The biggest event in American sports kicks off on Sunday as the New England Patriots take on the Seattle Seahawks in the Super Bowl, and “Bad Bunny” has sparked controversy with his halftime show.
With more than 120 million Americans expected to tune in to watch this unparalleled annual pop culture extravaganza, this year two teams no one expected will reach the NFL championship decider.
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The Seahawks have the best defense in the league and are a fringe favorite. But they face a Patriots team that knows how to win.
New England is seeking a record seventh Lombardi Trophy and its first since the departure of Tom Brady, widely considered the greatest player of all time in the NFL.
According to bookmakers, this is the most unlikely Super Bowl of the modern era. Both teams started the season with odds of 60 to 1 or less all the way.
“We’re in good shape. The guys are in high spirits,” Seahawks coach Mike McDonald said after Seattle’s final practice Saturday.
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“Finally. It took a while to get here. But it’s here. It’s awesome.”
Sports games aside, all eyes will be on Grammy Award-winning Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny’s historic halftime performance.
He is expected to deliver the first-ever Super Bowl song sung entirely in Spanish.
One of the world’s greatest artists, Bad Bunny has been an outspoken critic of Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown policies. Speculation is rife that he might use the huge platform of the Super Bowl to double down.
The US President claimed the performance would “spread hatred” and would not take part in this year’s competition.
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The Super Bowl kicks off at 3:30 pm local time (2330 GMT) at the 75,000-capacity Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
-“Evil Empire”-
Once so dominant that it was dubbed the “Evil Empire,” New England has struggled since Brady’s departure in 2020, but they have been reborn this season under Coach of the Year Mike Vrabel.
Rising star quarterback Derek Meyer led the resurgent Patriots to a league-best 17 wins, including the playoffs.
At 23, he would become the youngest starting quarterback to win football’s biggest award, after missing out on being named this season’s Most Valuable Player by one vote this week.
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Meyer is an excellent runner with the ball and the best player in the league at long-distance passing.
But the young phenom was also sacked more than almost any other quarterback.
Meyer faced a Seattle defense that loved to swarm opposing signal-callers and allowed the fewest points in the league.
The Seahawks have just one Super Bowl championship in their trophy cabinet, their most recent appearance coming in 2015 when they lost to Brady’s Patriots.
In order for Seattle to get revenge in Sunday’s rematch, quarterback Sam Darnold must shed his long-standing reputation for wilting under pressure.
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Darnold, a journeyman, played for four NFL clubs before rejuvenating himself with a stellar debut performance in Seattle.
The Seahawks also have wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who was named the Offensive Player of the Season.
-“Big Party”-
Sunday’s win would be historic for the Patriots, who are currently tied with the Pittsburgh Steelers for the most Super Bowl titles with six.
Approximately 90,000 fans flock to the Bay Area, and sports wealth is expected to bring a $500 million economic boost to the Bay Area.
The game is played against the backdrop of Trump’s divisive and brutal immigration crackdown. Anger is running high after federal agents killed two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis last month.
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The NFL’s security chief this week dismissed media reports that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers would have a role in the game.
But politics may not be entirely absent. Bad Bunny took to the Grammy stage last weekend to denounce ICE.
Details of his Super Bowl set are being kept under wraps, although Bad Bunny has promised to showcase Puerto Rican culture in “one big party.”
America/bb