The NFL has been flaunting for years that more women have been watching the sport. This past fall saw the greatest spike in female viewership in NFL history.
One can’t help but assume this spike has something to do with Taylor Swift, the Grammy award-winning musician, who’s recently become associated with the NFL. Last September she was linked to the Kansas City Chiefs’ tight end Travis Kelce, a two-time Super Bowl champion and seven-time Pro Bowler (aka the NFL’s version of an all-star game). Since then, women and girls have been watching football like never before to catch glimpses of Taylor.
The Super Bowl this Sunday will feature the Chiefs against the San Francisco 49ers. And while I’m not here to pick sides (go 49ers), I’m just here to explain what the stakes are for this weekend and give you enough knowledge to watch the game (even if it’s just for Taylor).
To begin, the NFL is split into two conferences, the AFC and the NFC. Every year the best team from each conference faces off in the Super Bowl. Including playoff wins, the 49ers are 14-5 for the season and the Chiefs 14-6. The 49ers are coming in as the home team, as they were the #1 seed in the NFC, while the Chiefs were the #3 seed in the AFC.
However, the game this year is being played at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, NV. It is worth noting though, that 49ers fans will have a much easier time getting to the stadium than Chiefs fans.
The biggest name for this game is Patrick Mahomes, the quarterback for the Chiefs. Since his first start, Mahomes has been almost unstoppable, winning the Offensive Player of the Year award once, two league MVPs, as well as two Super Bowl victories and MVPs.
This is a stark comparison to the 49ers’ quarterback Brock Purdy aka Mr. Irrelevant. The 24-year-old was No. 262 and final pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. He started his career as the third-string quarterback and only took over following Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppollo’s injuries.
Even without a resume like Mahomes, Purdy has put up impressive numbers this season, including throwing for 4,280 yards (4th best in the NFL this season) and 31 touchdowns (3rd best in the NFL this season). Other players to watch include the 49ers’ running back Christian McCaffrey, who led the league in rushing yards for the season with 1,459, for reference he’s the first 49er to do so since the 1950s.
Finally, Kelce, Mahomes’ favorite target for years now, is arguably the best tight end in the NFL currently. Two weeks ago, he recorded 11 receptions for 116 years and one touchdown in the 17-10 win in the AFC Championship over the Baltimore Ravens.
In the end though, this Sunday’s game is just another game and only watch if you would like to. There’s no shame in watching just for Usher and Taylor Swift. However if you are turning in to CBS at 6:30 p.m., I hope you have the confidence to sit amongst the men who claim to know everything and swear they could be playing themselves.