Every football player thinks about the chance to play on the biggest stage of their life. Since they were little, playing peewee football, it’s always been a dream to play in the NFL and, better yet, the Super Bowl. It’s one of America’s most popular, if not the most popular, games yearly. Even if people don’t watch it for the proper enjoyment of the game, people still have various reasons for doing it, whether it’s because of the commercials, halftime entertainment, parties, etc.
Americans know how big the Super Bowl is each year, which is why so many people watch it, throw parties, go to bars, and so forth. What Americans don’t realize is how rare these opportunities actually come around for players to play in the Super Bowl.
You could get to the NFL your rookie year and have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to play in the Superbowl, never being granted another chance again. Sometimes, it’s just the luck of the draw.
“It almost makes you feel lucky,” 49ers rookie wide receiver Ronnie Bell said. “You feel like you’re being a part of so many great things happening at one time in the sport. You feel like this is your year and your moment. So you definitely just want to step into it and take full advantage.”
As I walked around the NFL press conference, meeting players from the 49ers and Chiefs, I sensed much appreciation and gratitude for getting to this point, especially from the rookies.
Yes, both teams have one more game to go, but even being in their position is still a fantastic experience they deserve to reflect upon and soak in, win or lose.
A prime example of why players shouldn’t take this opportunity for granted is 49ers’ fullback Kyle Juszczyk and his career. He has been in the NFL for 11 seasons; this is his first Super Bowl appearance. In his second year in the NFL, he was with the Baltimore Ravens and lost to the New England Patriots in the second round of the playoffs. It took five more years until he even made the playoffs again after that. Sometimes, unfortunate events that are out of your control can happen. In Juszczyk’s case, he didn’t make the playoffs in four of those five seasons because his starting quarterback tore his ACL.
“No matter how good you are, those types of things can happen, and you may never get another chance,” Juszczyk said. “So that’s a big thing I try to harp on to the young guys. You don’t know if you’re ever going to get this opportunity again, so you absolutely have to take full advantage of it.”
Finding that balance between appreciating where you are and still being hungry to secure a win in the Super Bowl can be challenging. Everyone wants to focus on the moment and make sure they do everything in their power to win, but players should still realize how special these moments really are and be proud just to be here.
“You have to enjoy it,” Chiefs’ tight end Blake Bell said. “You have to enjoy the week. You have family and friends coming in, and that’s special, as well, just being around all of your loved ones.”
