The National Football League (NFL) is set to have its 59th Super Bowl on Sunday, February 9th at 6:30 p.m. featuring a rematch of the Kansas City Chiefs versus Philadelphia Eagles at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. An event that attracted 123 million viewers last year, and even more expected this year, the Super Bowl is a historic event that dates back to 1966 after a merger agreement between the NFL and the American Football League (AFL). Recently, the AFC and NFC championships held two matchups to decide who will compete in the Super Bowl. The Kansas City Chiefs overcame the Buffalo Bills, 32-29, and the Philadelphia Eagles beat the Washington Commanders 55-23.

The Chiefs enter as the favorites to win as they have won four of their five last games against the Eagles. However, there is hope on both ends of the matchup as history will be made no matter the outcome. A win for the Chiefs will crown them as the first NFL team to win three consecutive Super Bowls. Alternatively, Eagles star players Saquon Barkley and Jalen Hurts look for revenge after a tight loss back in 2023, 35-38.

Senior Phillip Mahamedi thinks the Chiefs will come out with the win. “Give me Mahomes and the Chiefs. He’s the best when the lights are brightest,” he said.

Although the Super Bowl showcases world-class football, many watch the event for the entertainment and legendary half-time performances. This year Kendrick Lamar and SZA are set to take the stage during halftime. In 2022, Kendrick Lamar made a surprise appearance at Snoop Dogg and Dr Dre’s halftime show and has since been hinting at his return to the spotlight. Award-winning singer SZA will appear as a guest star, and many speculate she will perform the hit song “Kill Bill.”

Those who aren’t super interested in football watch the Super Bowl just for the creative commercials. Some of the nation’s biggest advertisers pour large amounts of money into minute-long commercials. Thirty seconds of air time has reportedly averaged 8 million dollars for Super Bowl LIX. Mark Evans, executive vice president of ad sales for Fox said, “There will be more focus on AI and slightly more pharmaceutical companies advertising this year.”

Last year, one of the most popular commercials was produced by State Farm which featured Arnold Schwarzzanager as Jake from State Farm.
Senior Arjun Virk loves watching the commercials and is especially excited for the classic “Avocados from Mexico” advertisement. “Avocados from Mexico have been a legendary commercial for many years now and I’m looking forward to hearing the jingle again this year,” he said.

One of the best ways to engage in Super Bowl Sunday if you’re not a huge football fan is to take part in the classic predictions games. Whether you host a Super Bowl party or are watching alone, every year there are different predictions that viewers bet on. Some are football-related, including, “Will the first offensive play be a run or a play?” or “How many total turnovers will occur throughout the whole game?” Others are more playful including, “Will the national anthem be under or over 120.5 seconds?” and “Will the MVP thank God or his parents first?”

Altogether, the historic matchup, exciting halftime show, and legendary commercials all make for a thrilling Super Bowl LIX this Sunday.