the best secondary in pro football, but if the Patriots’ offensive line is up to the task, Brady will be hard to stop. If Michael Bennett, Cliff Avril, and company can bring significant pressure, however, it will be extremely difficult for the Pats to move the ball.
Are the Patriots the greatest franchise of the last fifteen years? Today the answer is a resounding “yes”, but if the Seahawks repeat as champions, people suddenly stop talking about the last fifteen years and start talking about the here and now. This game will decide once and for all if the Patriots are still the top dogs in the yard, or if the torch is about to be passed.
This game has everything you could want in the way of drama. It’s so much more than an elite offense versus an elite defense. It’s so much more than deflated footballs and press conferences. It’s so much more than the Patriots versus the Seahawks. It’s the Super Bowl: the biggest game of the year, a battle for NFL supremacy, not just for this season, but into the future. The hype machine is working overtime around the league (and in this column) but it’s for completely valid reasons. It’s impossible not to get excited about this one. Enjoy it folks. This is why we watch football.
Thanks for reading, everyone.
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