(Pig)skin in the game
NFL’s best play Super Bowl LVII in Arizona
While football may rank highly on the list of all-American pastimes, the NFL’s annual Super Bowl event caters to more than just fans of the sport. Complete with fun, relatable team rivalry, great commercials and a hot, topical halftime show, the Super Bowl is one of the biggest nights in television.
Gather your friends, family and food, place your bets and don’t miss a minute of the action as the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles face off in a battle of the ball. Super Bowl LVII airs live from State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, Sunday, Feb. 12, on Fox.
For those sports fans lucky enough to get tickets to the event itself, the stands will be packed with an enviable spread of colors representing each of the two teams. State Farm Stadium, with its 73,000-person “mega event” capacity (it generally holds 63,400 spectators but can be stretched to accommodate up to 73,000 for large events such as the Super Bowl), has hosted the competition twice before — once in 2008 when the New York Giants defeated the New England Patriots, 17-14, and again in 2015 when the Patriots returned to snag a 28-24 win against the Seattle Seahawks.
As is the case with most end-ofthe-season sporting events, the Super Bowl is a direct reflection of the year that preceded it. The reigning champion Los Angeles Rams did not make the playoffs this year — perhaps a sign of the six-year, $120-million trade of Von Miller to the Buffalo Bills — so they can pass the Vince Lombardi Trophy on knowing that the L.A. franchise has at least secured its two-time-winner status.
Another factor that seems to have contributed to league standings headed into the 2022-23 playoffs is player injuries. Ironically, the teams that suffered the most injuries over the course of the regular season bounced back to give their all heading into the Super Bowl. Ahead of the Jan. 29 AFC and NFC championships, six of the eight league-leading teams each boasted more than seven injuries over the course of the season: the Cincinnati Bengals (13), Buffalo Bills (12), Dallas Cowboys (11), San Francisco 49ers (10), Philadelphia Eagles (eight) Kansas City Chiefs (seven).
Of these teams, the Cowboys have won the most Super Bowls in history (six), followed closely by the 49ers (five). This season, however, the topseeded Eagles have managed a solid offence, which was especially strong heading into the playoffs when they beat the New York Giants 38-7, and then manhandled the San Francisco 49ers 31-7 in the NFC championship game. The Chiefs, meanwhile, sailed into the AFC championship on the backs of the Jacksonville Jaguars during the Jan. 21 divisional, and came away with a 23-20 win over the Cincinnati Bengals on Jan. 29.
For those less interested in the game itself but still up for some entertainment, the Super Bowl has always offered a secondary and tertiary draw: quirky, comedic commercials and high-octane halftime shows.
While the majority of the commercials are kept secret ahead of the big day, the halftime show is a highly anticipated affair. Singer, actress and business owner Rihanna is performing just nine months after the birth of her son, who has yet to be named to the media. She and her partner, rapper A$AP Rocky, welcomed the infant May 13, 2022.
The Fenty Beauty entrepreneur and “Love on the Brain” singer has taken some time off from her career as of late to focus on family but acknowledged to “Extra’s” Terri Seymour that her decision to accept the Super Bowl LVII halftime show felt like a “now or never” situation.
“There’s this weird [thing] that happens when you become a mom,” Rihanna said. “You just unleash or unlock other parts of your superpower, you feel like you can take on or you could do anything. … I wanted to take on the challenge and I wanted to do something that would force me to get back on stage.”
The “Ocean’s 8” (2018) star wrapped up her statement by adding a simple, yet pointed comment: “I’m a performer and I love it.”
The musician, who announced her new gig with a photo of her recognizably tattooed hand holding up a football on Instagram, has a large repertoire of songs to choose from on Feb. 12. While she may sprinkle in a few older or low-tempo hits for her bigger fans, chances are RiRi will keep the energy high with songs like “Where Have You Been?,” “SOS,” “Work” (originally featuring her exboyfriend, rapper Drake) and “Lift Me Up” from the recent Marvel film, “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” (2022).
The good news is, no matter which songs the “Pon de Replay” singer chooses for her big, postpartum return to the stage, there is no doubt crowd spirits will be high and that the show will be incredible.
No matter the reason you tune in, don’t miss a minute of one of the biggest television events of the year. Super Bowl LVII airs live from State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, Sunday, Feb. 12, on Fox.