Super Bowl: Melbourne man catches the ball used to kick the winning field goal

A last-minute offer to attend the Super Bowl could end with a big win for a lucky Melbourne man.

Eamonn Dixon has walked away with a special piece of history. Credit: Eamonn Dixon

After plucking the ball used to kick the winning field goal at the Super Bowl out of the air, Aussie Eamonn Dixon was given some pretty shrewd advice form security at State Farm Arena in Arizona.

Mr Dixon, a Melburnian who lives in San Francisco, got a late-call up to attend the clash and was in the right position to catch the ball after Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker nailed the matchwinning goal.

It sailed over the huge net behind the goals as the Chiefs nailed the Philadelphia Eagles 38-35, and Dixon did everything he could to hold onto it.

Brilliant work by Eamonn Dixon! https://t.co/ycWDmI1XPQ

— mark davidson (@markjdavidson) February 13, 2023

Knowing it could soon be hot property on the sports memorabilia market, a security guard suggested Dixon depart and quickly.

“You don’t expect it – that’s why I was a bit taken aback … luckily I held on to both the phone and the ball,” he told 3AW on Tuesday morning.

“I didn’t drop the phone and luckily I wasn’t holding a beer as well, that would have been a bit awkward.

“I caught it and then there was a bit of mayhem. It was a pretty exciting game and everyone was asking for photos with me and giving me high fives and then the security guard tapped me on the shoulder and said I think you should get out of here pretty quickly with that thing before some other people try to grab it.

Eamonn Dixon, creative director on Doritos at Goodby Silverstein & Partners, caught the winning field goal at the game tonight. 🏈 @GSPpic.twitter.com/5g0NjG5g7U

— Tim Nudd (@nudd) February 13, 2023

“Everyone was trying to get it off me, but one of my friends who I was with, I shoved it in her bag and we sort of got ushered to the exit and all of a sudden I was out in the carpark.”

Dixon said he’s had “a few people” ask him what the ball was worth, and he’d be keen to sell it.

While the ball is certain to have some value, as one of 54 used in the Super Bowl, its worth won’t quite hit the heights of Tom Brady’s last touchdown pass before his first retirement; that ball selling for more than $500,000.

“I‘ve got no need to hang on to it, I’ve got the memories and the photos and all of this experience, which has been pretty incredible,” he told Nova FM.

“So yeah, for the right price, I’ll definitely palm it off to someone who I’m sure to enjoy a lot more than I will on their mantelpiece. But for now, I’m pretty happy just to have it.”

Originally published as Super Bowl: Melbourne man catches the ball used to kick the winning field goal