On February 12, 2023, millions of people dressed in red and green jerseys tuned in to watch the most anticipated sporting event of the year, the Super Bowl. The Super Bowl is an annual football game that marks the end of the NFL’s season, and it is traditionally held on the second Sunday of February each  year. This year State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona had the honor of hosting the event, where fans from all across the country traveled to see this monumental game.

For nearly sixty years, the Super Bowl has wowed fans with astonishing performances, increased tension, and a lot of football fun. After months of practice, relentlessness, and hard work, the Kansas City Chiefs went up against the Philadelphia Eagles. In the days leading up to the 57th Super Bowl, the Eagles were favored to win by only 1.5 points. But did they prevail?

Before the Game

Hours before the big game started, the 19th Puppy Bowl began, which was hosted by referee Dan Schachner and sportscasters Steve Levy and Taylor Rooks. This event has collected funds to give homes to animals for years, and this year was no different. To raise awareness for the loving pets, a mini Super Bowl takes place where dogs are separated into Team Ruff and Team Fluff. They must score points by making touchdowns with various dog toys. This year, Team Fluff beat Team Ruff in a close, 87-83 win, taking home the “Lombarky” trophy. All of the pups have been adopted, thanks to hundreds of loving and caring families.

Right before the start of the game, administrator of Athens Technological College, Fabersha Flynt, had the coveted honor of performing the coin toss. The coin landed on tails, which meant that the Chiefs got the choice of whether or not to have possession of the football first. They elected for the Eagles to kick first.

First Half

Eagles’ kicker Harrison Butker started off the game with a strong kick to the other side. Through persistence and strength, the Eagles were able to score the first touchdown, though the Chiefs were able to tie the score 7-7 by the end of the quarter, and by the end of the half, the score was 14-24, with Philadelphia in the lead.

Halftime

After the second quarter timer ran out, millions of people, football fans and non-football fans alike, gathered in front of their screens for the long awaited halftime show. Every year since 1991, famous singers have performed outstanding repertoires of their music, often accompanied by amazing dancers, beautiful lights and crazy stunts.

This year, Rihanna performed many of her songs, including “Only Girl in The World,” “Work,” and “We Found Love.” Morris Knolls freshman Madison Sipple remarked, “I think the halftime show was great and Rihanna slayed!” Though many artists have constantly changed outfits throughout the show in the past, Rihanna chose not to and sported an all red outfit. Many fans didn’t love this, but forgave the situation when the singer announced her pregnancy to the world on stage. With so much news and excitement going around, it’s no wonder that this performance was the 2nd-most watched in Super Bowl history with 118.7 million viewers, behind Katy Perry’s show in 2015.

Second Half

Many thought that since the Eagles were leading by ten points at the end of the first half, they would score many more touchdowns, especially since Patrick Mahomes, the Chiefs’ quarterback, was injured. However, the game took a surprising turn, and in the third quarter the score was 21-27, which looked promising for the Eagles.

Almost all hope was lost for Kansas City until Mahomes came off the bench to win the game for the Chiefs. They scored seventeen points in the last quarter, while Philadelphia only scored eight, making the final score 38-35 and clinching the win for the Chiefs. MK freshman Soniya Shah said, “I think the game was great, but I didn’t like the Chiefs winning. I’m an Eagles fan!” Overall, the game was a sensation for all football fans.

The Super Bowl marked the end of the 2022-2023 NFL season, but don’t worry; the next season, along with the next Super Bowl, will be here before you know it.