A Guide To Super Bowl LV
Everything you need to know about the big game on February 7, 2021, and nothing you don’t.
Photo by IvelinRadkov/iStock / Getty Images
It’s the most wonderful time of the year - when the nation bonds over a football game, or let’s be honest, the commercials, food and halftime performance. Here’s what you need to know about the big game taking place between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Kansas City Cheifs on Sunday, February 7, 2021 in Tampa, Florida.
Eric Church and Jazmine Sullivan will be singing the national anthem and H.E.R. will sing “America the Beautiful.” Be prepared to be blinded by the lights of The Weeknd as he performs at halftime. He spent $7 million of his own money to make the halftime show more “cinematic” so you’re in for a treat. Spoiler alert: None of the performers are paid for their appearance at the Super Bowl, but the NFL does pay for the production costs (minus the above and beyond that The Weeknd is paying for). MUSIC TO OUR EARS
Three familiar brands you won’t see paying $5.5 M for a 30 second Super Bowl commercial this year are Coke, Pepsi and Budweiser. The three big brands join Audi and avocados from Mexico in skipping the big game advertising altogether. Budweiser is reallocating the media investment to raise awareness about the COVID-19 vaccine, in partnership with the Ad Council. Pepsi (Mountain Dew and Frito-Lay) and Anheuser-Busch (Bud Light, Michelob Ultra and their seltzers) will still promote other products but not their iconic brands. As a side note, because of COVID there will be no viewing parties and people are hungry for something to watch so experts expect this Super Bowl to be one of the biggest viewing audiences in history. THE RIGHT MOVE?
For the first time in NFL history, it’ll be a home game for one of the teams vying for the championship title. The Bucs were awarded the Super Bowl back in 2017 when NFL owners voted to move the Super Bowl to Tampa Bay from Los Angeles. (L.A. will host the 2022 Super Bowl). WHAT ARE THE CHANCES?
Let’s talk quarterbacks. There’s quite the age difference between the two starting quarterbacks - Tom Brady, who is the oldest quarterback in the league and Patrick Mahomes, who is one of the youngest. Mahomes was six-years-old when Brady played in his first Super Bowl. In fact, Brady is 7 years younger than Mahomes’ professional baseball player father. THAT STINGS A BIT
You don’t have to know diddly squat about football to place a bet on Sunday’s game, thanks to prop bets. You can bet on anything from which song will be the first song of The Weeknd’s halftime performance, to the winner of the coin toss or will the Church-Sullivan rendition of the anthem be under two minutes? YOU CAN BET ON IT
Two women making history this Sunday are youth poet laureate Amanda Gorman and Referee Sarah Thomas. Gorman will recite an original poem that will honor three pandemic heroes who are the honorary captains of the game. It will be the first time a poet participates in the Super Bowl pregame festivities. Thomas will be the first woman to ever officiate at the Super Bowl. JUST THE BEGINNING
Attendance at the game will be limited to 22,000 people, about a third of the more than 65,000+ capacity of Raymond James Stadium in Tampa. Of that 7,500 will be vaccinated health care workers who received free tickets. THANK YOU!
At age 43, Tom Brady is playing for his seventh Super Bowl ring in his 10th Super Bowl. The 25-year-old QB from the Chiefs, Patrick Mahomes will be the first QB in NFL history to start two Super Bowls at the age of 25 or younger. If he wins, he’ll be the first QB to win two Super Bowls at the age of 25 or younger. YOUTH VS. EXPERIENCE
The Bucs will be wearing their white jerseys when they play at home. They reportedly chose the white jerseys because Tom Brady is 4-1 in Super Bowls while wearing white. In 13 of the last 16 Super Bowl games, the winning team was wearing white jerseys.
Super Bowl Sunday is the biggest calorie intake day in America after Thanksgiving. The average person will consume 11,000 calories - more than four and a half times the recommended daily calorie intake.
Americans consume:
1.3 billion chicken wings (the most popular Super Bowl food)
325 million gallons of beer (Coors Light is the most popular followed by Miller Lite and Bud Light)
200 million pounds of avocados
88 million pounds of cheese
10 million pounds of ribs
2 million pizzas
Want something delectable to serve at your COVID-friendly get together for the game? Check out our Tailgate Treats for inspiration. Cooking skills not necessary.
Truth Be Told
Who’s shaking what their mama gave them, the unsuspected hero of the “Last Dance” and ingenuity at work?
Sports, because everyone wants to talk about anything besides COVID.
