For enthusiastic football fanatics and food lovers alike, the Super Bowl is an event that many look forward to and watch. This year, the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs competed for the Lombardi Trophy in Super Bowl LIX. The highly anticipated match-up was held at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana, and was viewed by over 126 million fans across the country, the most viewed Super Bowl of all time.
Ultimately, the Eagles came out on top following a dominating win over the Chiefs. The Chiefs headed into the Super Bowl looking for a three-peat, following a win over the Eagles in Super Bowl LVII and a win over the 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII. The Eagles came in looking for revenge and left with the Vince Lombardi Trophy. A few key players for the winning team included starting quarterback Jalen Hurts, rookie cornerback Cooper Dejean, and running back Saquon Barkley.
In the first quarter of play, the Eagles scored a touchdown which was overturned, leaving them on the 1-yard line. Jalen Hurts got the ball in the endzone and the kick went up, giving the Eagles a 7-0 lead at the end of the first quarter.
The Eagles started the second quarter strong with a field goal, making the score 10-0. The Eagles’ defense exploded with back-to-back sacks of Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Cooper Dejean got himself a pick-six, putting the Eagles up 17-0. If you don’t think the Eagles have done enough already, Mahomes threw another interception to Eagles player Zack Baun, which set up another touchdown for Eagles wide receiver AJ Brown. The teams headed into the locker room with the Eagles leading 24-0 at halftime.
Returning to play the last 30 minutes of regulation, Mahomes faced the largest deficit of his starting career. The Eagles brought kicker Jake Elliott back out again, making the score 27-0. Hurts found a connection on the field again, extending the lead to 34-0. The Chiefs finally got their chance to put some points on the board following a pass to Travis Kelce that resulted in a touchdown. The team decided to go for two: but this ultimately failed, leaving the score 34-6.
Entering the final quarter, the fate of the Chiefs three-peat had ultimately been decided. Jalen Hurts broke his record for most rushing yards by a quarterback during the Super Bowl. The Eagles brought out their kicker again, extending the lead to 37-6, and after another possession, he returned pushing the lead to 40-6. The Chiefs got their taste of scoring when they sent the ball from Mahomes to wide receiver Hopkins for a touchdown. After that, their two-point conversion was successful, making the score 40-14. Eagles head coach Nick Siriani got his Gatorade shower.
Toward the end of the game, Mahomes found a connection again for some more points, making the final score 40-22. Eagles standout quarterback Jalen Hurts was named Superbowl MVP following his performance, which included 17 of 22 completed passes for 221 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception.
For many years, it has been a common practice and tradition for U.S. presidents to attend major sporting events. These events serve as both a time of relaxation and a time to improve public opinion and image among voters.
This year’s Super Bowl was attended by President Trump, who was a guest of Saint’s owner Gayle Benson. Trump watched the game from a private suite and was accompanied by his daughter Ivanka. During Jon Batiste’s rendition of the National Anthem, Trump was featured on the jumbotron while saluting the flag, a move that elicited applause from many spectators.
Over a dozen other former presidents have attended professional sporting events, and some have also attended NFL games. For instance, Richard Nixon watched the Washington Redskins play the Dallas Cowboys in 1969. Later, in 1985, Ronald Reagan performed the game’s coin toss for Super Bowl XIX since it coincided with Inauguration Day.
This presidential appearance was more significant, though, because Trump’s attendance marked the first time a sitting U.S. president had attended the Super Bowl.
Despite the support from some in the crowd, not all in attendance approved of Trump’s appearance. Most notably, half-time performer Kendrick Lamar dropped numerous subtle hints about his distaste for Trump. Kendrick’s patriotically dressed dancers were arranged to replicate a divided American flag, with Kendrick standing in the middle, giving a nod to the divide in our nation. One of the dancers even momentarily raised a Palestinian flag before being tackled by security.
With the increasing political divide in our nation and the events that unfolded, the Super Bowl is not exempt from the effects. Millions of Americans still tune in to enjoy the evening, but the underlying ripple of political strife still is present to those observant to see it.
