No matter the result – our city wins
Whether it's the Philadelphia Eagles or Kansas City Chiefs that walk off the football field tonight with the Lombardi Trophy in hand following the Super Bowl, Starkville still wins.
You've probably heard this a time or two this week, but two former Starkville Yellow Jacket teammates AJ Brown and Willie Gay Jr. will be tak- ing the field on the biggest stage in the National Football League.
After claiming the state championship in 2015 and playing out their high school careers, Brown and Gay went their separate ways to college. Brown went to Ole Miss, while Gay decided to stay home and play at Mississippi State.
The careers for Brown and Gay may have taken different paths following their prep days in Starkville, but the goal for both was to play in the NFL some day. That dream was realized when Brown was drafted by the Tennessee Titans and Gay was taken by the Chiefs.
Gay has overcome some injuries and adversity off the field to contribute to Kansas City's run this season. He has made tackles, gotten to opposing quarterbacks for sacks and even has an interception return for a touchdown.
In a twist of fate for Brown, he saw an opportunity to join the Eagles when the contract with the Titans wasn't quite where he wanted it to be. Philadelphia was on the cusp of having a great team even before Brown became a part of the organization, but the Eagles really took off once he arrived.
Brown became just another weapon at the wide receiver position for quarterback Jalen Hurts to use. It turned out to be a nice connection and Brown led Philadelphia with 1,496 yards and 11 touchdowns during the regular season.
There was no doubt in my mind while watching Brown and Gay perform in high school that they were destined for greatness.
Starkville can be and it is proud of the accomplishments of Brown and Gay. While attending a pep rally in their honor on Saturday at 16th Section Missionary Baptist Church, many expressed their thoughts and well wishes to them on the eve of the Super Bowl.
This is an important day for Starkville and for Mississippi State with four players involved on defense with Gay, Chris Jones, Fletcher Cox and Darius Slay. There are many more connections with the Super Bowl and the state of Mississippi.
It's not really a surprise to see the Eagles and Chiefs as the two teams left standing after the regular season and playoffs. After all, they were the top seeds in their respective conferences. It doesn't always work out that way, but in this case, the favorites or the best teams made it to the big game.
As tradition when giving thoughts on the Super Bowl, a prediction is usually included in this space. This year, it's a tough one because the teams seem so evenly matched. Both have dynamic offenses and solid defenses. It's the type of outing where special teams could play a key role.
Philadelphia has played the most consistent football all season with fewer hiccups and two impressive playoff victories.
A play here or there could be the difference. This should be the type of game where neither team deserves lose. My pick? Philadelphia 27-24.
Danny P. Smith is the sports editor of The Starkville Daily News. The opinions in this column are his and not necessarily the views of the SDN or its staff.