Super Bowl 2024: 49ers - Chiefs pregame updates | 6 February summary news
Super Bowl 2024 build-up: news updates from Tuesday 6 February
We've seen some fans laying into Taylor Swift for "ruining football," although that's certainly not the belief of Kelce's teammate Patrick Mahomes (although he was hardly going to say anything else, was he?). The Chiefs quarterback has given his take on the impact the "Shake It Off" singer has had on the NFL.
What are the odds on Travis Kelce proposing to Taylor Swift?
Not very high, seemingly. You can bet on all kinds of weird and wacky things at the Super Bowl, including, this year, on whether Travis Kelce might propose to Taylor Swift. They only got together in the summer but have quickly become the new power couple of...the world? Is that fair to say? Anyway, don't expect the Chiefs tight end to get down on one knee, Las Vegas or not.
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Real Madrid may be one of the most followed Europaen soccer clubs in the United States, but it's their city rivals Atlético Madrid who made a surprise appearance during the Super Bowl press conference.
What's going on there? Is Travis Kelce an Atlético Madrid fan? If so, why?
“I think the idea that this was a script, that this was pre-planned, that’s nonsense,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said. “It’s frankly not even worth talking about. We see two people together having fun together. That’s wonderful. I wish them well. They’re both wonderful people.”
As was bound to be the case in 2024, there are some people out there who believe the NFL have been trying to taking advantage of Taylor Swift getting together with Travis Kelce to push the Chiefs to the Super Bowl, with the singer's sudden interest in football sparking a spike in viewership, especially amongst women.
Chiefs head coach Andy Reid was also asked about the "conspiracy" before the Super Bowl. This is what he had to say.
Arik Armstead's Super Bowl preparations
Ever wondered what it's like to be an NFL player? 49ers defensive linesman Arik Armstead has given us a little bit of insight into his preparations for the Super Bowl, which is now only five days away.
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It's been quite the rise for 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (from 'Mr. Irrelevant' to 'Mr. Relevant,' if you will). In under two years, he's gone from third-string quarterback to one of the NFL's leading stars. But his nickname isn't all that he's changed recently.
49ers out to end long Super Bowl drought
Only two NFL teams (the Patriots and the Steelers, six) have won more Super Bowls than the San Francisco 49ers (five). Their last one, however, came all the way back in January 1995, almost five years before Brock Purdy was born.
Surely they must be due a win after losing their last two?
Of course, Sunday's game in Las Vegas will take centre stage above everything else, but we can't forget about the build-up (it's the whole point of this feed, isn't it?)! Super Bowl week is well underway, with the two teams having already faced the media plenty. But they've also been getting lots of practice in (we can only assume) and Sveto is here to explain where's all the preparations have been taking place.
Chiefs chasing fourth Super Bowl, second in a row
Are we in the midst of a Kansas City Chiefs dynasty yet? They've now reached four of the last five Super Bowls and won two of the previous four. if they defeat the 49ers on Sunday, they'll become just the eighth team to win back-to-back championship games.
On Sunday, the 49ers and the Chiefs will both step out at a stadium where they are yet to be beaten in the NFL.
AS USA's Ariel Velázquez looks at the Super Bowl teams' combined 5-0 record at the home of the Las Vegas Raiders.
Supercomputers predict 49ers Super Bowl win
Albeit not by much, the betting houses are leaning towards a San Francisco 49ers victory on Sunday - and so are the statisticians' supercomputers.
ESPN's Matchup Predictor gives the 49ers a 59.4% chance of victory at Allegiant Stadium, while the Opta Analyst's computer also projects Kyle Shanahan's men as the winners, handing the Californians a 64.4% probability of victory.
(Image: ESPN.com)
San Francisco 49ers running-back Christian McCaffrey, who is poised to appear in his first ever Super Bowl this weekend, comes from a family that oozes sporting talent.
AS USA's William Allen profiles McCaffrey's high-performance clan.
"Best coach I've been around": 49ers boss on Shanahan Sr's influence
Kyle Shanahan has spoken about the influence that his father, two-time Super Bowl-winning coach Mike, has had on him.
“Being a coach’s son, I was very fortunate to just be around that so much, and especially at the NFL level,” the San Francisco 49ers boss told reporters on Tuesday.
“My dad went to the NFL when I was four years old, so I’ve just been around it almost my whole life. You don’t realise how much it helps you until you get into it. You realise that a lot of the stuff you’ve been around, it makes it a little easier.
