Super Bowl Stories

By Jenna Hutchins

Winning the Super Bowl is any football player’s dream. The fame, the championship rings, and the almost guaranteed contract deals are only just a few of the perks of being on the winning team. The day after the New England Patriots defeated the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XLIX, however, the victors were met with media backlash instead of a parade.

Leading up to the big game, the Patriots were embroiled in a scandal about the low air pressure of their footballs in the game that solidified their spot in the Super Bowl. The real story doesn’t start until after the Super Bowl was played. In the days following Super Bowl XLIX, the media focused on emerging scandals of the New England Patriots and allegations that the game was fixed instead of the game itself.
   
A huge concern about the NFL is the way it handles players who receive concussions during game play. During the first half of the fourth quarter, Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman connected hard with Seahawks safety Kam Chancellor. Edelman immediately got to his feet and continued to run for a few more yards, but not without difficulty. It was very apparent to viewers, coaches, and medical staff that Julian Edelman had suffered some type of injury, given his stumbling, crawling, and slow movements getting off the ground after each subsequent play. He exhibited clear signs of having a concussion, which should have resulted in removal from the game for testing.

Edelman’s symptoms were ignored and he went on to score the game winning touchdown. Concerns arose about the decision due to his health being compromised and, also, the possibility that the Patriots may not have won if he was removed accordingly. This disregard for NFL standards and rules is very reminiscent of the under-inflated footballs.
   
Another focus of media attention following the Super Bowl was how Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson seemingly threw the game by throwing the ball. After the Patriots made an impressive drive to score the winning touchdown, the Seahawks took the ball all the way to the one-yard line. There was over a minute left in the game with the team on its second down, just feet from the end zone. The game essentially belonged to the Seahawks. Instead of making the easy play of running the ball into the end zone, Wilson threw the ball. His pass was intercepted by the Patriots, and the outcome was sealed.

There are two conspiracy theories as to why this occurred. Some media analysts believe that the Seahawks wanted Wilson to get the MVP award instead of Marshawn Lynch, who certainly would have if Wilson had him run the ball. Others believe there were behind the scenes deals being made to throw the game in favor of the Patriots, perhaps for profit. Some people in the media have latched onto these ideas and suggest the game might have been rigged.
   
Following the big game, the media’s coverage focused on the idea that the Patriots took certain steps and made shady decisions to solidify their victory in Super Bowl XLIX. Important, factual details were sprinkled in various articles, such as scores at different points of the game and individual player performance, but these facts were definitely not the main focus of most stories. Instead of preparing for Disneyland, some Patriots players and coaches will be preparing statements regarding these recent allegations.