CNN
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The stage is finally set for the United States’ biggest sporting event: the Super Bowl.
The 2023 NFL season will culminate on Sunday evening, featuring a primetime battle between the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs. The two teams could not be more evenly matched.
Both emerged as the top seeds in their respective conferences. Both boast a record of 16-3. Both have scored 546 points up to this point. Both have six All-Pros. And, both have a Kelce brother.
Here is everything you need to know ahead of the long-awaited matchup.
When Eagles’ quarterback Jalen Hurts and Chiefs’ quarterback Patrick Mahomes take the field on Sunday, it will be the first time ever that two black quarterbacks will face off in a Super Bowl.
Beyond their mission on the field, the two stars serve as inspiration for younger generations of football fans seeking a more inclusive version of one of the United States’ most beloved sports.
Hurts is in just his second season as a full-time starter. The Houston Texas native has had an MVP-caliber season, leading the team to a dominant 16-1 in games he started and finishing with an impressive 3,701 yards in the air with 22 touchdowns and six interceptions, along with 760 yards and 13 scores on the ground.
At just 27 years old, Mahomes has a decorated resume and laundry list of accolades including two-time league MVP, Super Bowl MVP, and most importantly, Super Bowl Champion. This year, he joined Tom Brady as the only quarterback to start in three Super Bowls in their first six seasons.
Entering this weekend, injuries are a minor concern for both signal-callers.
Hurts is recovering from a right shoulder sprain he suffered back in December. Since the injury, his offensive production has declined slightly.
Mahomes suffered a high ankle sprain in the divisional round against Jacksonville. He powered through the AFC title game, but hobbled a bit throughout the game.
The good news for both athletes is that they have had a full two weeks to rest since they last took the field, which should bode well come Sunday.
Kansas City head coach Andy Reid has a shot at securing his second Super Bowl ring on Sunday – against the first team he ever led to the Super Bowl.
During his Eagles tenure, he guided the team to nine playoff runs, six division titles, five NFC Championship Games, and one Super Bowl appearance.
He was fired at the end of the 2012 season, when the team finished with a dismal 4-12 record. He immediately joined the Chiefs, and has since reached double-digit wins in all but one season.
With the rise of Mahomes, the Chiefs have been nearly unstoppable, reaching the title game in three of the last four years. While Reid will be held in high regard with or without a second ring, a win on Sunday would be a bow neatly tied on his coaching legacy.
Back in 2017, Eagles’ center Jason Kelce won his first Super Bowl. In 2019, Chiefs’ tight end Travis Kelce won his first Super Bowl.
In 2023, either Jason or Travis will win their second Super Bowl, as they become the first brothers in history to square off on the NFL’s biggest stage.
The duo from Cleveland Heights, Ohio, have long dreamed of sharing this experience. Before joining the NFL, they were teammates at the University of Cincinnati.
Since then, they have built impressive professional careers.
Travis is an eight-time Pro Bowl selection and four-time All-Pro, widely recognized for his flashy dance moves and exuberant personality. Jason is a six-time Pro Bowl selection and five-time All-Pro, known as a vocal leader and a workhorse on the offensive line.
No matter the outcome on Sunday, the Kelce family will have something to celebrate.
Tune in on Sunday to see who captures the NFL’s biggest prize. The action kicks off at 6:30 p.m. ET at State Farm Stadium in Glendale Arizona. Here’s how to watch from wherever you are:
Australia: NFL Game Pass, ESPN, 7Plus
Brazil: NFL Game Pass, ESPN
Canada: CTV, TSN, RDS, NFL Game Pass on DAZN
Germany: NFL Game Pass, ProSieben MAXX, DAZN
Mexico: NFL Game Pass, TUDN, ESPN, Fox Sports, Sky Sports
UK: NFL Game Pass, Sky Sports, ITV, Channel 5
