10 Weird Super Bowl LII Facts

Super Bowl LII between the New England Patriots and the Philadelphia Eagles is on Sunday. Like every Super Bowl, records will be broken, legacies will be made and plenty of parties will be wild. If you want to strike up a conversation with friends and family but are not sure of where to start, there are plenty of noteworthy facts about this game that will work as conversation starters.

Like the NHL, NBA and MLB, the NFL has a long record book. But even after 51 prior Super Bowls, there are still some amazing things that have yet to happen. For example, there were no overtime Super Bowls until last year’s, when the Patriots came back from being down 28-3 to tie and win in OT. No one thought of trying an onside kick before the fourth quarter in the Super Bowl until the Saints stunned the Colts in 2010.

There still has never been a shut-out in the Super Bowl. Even the Patriots managed to score 10 points against the great 1985 Chicago Bears defense (and lost by 36 points).

This year’s game has plenty of notable, weird facts before kick-off. Here are just 10 of them.

Super Bowl LII kicks off at 5:30 p.m. ET.

Eagles Super Bowl Record

The Philadelphia Eagles franchise was born in 1933, and won NFL championships in 1948, 1949 and 1960. But since the NFL and AFL merged, the team has never won a Super Bowl. The franchise has only been to two before this season.

The Eagles went to Super Bowl XV after the 1980 season. They lost 27-10 to the Oakland Raiders. 

The franchise did not make the Super Bowl again until Super Bowl XXXIX after the 2004 season. They played the Patriots, and lost 24-21. 

 

Patriots Super Bowl Record

The New England Patriots were born in 1960, as a member of the AFL. When the AFL and NFL formally merged in 1970, the franchise continued to wallow in mediocrity. They did not even make it to the playoffs until 1976 and finally reached a Super Bowl after the 1985 season. 

The Patriots now have five Super Bowl championships and are looking for their sixth in their 10th appearance. They are tied with the Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers for second most Super Bowl wins with five. The Pittsburgh Steelers still have the title for the most with six. 

Uniform Jerseys

Although the Patriots are the home team this year, they will still be wearing their white jerseys. That’s because the home team can choose and the Patriots are 3-0 in white in the Super Bowls. Tom Brady is 2-2 when they wear their blue home uniforms. This means the Eagles will have to wear their home green uniforms, creating an aesthetic rematch of Super Bowl XXXIX.

 

 

 

This Could be the Coldest Super Bowl on Record

The NFL usually has the Super Bowls in warm weather climates, but the league makes exceptions to showcase brand new stadiums. That is the reason why this year’s game is at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.

Thankfully, it is indoors, because it is expected to be the coldest Super Bowl on record. According to USA Today, it is predicted to be only 3 degrees at kickoff. While Eagles and Patriots players should be used to that kind of cold, it will not be a factor in the game. It will feel 70 degrees inside. 

Super Bowl XVI, played in Detroit in January 1982, still holds the record for the coldest Super Bowl. IT was 16 degrees outside, but the game was played indoors. 

Minneapolis Hosted a Super Bowl 26 Years Ago

This is not the first Super Bowl played in Minneapolis. The city hosted Super Bowl XXVI in January 1992. The Washington Redskins and Buffalo Bills squared off at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome. The Redskins came out on top, 37-24.

This was in the middle of the Bills’ unbearable four-Super Bowl-losing streak. They lost the year before and would lose two more times. 

Super Bowl Commercials Cost Five Times More Than Nick Foles’ Salary

Nick Foles, who has to start the Super Bowl after Carson Wentz was injured during the season, began the year on the bench. Now, he’s playing against Tom Brady and trying to stop the Patriots. But he’s not being paid like a star. According to Spotrac, his base salary for this year was only $1 million. 

A 30-second spot for Super Bowl LII cost $5 million, five times Foles’ salary.

Super Bowl LII Could Have the First Punt Return for a Touchdown

After 51 Super Bowls, there has never been a punt returned for a touchdown. In Super Bowl 50, Jordan Norwood came very close, notching a 61-yard return. Before that play, the longest punt return was recorded by John Taylor in Super Bowl XXIII. The 49ers wide receiver ran one back for 45 yards in the win over the Bengals.  

This Is Bill Belichick’s Ninth Super Bowl Appearance

Bill Belichick has now been in more Super Bowls than any other coach. He is also the only head coach to win five Super Bowls.

Belichick won Super Bowls XXI and XXV as an assistant for New York Giants head coach Bill Parcells. He then won Super Bowls XXXVI, XXXVIII, XXXIX, XLIX and LI as head coach of the New England Patriots. 

Jimmy Garoppolo Will Reportedly Make More Money Than Tom Brady

Jimmy Garoppolo is not even on the New England Patriots roster any longer, but he could potentially make more than Tom Brady, according to Sports Illustrated.

Garoppolo was with the Pats for eight games before he was traded to the Niners. Thanks to the collective bargaining agreement, he will earn a $56,000 bonus if the Patriots lose, and $112,000 if the Patriots win. Since he won’t be hit with the 9.85 percent Minnesota income tax, he could earn more than Brady from the Super Bowl. If he is still not a permanent California resident, he will not have to face the state’s 13.3 percent income tax, notes SBNation.

Four Franchises Still Have Not Been to a Super Bowl

Four NFL franchises have still not been to a Super Bowl. The Jacksonville Jaguars came close to making their first this year, but ran into the Patriots in the AFC Championship game. The franchise has existed since 1993, and first played in 1995. 

The Houston Texans, who first played in 2002, are the only current franchise that has not even played in a conference championship game, despite winning the AFC South division three times. 

The other two teams yet to make it to the Super Bowl are historic NFL franchises. The Cleveland Browns have existed since 1946. The franchise won four NFL championships before the Super Bowl era.

The Detroit Lions have been around since 1930, and won four NFL championships before the AFL-NFL merger in 1970. The franchise has yet to play in a Super Bowl.