The SBLVII Storylines to Watch
02/01/2023
By: Jeff Yoder
The Top 5 Storylines That Will Dominate The Next 2 Weeks
Super Bowl Sunday marks the largest event on the American sports calendar, and that means two weeks of an NFL media monopoly is ready to dominate the headlines for the next 12 days. There’s no shortage of storylines in this year’s big game — a matchup that features a few pieces of history prior to kickoff and a reunion of coaches both old and new. Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid are back again, but so are the Eagles with a new-look roster from their magic run five years ago. It’s the Kansas City Dynasty against the Bird Gang from Philly, and it’s going to be awesome. Here are the top five storylines you’ll be sick of by Super Bowl Sunday.
Top-5 Storylines for Super Bowl LVII
1. The 1st All-Black QB Super Bowl
The biggest storyline in SBLVII is the quarterback battle. Patrick Mahomes has put up legendary numbers once again en route to his third Super Bowl appearance, but the arrival of Jalen Hurts, and his first trip to the big game, equates to a historic first. Mahomes and Hurts will become the first duo of Black QBs to go head-to-head in the big game. And at the ages of 27 (Mahomes) and 24 (Hurts), their first battle might not be their last.
2. Andy Reid Against His Former Team
Andy Reid will make his fourth Super Bowl trip, but this time he’ll be facing his former team. Reid spent 14 years as the head coach of the Eagles (1999-2013) where he led Philly to five NFC title games and one Super Bowl loss. Now, Big Red gets a shot at his second ring by going against the birds. Reid ranks fifth all-time in wins among NFL coaches, and he’ll be the fifth coach ever to face his former team in the big game.
Travis Kelce (Chiefs) and Jason Kelce (Eagles) will become the first set of brothers to play against each other in Super Bowl history. The two have a podcast called “New Heights” where they share stories and insights about their games each week. Both have one Super Bowl already, and their brotherly love will be a major focal point in SBLVII media days. As Travis said after the AFC Championship Game: “My mom can’t lose.”
As for “on the field” matchup storylines, there are plenty of Xs and Os to dissect. But what SBLVII could boil down to is the matchup between Mahomes and the Philly pass rush. The Eagles media came up with the term “Sackadelphia” this year with Philly leading the league in sacks, and it wasn’t even close. They recorded 70 in the regular season — two shy of the all-time record — and they had three in the knockout punch against the 49ers in the NFC title game. Mahomes’ most notable loss came in Super Bowl LV when the Bucs beat the Chiefs (31-9) thanks to a pass rush that flustered Mahomes and caused three sacks. He was under duress the entire game. And with a high-ankle sprain still lingering, Mahomes against the Eagles pressure will likely be what decides SBLVII.
5. When Andy Reid Fired Nick Sirianni
One of my favorite storylines to follow is one that might fly under the radar. When Andy Reid was hired by the Chiefs in 2013, one of his first coaching staff moves was to fire a young offensive quality control coach — Nick Sirianni. Sirianni ended up landing with the Chargers under Frank Reich in 2016 before rejoining Reich with the Colts in 2018. In his first two years with Philadelphia, Sirianni is 23-11 with back-to-back playoff appearances and a 2-1 postseason record. Reid (64) and Sirianni (41) never coached on the same staff, but their roots and play styles share a lot of similarities.
Super Bowl LVII
Eagles vs. Chiefs (Sunday, Feb. 12, 6:30 pm ET, FOX)
Additional Storylines
B/R: Biggest Questions Facing Eagles & Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII
FOX Sports: Chiefs vs. Eagles: Who Has the Edge in Super Bowl LVII?
Photo: Tim Nwachukwu / Getty Images