Almost everyone watches the Super Bowl, regardless if it is at a party or with a few friends. It is not just a game anymore; Super Bowl Sunday is a holiday. Over a third of the United States’ population viewed Super Bowl 49, with NBC announcing 114.4 million viewers last year. Super Bowl 1 in 1967 was viewed by 51.18 million people, with the ratings varying yearly until they gradually began to grow with Super Bowl 39 in 2005. People know more about the ratings than the fact that Jerry Rice holds the record for points scored in Super Bowls by a player with 48 or that the Steelers have won the most with 6. More recognition is given to Katy Perry’s halftime performance last year and the sharks she brought out than Malcolm Butler’s interception that won the game. What makes the Super Bowl so special is that it is the one sporting event where the parties and entertainment are the focal points, not the actual event. Super Bowl Sunday is a holiday you can enjoy whether you like football or have no idea what the difference between a free safety and a safety call is. For NFL junkies or people who really enjoy football, the day is even better. The games are as intense as ever as last year’s Super Bowl ranks the third best of all time only behind Super Bowl 13, the most eventful ever, and Super Bowl 42, when David Tyree made the helmet catch to beat the Patriots. Even role players can put their names in the record book, like Jacoby Jones, who has most total yards gained in one Super Bowl with 290 in Super Bowl 47.

 This year is one of the most interesting Super Bowls in recent memory. The age gap between Cam Newton, the Panthers’ starting quarterback, and Peyton Manning, the Broncos starting QB, is the largest between super bowl starting quarterbacks ever with 13 years. Manning is also the oldest quarterback to start a Super Bowl at 39 years old. The two quarterbacks are also the only two QB’s drafted number one overall to face each other in a Super Bowl. The difference in styles of play between the two players makes the game even more interesting, as Manning is a no mistake, quick thrower, in the pocket quarterback, whereas Newton tries to make the best plays with his athleticism. Freshman Addie Ultis said, “I love Cam Newton, and it is so exciting a team in North Carolina is so good this year. Go Panthers!” Normally players who rely on their athleticism do not succeed the way Newton has, but he has shown how to win while constantly going for the big plays. A Panthers win would make him the first quarterback to win the Heisman, National Championship, NFL MVP, and the Super Bowl. A Broncos win would greatly help Manning’s case as best quarterback ever, having already surpassed the records for passing yards and touchdowns. Sophomore John Hodges said, “I really want the Broncos to win. If they do, Peyton Manning should be considered the best quarterback ever and that would be a storybook ending.” A similar ending for another franchise quarterback of the Broncos occurred in 1999 when John Elway retired after winning Super Bowl 33. When the final whistle of Super Bowl 50 sounds, we will either know who the greatest quarterback of all time is, or how close Cam Newton is to fighting for that title.