It’s the young gun vs. the old dog: Who has the most Super Bowl tricks up their sleeve?
By Andrew Reever
Quarter by quarter, play by play, Super Bowl 56. A battle, an opportunity for one of these two quarterbacks to capture their first Super Bowl title and to win one of the biggest games in America on Sunday night. Will the young gun, Joe Burrow, be the new legacy and face of the franchise, Or will it be Matthew Stafford, the “sensei’’ that will end the old era of quarterbacks with this title?
A game, created by sewn pigskin to create something that has changed American history forever, the game of football. Legacies that were created for decades leading to a new generation of players over the years, have brought us to a battle of two completely different quarterbacks.
Burrow played several seasons at Ohio State before transferring to LSU, where he won the Heisman Trophy and the national title as a senior. He was picked by the Bengals as the 2020 draft’s first pick overall. Stafford played college football at Georgia, where he was a first-team All-American, and was selected first overall by the Detroit Lions in the 2009 NFL Draft. He was traded to the Rams before the 2021 season.
These two teams will face off for a title that the Rams have only won once as a franchise, in 2000 when they were still playing in St. Louis, and the Bengals have never won. They played and lost in the 1981 and 1988 Super Bowls.
A win in Sunday’s game will cement the legacy of one of these two quarterbacks and the legacy behind their names.
When it comes to the history of these two teams and the passionate fan bases that stand behind them, the outcome of this Super Bowl may lead to a great surprise.
Many individuals would love to see Stafford win his first Super Bowl because of the time and dedication he has placed into the NFL throughout his lifetime. Older generations are looking forward to this, along with seeing some of the 1990’s hip hop performers during the Super Bowl’s exciting halftime show. The results of the younger generation have shown that they want to see young gun Burrow win his first Super Bowl title.
Admittedly, some are not excited for the Super Bowl, especially the halftime lineup. Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre and Kendrick Lamar are scheduled to perform along with Mary J. Blige and Eminem.
Interviewed by The Spartan, one said, “I rather have a performer(s) from today’s rap and hip hop.” Several students interviewed said they will not be watching the Super Bowl or will only watch parts of the game.
Does the young buck have what it takes to win the title or does the old dog still have enough in the tank to teach and humble the second-year quarterback? That’s the primary story line heading into Sunday night, a game that has the potential to be one for the books.
Andrew Reever is a junior and a sports management major.
