Super Bowl LVIII: Who should Falcons fans root for?
Another year, another season without the Falcons in the Super Bowl. For the seventh straight season, the Atlanta Falcons are bystanders, watching the pinnacle of their sport from the couch. No Robert Alford pick-sixes. No Julio Jones jaw-dropping sideline receptions. No Devonta Freeman game-changing missed blocks. (watching from home might be worth it actually) Instead, for the second time in four years, the Kansas City Chiefs will tee off against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, February 11th for everlasting glory.
As usual, many narratives are circulating in the sports world to drum up interest from fanbases in a similar spot. After all, out of 32 teams, 30 are sitting at home. Thirty thirty-seconds of the NFL's global fanbase have no investment in this game. Ninety-four percent of the league tuning in to watch two teams that are not their own (and in some cases their bitter rivals) compete to win it all. Some can watch the game free of bias. Others need to find something to pull them in and become fans of a team not their own for the evening.
Once more, it is time for Falcons fans to decide which team they want to root for come Super Bowl Sunday. Who to choose? Ex-Falcons OC Kyle Shanahan, whom many Falcons fans still hold grudges with for SB51? Mahomes and Kelce's merry band of brick-handed misfits? Perhaps underdog QB Brock Purdy, the former Mr. Irrelevant himself? Travis Kelce and his superstar sweetheart Taylor Swift? What about something a bit more personal? What about former Falcons competing for their chance at a Super Bowl ring?