Bring it on,
The Last Night’s Game Team
NBA (National Basketball Association)
In last night’s episodes of “Last Dance,” the Michael Jordan documentary on ESPN, we had a chance to see inside Jordan’s relationship with Kobe Bryant. From his trash talking at Bryant’s first all-star game to the big brother and mentor Jordan became to Bryant. After his deadly helicopter crash earlier this year, it was bittersweet for so many fans to watch Bryant’s humble interview when discussing Jordan. WISH YOU WERE HERE
Overtime
Although it seems like the Super Bowl was a year ago, Jennifer Lopez shared behind the scenes footage to celebrate the three-month anniversary of her big halftime performance. Part of the video shows Shakira and JLo practicing their now famous booty-shaking routine. JLo’s word of advice to Shakira? "I do it with my knees, I shake my knees" – a secret she learned from her mama. NOTE TO SELF
Sideline stat
One German soccer fan is getting creative when it comes to using all of the boxes from his Amazon deliveries. With the return of German pro soccer league Bundesliga on the horizon, the fan had an idea to sell cardboard cutouts of a fan’s likeness for $20.60 to help local businesses. It’s a win-win because proceeds will benefit struggling local businesses, the local printer gets the work and the players will have “fans” in the stands when games resume. INGENUITY AT WORK
Coaches’ corner
Last week Baltimore Orioles (MLB - Major League Baseball) player Trey Mancini revealed that he was fighting stage three colon cancer. On a team call his teammates surprised him by holding up signs of support (literally) and pledged to “#F16HT” alongside him. The hashtag incorporates Mancini’s jersey number – 16. Mancini is currently undergoing chemotherapy and wants to see baseball return soon, even though he can’t play, so he can spend time with his teammates. IN IT TO WIN IT
What to watch
The unlikely hero of last night’s “Last Dance” episodes was the security guard at the United Center (home of the Chicago Bulls) who gambled with Michael Jordan in the locker room. With his curly blonde mullet and his victory dance moves, the scene where he takes Jordan’s money over a game of throwing quarters will make you smile. WINNING IS EVERYTHING
The 5 Things You Need To Know About The Super Bowl
The one time of year it’s encouraged to cover everything in cheese and skip the actual game but watch the commercials and halftime concert.
Ah Super Bowl Sunday, the one time of year it’s encouraged to cover everything in cheese and skip the actual game but watch the commercials and halftime concert.
Best day ever?
The Last Night’s Game Team
THE FIVE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE SUPER BOWL
1. This Super Bowl will feature the first ever male cheerleaders on the sidelines. The Los Angeles Rams have two male cheerleaders. Other teams have had men on their stunt team but never male a cheerleader. SPIRIT FINGERS
2. The Super Bowl is a great time to place your money on a prop bet, essentially betting anything not involving the game. Some of those bets include if anthem singer Gladys Knight be wearing a skirt, gown or dress during her rendition of the anthem, which song will be the first song of Maroon 5’s halftime performance or if the roof of Mercedes-Benz Stadium will be open. AT LEAST YOU’LL BE ENTERTAINED WHILE LOSING YOUR MONEY
3. A hot storyline this Super Bowl? Age. Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay, 33, is the youngest head coach to ever appear in the Super Bowl. His quarterback, Jared Goff, 24, is the fourth youngest quarterback in history to start a Super Bowl. On the other hand, the Patriots have a few seasoned veterans at the helm. Head coach Bill Belichick started coaching in the NFL before Sean McVay was born. And Tom Brady? He’ll be the oldest player in Sunday's game at 41. IT’S A NUMBERS GAME
4. Over 1.35 billion chicken wings are consumed on Super Bowl Sunday, but if you want chicken during the big game in Atlanta, you can’t go to the Chick-fil-A in the stadium because it’s closed on Sundays, even Super Bowl Sunday. WHERE’S THE BEEF?
5. Maroon 5, Travis Scott and Big Boi will be performing during halftime at this year’s game but do you know how much they make for performing at the Super Bowl? Zero. Their expenses are paid but they are not paid a performance fee. ALL EYES ON YOU
The Super Bowl is this Sunday, February 3 in Atlanta. Kickoff is at 6:30 PM EST on CBS.
BUT WAIT THERE’S MORE
It’s not all about the gridiron. Today we’re buzzing about the good and bad news for Maroon 5, embracing the drunkest tournament in golf and who shared an x-rated x-ray. READ