2016 is the year of Super Bowl 50. Rather than naming it "Super Bowl L," the NFL has wisely decided to temporarily abandon the traditional Roman numerals and size associations in favor of the bold number marking this historic anniversary. There is a lot of history going into this game, including 50 years of Super Bowl Championships and over 100 years of professional American football. There are all kinds of countdowns going as we get closer to the 7th of February, chronicling the last 49 match-ups, the MVPs, the noteworthy plays, the score books, and more. Just follow the NFL's Instagram account for a daily post with an iconic moment in Super Bowl history.
Although a lot of the hype for this Super Bowl involves looking back, there is even more to look forward to when watching this Sunday. Aside from the fact that it will be a great game of football, the Super Bowl is always a huge production designed to draw in as many viewers as possible. Levi's Stadium, home of the San Francisco 49ers, is geared up to host the biggest Super Bowl yet in sunny Santa Clara, CA. With the entirety of "Super Bowl City" week leading up to the final Sunday of the season, Coldplay joined by Bruno Mars and Beyonce for the halftime show, and commercials that are certain to be crazier and more attention-grabbing than ever, the 50th anniversary of football's biggest event is gearing up to be a big one.
Then there are the teams and franchise faces that are what all the hype is really about. The Denver Broncos are in their eighth Super Bowl appearance, having only won two, and the Carolina Panthers are back for their second. Peyton Manning, the aging super star with an incredible arm, and Can Newton, a young stud with a serious running ability, are facing off in an interesting battle of the AFC and NFC champions.
The Panthers went through the majority of their regular season undefeated, accruing only one loss (to the Atlanta Falcons, oddly enough). Coming in hot to the Super Bowl after blowing out the Cardinals to win the NFC, they are definitely the favorite to win. Plenty of kids will be in the front rows looking for Cam Newton to bless them with his thousand-watt smile and a touchdown football. The young franchise is eager for its first Lombardi trophy and their infectious excitement is setting the tone for the Super Bowl Sunday hype.
Then we have the Broncos, who have had a somewhat rockier season, but who are still are coming into Super Bowl Sunday with a decisive win over a strangely pathetic-looking Patriots team in the AFC Championship. Flipping between the legendary Peyton Manning and Brock Osweiler, who stepped up in an impressive way to fill in the gaps and pick up wins when Manning was out, the Broncos have operated under pressure all season. Rising to the occasion all year and now peaking at just the right time, they're now a legitimate threat to the Panthers' dominant run.
Regardless of how the game turns out, Super Bowl 50 is guaranteed to be one for the record books. It's worth tuning in this Sunday to see the festivities and American football at its finest!
