Super Bowl

Ben Collins
BBC Sport journalist in New Orleans

Image source, Getty Images

Pop out for a meal on Super Bowl weekend and you never know who you might bump in to.

Heading out, we saw Jameis Winston, who played quarterback for the Cleveland Browns this season and is now a free agent.

Heading back, we saw someone a little more famous. Well, we almost saw her.

There was a huge crowd gathered outside an Italian restaurant in the Warehouse/Arts District called Gianna.

Naturally, one asks what they're all waiting for. It couldn't be, could it...

It could... Taylor Swift was dining with sisters Danielle and Alana from the band Haim, plus her boyfriend Travis Kelce's sister-in-law Kylie Kelce.

Some fans were even stood on the back of a pick-up truck, hoping to catch a glimpse of Swift, who will be cheering on Kelce's Kansas City Chiefs in the Superdome on Sunday.

Image source, BBC Sport

Image source, BBC Sport

It may not be Mardi Gras this weekend but New Orleans made sure it gave NFL fans some of the Mardi Gras vibes as the city prepares to host Super Bowl 59.

They held a parade on Saturday and, keeping up with tradition, beads were launched from floats into the crowd.

This guy got a bit carried away though.

"I just started putting on beads and everyone started helping me," he told BBC Sport's Katie Smith.

They sure did!!

Image source, Getty Images

Politics and sport don't mix? Try telling that to the Trump family.

Donald Trump will become the first sitting US president to attend a Super Bowl on Sunday.

Swing state Pennsylvania played a major part in Trump being re-elected and his son has not forgotten that. It's even clouding his judgement on who will win Super Bowl 59.

The cities of Philadelphia and New York have a long-standing rivalry and the Eagles are divisional rivals of the New York Giants, but Donald Trump Jr is willing to ignore all that.

Speaking at the Fanatics Super Bowl party, he told BBC Sport: "I went to school in Philadelphia but as a New Yorker I probably have to go with the Chiefs.

"But Pennsylvania was pretty good to us this year so I'm a little bit torn."

Image source, Getty Images

The biggest Super Bowl parties are taking place on the eve of the big game, and some of the biggest names are attending the annual party hosted by American billionaire Michael Rubin.

The Fanatics founder and chief executive has invited a host of current and former NFL players, plus an eclectic bunch ranging from British rapper Stormzy to Manchester City midfielder Rodri, actor Kevin Costner and the US president's son Donald Trump Jr.

The performers included Travis Scott and Post Malone, with the latter also playing a tailgate concert outside the Superdome before Sunday's game.

Image source, Reuters

Head coach Nick Sirianni and quarterback Jalen Hurts are heading to their second Super Bowl in three years with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Again they are facing the Kansas City Chiefs and Sirianni says the Eagles have done things differently in New Orleans.

"[It's] slightly different stuff with our schedule, things that we thought we could have done better the last time," he said.

"It's a different team, we're a different team. We've just been preparing and we're up for the challenge."

Fans of all NFL teams have poured into the city since Thursday, but the Eagles are there on business not pleasure.

"I've tried to preach to the guys that everyone else is here for the enjoyment and the experience; we're here to play a football game," Sirianni added.

"We're here to make sure that all the work we put in for the last however many weeks – it feels like a long time – is to play our best football at the end of the year."

Image source, Reuters

The Kansas City Chiefs wrapped up their week of Super Bowl preparations with a short walk-through on Saturday morning, as a mini Mardi Gras parade wound across the city.

The session lasted approximately 30 minutes, and coach Andy Reid said his players will get some free time before gathering for a team meeting in the evening.

The Chiefs practiced in the uniforms they will wear Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles, with white jerseys and red pants, and after Chiefs owner Clark Hunt addressed the team upon the conclusion of practice, everybody made their way to a set of risers positioned at the end of the field for a team photo.

The next time Kansas City takes the field, it will be to play for its third consecutive Super Bowl title - and fourth in six seasons.

On the Super Bowl experience so far in host city New Orleans, Reid said: "It's been great. The people have been phenomenal.

"The law enforcement people who have chaperoned us around like crazy have been great; we appreciate all that. I just think this city rolled out the red carpet. It's a great place to have a Super Bowl."

Super Bowl excitement ramped up on Saturday morning in New Orleans as the city staged a mini Mardi Gras parade.

