It’s Super Bowl Sunday, and the game starts at 6:30p, Eastern Time. I don’t have a dog in the fight, as they say, so I’ll just try to enjoy the game and hope it’s played well by both teams.
San Francisco has multiple offensive threat Christian McCaffrey, a Denver boy, son of Eddie McCaffrey who played for the Broncos. San Francisco also has quarterback Brock Purdy, “Mr. Irrelevant,” so named because he was the last one picked in the 2022 draft. For a Mr. Irrelevant, he’s done “purdy” good:
Purdy began his rookie season in the NFL as the third-string quarterback but took over the starting role following injuries [to the other two quarterbacks]. Winning all five regular-season games he started, he played a key role in the 49ers’ ten-game winning streak, securing a division title and an NFC Championship Game appearance. Purdy continued as the 49ers’ starting quarterback in the 2023 season, where he led them to … Super Bowl LVIII [today] In addition, he set the franchise’s single-season passing yards record and earned his first Pro Bowl nomination. – Wikipedia
Purdy’s is a good story.
On the other side is Kansas City with quarterback and State Farm spokesperson Patrick Mahomes, who is in his fourth Super Bowl in just his first six seasons. He’s won two and lost one. There is already talk about whether he can surpass Tom Brady’s seven Super Bowl victories. Here is Patrick’s response:
I’m not even close to halfway, so I haven’t put a lot of thought into it. Your goal is to be the best player that you can be, and I know I’m blessed to be around a lot of great players. So right now it’s do whatever I can to beat a great 49ers team and try to get that third ring. Then if you ask me that question in 15 years, I’ll see if I can get close to seven, but seven seems like a long ways away still.
My career goals have always been the same and it’s to not have any regrets. No matter what I do, I’m going to give everything I have to the game. I’m going to work my tail off, working out, in the film room, whatever that is, and give everything I have to the game. Whatever that ends up with, how many Super Bowl rings that is, however many wins that is, whatever that is, I know that I gave everything I have and that’s what I can do. – From an article by Adam Teicher, ESPN
His career goal is no regrets. “To give everything I have to the game” – the weight room, the film room, on the field. That’s all any of us can do. We have no control over the results.
All good athletes train hard. They do it for a gold medal that tarnishes and fades. You’re after one that’s gold eternally. I don’t know about you, but I’m running hard for the finish line. I’m giving it everything I’ve got. No sloppy living for me! I’m staying alert and in top condition. I’m not going to get caught napping, telling everyone else all about it and then missing out myself. (1 Corinthians 9.25 – 27, MSG)
But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3.13, 14, ESV)
Train yourself for godliness. (1 Timothy 4.7, ESV)