Tennis legend Billie Jean King helped introduce the Super Bowl LVI coin toss before the Cincinnati Bengals and Los Angeles Rams on Sunday. The California native was there to mark the 50th anniversary of Title IX, which provides equal funding for men’s and women’s sports in high school and college. King, 78, was the honorary coin toss captain alongside California School for the Deaf, High School Girls Flag League of Champions.
“It is an honor to stand with these outstanding student-athletes and celebrate the 50th anniversary of Title IX on one of the world’s biggest stages,” King, who also narrated a special video segment that aired before the coin toss, said in a statement last week. “It’s hard to understand inclusion until you have been excluded, and I am proud to be part of this year’s Super Bowl Coin Toss and the NFL’s commitment to bring us together and make us stronger.”
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NFL commissioner Roger Goodell also praised King in a statement, explaining why she was the perfect choice to join the ceremonial coin toss. “Billie Jean King is a trailblazer who set in motion transcendent changes that led to the betterment of sports and society,” Goodell said. “Her inspiring drive for gender equality and equal access to opportunity has benefited generations…proving that football is truly for everyone.”
King’s appearance at the Super Bowl was welcomed by viewers. “So awesome to see [Billie Jean King] & all the inspiring honorary captains at Super Bowl!” Chelsea Clinton tweeted. “Billie Jean King doesn’t get enough credit for how much she f—ing ruled,” one viewer wrote. “The God Mother of Sports Billie Jean King doing the coin toss at this year’s super bowl. We love you Billie,” Zina Garrison added.
King has been an advocate for gender equality throughout her career, famously playing Bobby Riggs in the 1973 “Battle of the Sexes” tennis match. She won tennis’ Grand Slam, with wins in the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open. She retired in 1990, but continues to be outspoken on her chosen causes. She recently published a new memoir, All In: An Autobiography.
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