“My dad’s the best coach I’ve ever been around, so to be around that good of one, I think also was a huge advantage for me.
“But he was never really training me to be a coach, he was just being my dad.”
Shanahan added that he has sought to emulate “the way he went about everything, how direct he was with people, how honest he was with people, how hard he worked".
Kelce lauds Chiefs' "amazing journey" to Super Bowl LVIII
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Travis Kelce described this year’s Chiefs as “one of the best” teams he’s played for in his career, describing Kansas City’s path to Super Bowl LVIII as an “amazing journey”.
“I just love this team, man,” Kelce said. “I love coming into work every single day with these guys - men and women. It’s been an amazing journey up to this point.
“When you go through some ups and downs with people, you know, and you make it through the other side, it’s a beautiful thing. You just want it that much more for the person next to you, knowing how much work they’ve put in.
“This year has been its own journey and had its own challenges, but I think it has really moulded us into one of the best football teams I’ve ever been on.”
It may not be as expensive as a Super Bowl TV ad, but major brands are paying big bucks for screen time on the Las Vegas Sphere’s LED exterior this week.
Super Bowl seconds
We thought we were obsessed by bringing you updates every few minutes on what was going down in the Super Bowl-related world, but check this out from the Chiefs social media team.
...they're counting down the seconds! We better up our game.
Madonna magic
As we continue to look ahead to Sunday's Super Bowl showdown, we will, of course, glance back at what has gone before. And this applies to the action in between the two halves as well as the gridiron spectacle itself.
Here's Madonna wowing the crowd just over a decade ago with some of her classic hits.
Patrick Mahomes will be expecting to carry his teammates to Super Bowl 2024 victory on Sunday, but he's also reportedly made a promise to bring them all back if they succeed.
Greenlaw's plans for Kelce
Big praise coming in from 49ers linebacker Dre Greenlaw on Chiefs' Travis Kelce but he's got some ideas about how to stop him on Super Bowl Sunday.
...knowing where he is being number one!
Whether we’re talking about football or fantasy, there is never any shortage of suspicion when it comes to the NFL and the results of each week’s games. From the kind of money on the line to the political clout that owners of the league’s teams carry, it’s not hard to see why. Of course, that’s before we introduce a mega pop star into the mix, one who has helped the league to break ratings records just by attending games.
Paul brings you the latest on Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce, and the NFL’s big business.
It's no secret that the Super Bowl represents the pinnacle of American capitalism. It's not just an American football game; it's a national holiday, a true cultural phenomenon where everyone has a place.
The most recent edition, Super Bowl LVII, was a resounding success. With 115 million viewers, it was the second most-watched event in United States history, only trailing the Apollo 11 moon landing. The game itself generated a staggering $34 billion in television rights, commercial ads, food sales, and betting.
We look into the kerching behind the NFL machine.
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Talking of this year's Halftime Show stopper, Usher will want to be featured in future version of this article we pulled together, but only one part of it.
Let's take a trip down memory lane of the good and bad of Super Bowl musical performances.
Usher counting down to Super Bowl HT Show
Are you a fan of Usher? If you replied with "Yeah!" then nicely played.
We'll be keeping a close eye on what he's getting up to in the coming days - including something special he'll be 'dropping' on Friday - as we gear up for the Super Bowl Halftime Show that he's headlining.
5 days till Super Bowl 2024
Remember that big sphere we keep talking about? Well, I'd guess it's going to have its multi-pixel mind on pretty much one thing for the next few days.
Filling a large part of the aforementioned stadium with be the supporters of the San Francisco 49ers, who have a large and dedicated fanbase called the 49er Faithful. They are also referred to as The Niner Gang or the Niner Empire, and this is due to the team’s tremendous success in the 1980s and 1990s, winning five Super Bowl titles.
The 49ers’ fanbase extends across California and even into parts of southern Oregon and Northwestern Nevada, proving their popularity and influence in the region.
We sent our Sveto away to check out what they're likely to be chanting come the Chiefs matchup on Sunday.
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Located right by the famed Las Vegas Strip, did you know that the Allegiant Stadium, also known as 'The Death Star, and is home to the NFL's Raiders, who played the opening game in their new home on 21 September 2020, defeating the New Orleans Saints 34-24.
49ers believe in LVIII
#DoItForTheBay is trending in San Francisco and Steve Young is a believer that this year the famous trophy is coming home.
Biggest helmets ever?