Image source, EPA

Image source, EPA

Image source, EPA

Image source, Reuters

Rob Gronkowski retired after the 2021 season having won four Super Bowls during his NFL career with the New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Travis Kelce, who is also 35, is still going strong with the Kansas City Chiefs and can equal his fellow tight end's tally of Super Bowl wins on Sunday.

"Travis Kelce's longevity is very impressive," said 'Gronk'. "If you want to put it in to perspective, he's the same age as me and I'm behind a desk while he's still playing. That just shows his longevity and that whatever he's doing [to look after himself] is just unbelievable, so he should just keep doing what he's doing.

"What he's doing at his age especially, how many catches that he had this season, how impactful he is when the time comes and when his number is called, he always steps up to the plate.

"He's a great veteran leader for that team. They wouldn't be where there are now, over the last couple of years, without Travis Kelce. He's been doing a phenomenal job at his age, big time."

Image source, Getty Images

The Philadelphia Eagles spent less than an hour on the field in their final preparations for Super Bowl 59 during a walk-through on Saturday morning.

Head coach Nick Sirianni said his team are "hungry" and "ready to roll."

"When you have two weeks off [since the NFC Championship game], it's like, 'let's go'."

A few players wore baseball caps to protect from the sun, with the temperature reaching 25C in the late morning, as the offence and defence jogged through plays. That was followed by situational football covering various end-of-half/end-of-game scenarios.

The team then hopped back on its fleet of buses and headed to the Superdome, where Sunday's game will take place, for a team photo.

They will relax for the rest of Saturday and have some night meetings, as they have done all season.

"You don't get to this point and change up what is important to your team and your core values," Sirianni added.

Graeme Langford
BBC Sport Senior Journalist in New Orleans

Image source, Getty Images

I got the chance to speak with four-time Super Bowl winner Rob Gronkowski this week as he will be part of the Fox TV team.

It is their turn to broadcast this year's Super Bowl and Gronkowski's former team-mate Tom Brady will be making his Super Bowl debut as a TV analyst with Fox.

On fellow tight end Travis Kelce, Gronkowski said: "He had 23 days off before going in to the Divisional game against the Houston Texans and he dominated. He's a little bit older (35) so that recovery's huge.

"Now he's just had another week off so I feel like he's going to be well rested, ready to roll and absolutely dominate once again.

"Those wheels will be turning, they're going to be fresh, and if you get a fresh Travis Kelce, he can do some serious damage to the defence."

Nesta McGregor
Sport Reporter in New Orleans

Image source, Getty Images

The NFL is a league that prides itself on parity.

With the draft system and salary cap key to ensuring that's the case.

It's rare to see a team dominate for long periods like the Kansas City Chiefs are presently doing.

Walking around New Orleans speaking to fans - most neutrals are rooting for the Philadelphia Eagles, just because.

Now as a child my mum used to say, "Let your brothers win sometimes otherwise the game will get boring."

However that doesn't really translate to professional sports and speaking to Chiefs owner Clark Hunt - they are happy to be 'the villains' and have no plans to stop winning.

"It just comes with the territory but we're going to keep giving it our best every year," he said.

"New Orleans is a very special place for our family and the organisation. It's where we won our very first Super Bowl (Super Bowl 4) in 1970.

"So for us to do it (a three-peat] in the city we won our first - would be so special."

Image source, BBC Sport

Some pre-game reading for you with Ben Collins' big Super Bowl preview from New Orleans:

"The confetti was still falling after the Kansas City Chiefs defended their NFL title when Patrick Mahomes turned to a team-mate.

"We're not done, dog," said the Chiefs quarterback. "I want three, no-one's ever got three. I want back to back to back."

A year later, they are on the brink of doing just that as Mahomes has led the Chiefs back to the NFL's championship game.

If they win in New Orleans on Sunday they will become the first team to win three straight Super Bowls.

Their date with destiny is against the Philadelphia Eagles, the team they beat to begin their Super Bowl trilogy two years ago.

And some of the world's biggest celebrities are heading to arguably the greatest Super Bowl city - as well as Donald Trump, who will become the first sitting US president to attend America's biggest sport event."

Read the rest of the Super Bowl preview.

