Super Bowl LIX ultimate guide: Three-peats, rap feuds, Taylor Swift and everything you need to know
From a Taylor Swift marriage proposal to the half time show and everything in between, we’ve got you covered – whether you’re a hardcore NFL fan, a Swiftie or just tuning in for the first time.
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Will Travis Kelce propose to Taylor Swift if the Chiefs win Super Bowl LIX?
Will Swift have bestie Blake Lively in her private box?
Will Kendrick Lamar bring out Lil Wayne during his halftime show?
There is the game, and then there is craziness around the game that will draw the eyes of the world to the Kansas City Chiefs versus the Philadelphia Eagles showdown for the most prized trophy in American sport.
The Chiefs are attempting a historic three-peat, with no team winning three Super Bowls in succession, while the Eagles are on a revenge mission after they lost the big game two years ago to Kansas.
But the drama on the field will be matched by numerous chaotic storylines off it.
Here is everything you need to know.
THE FEUDS
Swift and Kelce became an item during last season, and the pop star was at most of the Chiefs games, including their Super Bowl victory over San Francisco 49ers in Las Vegas.
On that occasion, Swift had her best friend Lively in her private booth, and the glamour pair celebrated every Chiefs touchdown.
After the Chiefs prevailed, Swift made her way down to the field to give Kelce a celebratory kiss that melted Swiftie hearts across the globe.
This season, their relationship has grown even stronger, leading many to speculate that if the Chiefs win, Kelce will use the opportunity to get down on bended knee and pop the question at Caesars Superdome.
However, the occasion might be awkward, as US President Donald Trump has signalled that he will be in attendance.
You’ll recall that after Swift endorsed his rival Kamala Harris before the US election last year, Trump posted: “I hate Taylor Swift”.
Perhaps Kelce will save it for another day, in more appreciative company.
And while Lively was a committed supporting act last year, it would surprise if she makes an appearance alongside Swift this time.
Lively has been embroiled in an ugly legal battle against fellow actor Justin Baldoni, with murky antics emerging from both sides following a spat during a movie production.
In Baldoni’s legal submission, he cited interference from Lively’s husband, Ryan Reynolds, and her “high profile friend” – who many have deduced to be Swift – in the movie’s script changes.
Interestingly, Swift has made no comment in support of Lively during the tumultuous past few weeks.
Meanwhile, Swift will face opposition from her potential future sister-in-law
Kelce’s brother Jason played for the Eagles, retiring after the Super Bowl loss in 2023. His wife Kylie is a lifelong Philadelphia fan and even though Jason is no longer playing, she has vowed to wear Eagles kit to the game.
THE HALF-TIME SHOW
Kendrick Lamar just became the first artist in history to win the Grammy Awards song of the year with a diss track.
His scathing take-down of rap rival Drake will make Not Like Us the most anticipated song of the Super Bowl halftime show.
But while he may be the hottest rapper on the planet right now, the decision to give Lamar the halftime show in New Orleans over the city’s favourite son, Lil Wayne, dismayed many hip-hop devotees.
Kendrick and Drake have been viciously feuding via back-and-forth diss tracks for several months. And the problem is that Lil Wayne is one of Drake’s closest allies – Wayne signed Drake to his label when the Canadian star first emerged.
Halftime shows are renowned for surprise guest appearances, but it would be something else if Wayne emerged on stage alongside his mate’s worst enemy. Wayne said earlier this week he won’t even be in his home town … or will he?
The singer SZA is guaranteed to be one of the co-stars of Kendrick’s show, while others speculated as possible guests include Future, Metro Boomin, Doechii, Travis Scott and even Janet Jackson.
THE BETS
You can bet on just about anything during the Super Bowl.
US bookmakers are running odds on what colour Gatorade will be poured over the winning coach – purple leads orange at this stage – how long the national anthem will be sung for (the record is 156 seconds by Alicia Keys in 2013), what colour tie Tom Brady will wear while commentating, and what song Kendrick will open his show with.
THE COMMERCIALS
The most watched ads of the year have now jumped to a record $US8 million price for a 30-second spot during the Super Bowl.
But companies are happy to splurge on talent and TV time, knowing hundreds of millions in the US and abroad get exposed to their product.
This year, if you can access the US feed, you can expect to see David Beckham and Matt Damon become twin brothers for Stella Artois, Meg Ryan reprise her role from When Harry Met Sally for Hellman’s mayonnaise, Ben and Casey Affleck reeling in Jeremy Strong for another Dunkin Donuts campaign, ice cream brand Haagen-Dazs filming a Fast And the Furious ad featuring Vin Diesel and Ludacris, while Matthew McConaughey, Martha Stewart, Charli XCX and Kevin Bacon will promote Uber Eats.
THE HISTORY
The circus will play out while the Chiefs and Eagles battle it out over the “world’s best” American football team.
History is on the line for both.
Not since the Green Bay Packers of 1965-67 has one team won three in a row – but the Super Bowl was only introduced in 1966. The Packers’ win in 1965 didn’t feature playoffs.
The Chiefs have won three of the past four, and have made the Super Bowl in five of the past six years to create a dynasty that they are being likened to Brady’s New England Patriots.
What Brady and the Patriots never managed to do is win the three-peat.
Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is seen by most as the only man who can hope to equal Brady’s record of seven Super Bowl rings (six with New England, one with Tampa Bay).
Mahomes is the best player in the league, and his reputation as the most clutch athlete in the world continued to grow as he led his team to an astonishing NFL record 17 one-score wins from last season to this.
But the Eagles have the most potent running player in the game in Saquon Barkley.
He only joined the Eagles this season, but Barkley is on the verge of smashing a record many believed could not be broken.
He has rushed for 2447 yards this season, and with just 30 more in the Super Bowl he will break the all-time record set by Terrell Davis in 1998 (2476 yards).
To put his unbelievable feat in perspective, no other players in the history of the NFL has rushed for more than 1700 yards in one season.
The Eagles have won only one Super Bowl, in 2018.
WHAT DOES JORDAN MAILATA DO?
Australia’s highest paid athlete doesn’t even touch a football.
Mailata’s primary job is to protect his quarterback, Jalen Hurts.
When Mailata lines up at his position of left tackle, he must repel the onslaught of defenders trying to break through the line and tackle, or “sack”, Hurts before he can pass the ball.
It is a job that requires immense strength, with Mailata only able to stop rival defenders by using his hands and foot positioning to push them for long enough for Hurts to get his throw away. If Mailata touches their helmets, or throws them to the ground by grabbing them around the shoulders, he will be penalised.
The left tackle must also be adept at reading the defensive positioning, as they will often try to disguise their blitzes and come at Hurts from unexpected angles or with players not traditionally used for sacks.
Mailata’s other important job is to be a blocker for other players including star running back Saquon Barkley.
If Barkley gets a hand-off from Hurts and shifts to the left, he will be relying on Mailata to clear a path for him to race through, which usually means Mailata has shoved one or two defenders off their trajectory.
Originally published as Super Bowl LIX ultimate guide: Three-peats, rap feuds, Taylor Swift and everything you need to know
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