Not only did Super Bowl 50 mark half a century of Super Bowl history, it also probably marked the end of a legendary era. Peyton Manning, more than likely, played his last game on Sunday. There was absolutely no better way for him to go out than as a Super Bowl champion. However, the Panther’s exceptional season and Cam Newton’s NFL MVP performance should not be forgotten. Below are five takeaways from Super Bowl 50:
1. Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos
Super Bowl 50 essentially marked the end of Peyton Manning’s legendary 18 year career. Fans around the league were rooting for him and were more than overwhelmed when the Denver Broncos defense, particularly Super Bowl 50 MVP Von Miller, held Cam Newton and the Panthers to only 10 points and helped Peyton get his second Super Bowl ring. If Peyton Manning does indeed decided to retire, this game will end up being the perfect ending to his NFL career.
2. Lady Gaga
Whenever most of us think about Lady Gaga, we think about the weird outfits and strange personality. During the Super Bowl, however, Lady GaGa sang a beautiful, personalized rendition of our National Anthem while dressed in an all red outfit with American flag heels. She capped off her performance by saying, “God Bless America.” It was a definitely the performance of a lifetime for the platinum artist.
3. The Halftime Show
This year’s halftime show featured Coldplay, Beyonce, and Bruno Mars. The show began with Coldplay singing a few of their most popular songs, followed by a spectacular rendition of “Uptown Funk” performed by Bruno Mars, and lastly an electrifying special guest appearance by Beyonce whose outfit honored Michael Jackson’s attire in his own 1993 halftime performance. The performance ended with all three performers sharing the stage as they sang “Believe in Love.” Hands down one of the best halftime performances in years.
4. Commercials, Of Course
If you watch the Super Bowl to see the commercials, you were probably pretty impressed with the humorous, clever, and impactful commercials that were aired. For example, one commercial featured Betty White doing the “dab.” She later tweeted that she taught Cam Newton “everything he knows.”
5. Super Bowl MVP Recognitions
Prior to kickoff, the NFL honored every Super Bowl MVP since Super Bowl I. It was a special ceremony that featured decades of Hall of Famers and football legends such as Bart Starr, Joe Namath, Terry Bradshaw, Joe Montana, Jerry Rice, Emmitt Smith, John Elway, Drew Brees, Aaron Rodgers, and Tom Brady.
Super Bowl 50 marked the end of an era and celebrated 50 years of Super Bowl History. From the ceremonies before, to the singing of the national anthem, to the halftime show, and in regards to the game itself, it was definitely one for the books.