Image source, Getty Images

NFL analyst Jason Bell on how the Eagles win:

"You've got to dethrone Mahomes. Until somebody does that, you've got to back the Chiefs. Josh Allen went close but not close enough – and he's the MVP.

"You just have to look at what Mahomes does on third downs. They're crucial, so that's how you really assess a quarterback."

Paul Higham
BBC Sport Journalist

Image source, BBC Sport

Watch out for Mahomes the runner

The Eagles defence will be swarming all over Mahomes, but they have to be careful not to get too aggressive and allow him to wriggle free because he is a lethal scrambler in the play-offs.

Mahomes is not especially quick, but he is nimble, and what makes him dangerous is that on broken plays his telepathy with tight end Kelce is so good that defenders never know if he will attempt an ambitious throw or tuck and run.

He proved the difference against the Buffalo Bills, with two rushing touchdowns and ran for seven first downs in the play-offs to keep drives alive.

Although he threw three touchdowns against Philadelphia in their previous Super Bowl meeting, his late 26-yard scramble was crucial to the Chiefs winning - and that was on a bad ankle.

Image source, Getty Images

Washington Commanders defensive lineman Efe Obada gave BBC Sport his pre-game prediction.

"I think it's going to be a good game and I'll give you some key factors. I haven't seen the Chiefs blow out anybody all season. Unfortunately, I've witnessed first hand that the Eagles can blow out teams, so if the Chiefs can't contain Barkley, Hurts and the Eagles' receiving corps early, I think it's going to be very tough.

"Mahomes is obviously a magician who is able to win games, so can dig them out of that hole.

"It's going to be an interesting game. I think Barkley is going to be one of the deciding factors, but at this point, I think it's going to be very hard to bet against Mahomes, so it's 50-50."

Paul Higham
BBC Sport Journalist

Image source, Getty Images

Can the Chiefs stop Barkley?

Star running back Barkley is just 30 yards short of the NFL record for a single season and is the big weapon for the Eagles. He can score from anywhere and is as dangerous in the fourth quarter as the first.

The Chiefs have not not allowed a 100-yard rusher in 18 games though, and if they can neutralise his threat they could be in business.

...but Hurts could steal the show

Of course, if the Chiefs put everything into stopping Barkley, that could allow Hurts the chance to reproduce his performance from his last Super Bowl - when he ran for 70 yards and three rushing touchdowns and threw for 304 yards and another score.

It was one of the greatest quarterback displays in Super Bowl history, but is largely forgotten thanks to his one key error and the result. With receivers AJ Brown and DeVonta Smith truly elite, and Hurts a powerful runner, the Chiefs cannot afford to overlook him.

Image source, Getty Images

BBC Sport NFL writer Paul Higham is expecting a big game from Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert

Dallas Goedert of the Eagles is an elite tight end, and the Chiefs have struggled to defend that position all season - giving up the most yards and third-most catches per game to tight ends this season.

Tight ends are a match-up nightmare as they are too quick for linebackers but too big and strong for defensive backs. Goedert has already shown that in the play-offs and leads the Eagles in catches, targets, receiving yards and big plays.

And once he gets the ball he is so hard to stop, as he has compiled 123 yards after the catch during this play-off run.

Ben Collins
BBC Sport Journalist

Image source, Getty Images

The build-up to last year's Super Bowl was dominated by speculation over whether Taylor Swift would make it to Las Vegas in time as she was performing in Tokyo the night before. She did, to see Kansas City beat San Francisco in overtime.

This time there is little doubt over her presence, while former first lady Jill Biden – a lifelong Philly fan – is also expected to be there.

Swift was joined by Caitlin Clark for one of the Chiefs' play-off games, and the global music star watched Super Bowl 58 with Blake Lively and her boyfriend's brother Jason. He was wearing Kansas City dungarees that day, but this year he's backing his former team as his wife Kylie is a diehard Eagles fan.

Bradley Cooper and Rob McElhenney have watched games with Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie, while other Philly fans include Will Smith, Kevin Hart and Tina Fey.

Kansas City fans Sheryl Crow and Paul Rudd were at Super Bowl 58, while Brad Pitt and Jason Sudeikis are also Chiefs fans.

Other celebrities there last year included Elon Musk, Justin Bieber, Leonardo DiCaprio, Paul McCartney, Beyonce, Jay Z, LeBron James and Shaquille O'Neal.