Super Bowl LII

Super Bowl LII was the 52nd edition of the Super Bowl, the annual championship game of the National Football League (NFL) played between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion New England Patriots and the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Philadelphia Eagles. The game was played on February 4, 2018, at the U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota, with the Philadelphia Eagles winning their first Super Bowl title in franchise history, led by Nick Foles, Carson Wentz, and Doug Pederson. The New England Patriots, led by Tom Brady, Bill Belichick, and Robert Kraft, were seeking their sixth Super Bowl title under the leadership of Belichick and Brady. The game was attended by notable figures such as Justin Timberlake, Pink (singer), and Al Michaels.

● Game summary

The game was a high-scoring affair, with the Philadelphia Eagles ultimately emerging victorious with a score of 41-33, thanks in part to the performances of Alshon Jeffery, Zach Ertz, and LeGarrette Blount. The New England Patriots were led by Tom Brady, who threw for 505 yards, but was unable to overcome the strong defense of the Philadelphia Eagles, which was coordinated by Jim Schwartz and featured players such as Fletcher Cox, Brandon Graham, and Malcolm Jenkins. The game also featured a number of notable plays, including a touchdown catch by Corey Clement and a trick play that resulted in a touchdown pass from Trey Burton to Nick Foles, who was named the Super Bowl MVP and was joined in the celebration by Jeff Lurie, Howie Roseman, and other members of the Philadelphia Eagles organization, including Lane Johnson, Jason Kelce, and Brandon Brooks. The New England Patriots were also joined by their owner, Robert Kraft, and other notable figures such as Jonathan Kraft and Daniel Snyder.

● Background

The Philadelphia Eagles and New England Patriots had met previously in Super Bowl XXXIX, which was played on February 6, 2005, at Alltel Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida, with the New England Patriots winning 24-21, led by Tom Brady, Bill Belichick, and Deion Branch. The Philadelphia Eagles were seeking their first Super Bowl title in franchise history, while the New England Patriots were seeking their sixth title under the leadership of Belichick and Brady, who had previously won Super Bowl XXXVI, Super Bowl XXXVIII, Super Bowl XXXIX, Super Bowl XLIX, and Super Bowl LI. The Philadelphia Eagles were led by Doug Pederson, who had previously played for the Miami Dolphins, Green Bay Packers, and Philadelphia Eagles, and had served as an assistant coach for the Kansas City Chiefs under Andy Reid. The New England Patriots were also joined by other notable coaches, including Josh McDaniels and Brian Flores, who had previously worked with Bill Belichick and Tom Brady.

● Broadcasting

The game was broadcast in the United States by NBC, with play-by-play announcer Al Michaels and color commentator Cris Collinsworth, who were joined by sideline reporter Michele Tafoya and rules analyst Terry McAulay. The game was also broadcast in Spanish by Universo (TV channel), with play-by-play announcer Rene Giraldo and color commentator Edgar Lopez. The game was streamed online by NBC Sports, which also provided coverage of the game through its NBC Sports Radio network, featuring personalities such as Mike Tirico, Dan Patrick, and Tony Dungy. The game was also broadcast internationally by BBC, Sky Sports, and CTV (Canadian TV network), among others, and was watched by a global audience that included notable figures such as Pope Francis, Barack Obama, and Justin Trudeau.

● Entertainment

The game's halftime show was performed by Justin Timberlake, who had previously performed at Super Bowl XXXVIII and Super Bowl XLV, and was joined by the University of Minnesota Marching Band and other performers, including The Tennessee Kids and Dancers. The game's national anthem was performed by Pink (singer), who was joined by Alexa Vega and other performers, and the coin toss was performed by Harrison Smith, Jason Peters, and other former NFL players, including Jim Brown, Joe Montana, and Walter Payton. The game also featured a number of notable commercials, including ads for Pepsi, Budweiser, and Coca-Cola, which were watched by a large audience that included notable figures such as Oprah Winfrey, Ellen DeGeneres, and Jimmy Fallon.

● Statistics

The game set a number of records, including the most total yards in a Super Bowl game, with 1,151 yards combined between the two teams, and the most points scored by a team in a Super Bowl game, with 41 points scored by the Philadelphia Eagles. The game also featured a number of notable individual performances, including Tom Brady's 505 passing yards, which set a new record for most passing yards in a Super Bowl game, and Nick Foles' 28 completions, which set a new record for most completions in a Super Bowl game by a quarterback who did not start the season as the team's starter, and was joined in the record books by other notable players such as Rob Gronkowski, Julian Edelman, and Dak Prescott. The game was also notable for its high level of offense, with the two teams combining for 74 points, which was the third-highest total in Super Bowl history, behind only Super Bowl XXIX and Super Bowl LI, and was watched by a large audience that included notable figures such as Jerry Jones, Robert Kraft, and Arthur Blank.