Jacob Onken, Contributing writer
The stage is set for Super Bowl 57. The run-heavy Philadelphia Eagles are squaring off against the high-flying offense of the Kansas City Chiefs on Feb. 12 at 6:30 pm.
The Eagles had no trouble getting to the Super Bowl this postseason as they blew their competition out of the water beating the New York Giants 38-7 and the San Francisco 49ers 31-7.
Kansas City had a more challenging time on their road to the Super Bowl, barely squeaking by their opponents. They defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars 27-20 and the Cincinnati Bengals 23-20. The Chief’s star quarterback (QB), Patrick Mahomes, was playing injured with a high ankle sprain limiting his dynamic running ability. He was wounded in the first quarter against the Jaguars after two defensive linemen (DL) for Jacksonville slung Mahomes down, causing his leg to split out awkwardly. He came back after only missing one quarter and led his team to victory.
Both of the final teams have a history in the Super Bowl. The Eagles made it to the big game three times and only won once. The Chiefs had made it to four Super Bowls before this and won two. Recently both teams have made it to the Super Bowl. The Eagles beat the New England Patriots in 2017, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated the Kansas City Chiefs in 2020.
These two teams do not play each other much but have an exciting past. The Chief’s head coach, Andy Reid, used to be the coach for the Philadelphia Eagles from 1999 to 2012. Since joining the Chiefs, Andy Reid has never lost to the Eagles. He has beaten them three times in a row. The Eagles will be looking to defeat their former head coach for the first time on the biggest stage in the NFL.
There is also a sibling rivalry in the game. Jason Kelce is the center for the Philadelphia Eagles, and Travis Kelce is the tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs. Both players have a podcast that started in 2022 called “New Heights with Jason and Travis Kelce.”
Although the brothers will not be on the field simultaneously, the Lombardi trophy and bragging rights on their podcast are on the line.
The Eagles and Chiefs have some of the most pulverizing fanbases in the NFL. The Eagles fans in Philadelphia are notorious for throwing batteries at the opposing teams. Any team or person on the field who is not a part of the Eagles will be booed. The Chiefs fans are among the loudest in the entire NFL. The fans at the Super Bowl are guaranteed to make the environment one for the ages in Arizona.
Although the fanbases are wild in their respective hometowns, most Florida people don’t have a horse in this race. Juan Diaz, a senior at Saint Leo University and a New England Patriots fan, stated, “I believe that the Kansas City Chiefs are going to win the Super Bowl this year.”
Diaz also said, “even though my team didn’t make it, I am going to watch the Super Bowl because I have always enjoyed football, and it is a tradition from back home to watch the game with friends and family.”
Anthony Tristani, a senior at Saint Leo and a die-hard New York Jets fan, was asked whom he was cheering for in the Super Bowl. Tristani stated, “Most likely, I’m going to cheer for the Eagles even though I am not a fan. I would much rather have them win than the Chiefs getting another Super Bowl ring.” Although he is not cheering for them, Tristani thinks the Chiefs will win by the end of the night.
Super Bowl 57 is going to be one for the ages. Both teams are evenly matched up, and the game will surely be an offensive showdown. The Eagles and Chiefs have the same 14-3 (14 wins and 3 losses). This game will come down to which offense has the ball last and if the teams can fight past the nerves of playing on the NFL’s biggest stage.