You'll no doubt have seen the Las Vegas Sphere. Well, check these latest Super Bowl editions out!
49ers regular season
It may seem like a while ago now but the regular season finished with a very solid 12-5 record and an average points per game of almost 30. "How did that compare to the Chiefs?" I hear you cry.
Well, just scroll a little to the right and you can see that a pretty comparable 11-6 was the Kansas City team's record, with just short of 22 points per game.
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Gwen Stefani has been revealed to be the act set to perform at the NFL TikTok tailgate ahead of the Super Bowl on Sunday 11 February 2024.
The official announcement, posted on the TikTok website, said “for the fourth year in partnership with TikTok, fans watching across the world can tune in on @NFL on TikTok for hours of live programming featuring a live musical performance from Gwen Stefani, NFL special guests and TikTok creators”.
And here's how the 49ers celebrated opening night
The 49ers were in fine spirits as they kicked off Super Bowl week.
Opening night went well for the Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs started off their Super Bowl Week in the correct way, it seems.
Here's the record between the two sides
History is (slightly) on the side of the Chiefs, who have eight wins to the 49ers' seven.
Their biggest win is also a thumping 41-0, which Kelce and co will be hoping for once again, although something tells me that such a resounding defeat is insanely unlikely.
Thanks to the boffins at SofaScore Towers for the lovely graphic.
Take a look at the food available at Super Bowl LVIII
Need I say more? Check out what's on offer for the showpiece event! Top class catering for a top class game!
The Super Bowl halftime show generates almost as much interest as the game itself, but the performances weren’t always the grand spectacles they are today.
We've had some seriously impressive Halftime Shows at the Super Bowl over the years, with artists seeing their numbers shoot through the roof before, during and afte the event.
What are your highlights? Rihanna? Prince? The Black Eyed Peas?
Here's what the Las Vegas Sphere looks like now!
The Sphere is Las Vegas' newest spectacle, and it's always changing its display to reflect current events. Here's how it looks ahead of the city's first time to ever host the Super Bowl.
The Niners will beat the Chiefs! According to...a Komodo dragon.
That's right. A Komodo dragon - named Raja - has chosen the 49ers to upset the defending champions Chiefs in this year's Super Bowl!
Raja lives at Loveland Living Planet Aquarium in Draper, Utah. He was given two paper-mâché footballs, packed full of delicious, frozen mice. One football had the Chiefs logo, and one had the Niners. Raja decided that the Niners looked more delicio- uh, I mean, more like winners! And he chose that football to snack on, making them the clear choice for winners of Super Bowl LVIII!
This has become a tradition at the aquarium. In 2020, a two-toed sloth named Takoda accurately predicted that the Chiefs would win the Super Bowl!
Rasheed Rice's sweet sendoff to the Super Bowl
The Kansas City Chiefs might be getting used to going to the Super Bowl by now, but rookie wide receiver Rashee Rice is making his first-ever appearance in his first year in the league.
Before leaving Kansas City for Las Vegas, Rice was given this super sweet sendoff by his neighbors, which he shared to Instagram.
It may not be the last time Rice makes it to a Super Bowl - he's already established himself as a significant part of the Chiefs offense.
Vegas bringing the party for Super Bowl LVIII
Didn't manage to get tickets to the Super Bowl, but you're in Vegas for the weekend? Don't worry. Vegas is doing what Vegas does best - bringing the party.
Circa Casino's Big Game Bash is the place to be - they'll be showing the Super Bowl on a 143-foot screen from the Swim Stadium pool and you just need to bring yourself and your swimsuit.
It's Vegas, baby. There's no shortage of options to watch Super Bowl LVIII along the strip.
Have you heard of Super Bowl Squares? It's a fun way to guess on the winner of the Super Bowl. Our own Andy and Cal bring you the lowdown on how the game works so you can get yours ready!
Winter storms in Las Vegas causing panic as flights are delayed
Unexpected winter storms are causing some to panic as the Super Bowl at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas approaches this Sunday.
An atmospheric river-fueled storm has hit the Bay Area, leaving many people without power and making it difficult to get to Vegas. With the cloudy, rainy conditions, more than 500 flights have been postponed and several completely canceled already. There have been warnings of flash floods and tornadoes with winds reaching 77 mph in San Francisco.
Fortunately, the NFL teams have already arrived in Sin City and conditions are likely to improve by the weekend.
Kelce determined to match Swift's success
The Chiefs' most talked about tight end is feeling extra inspired to win the Lombardi trophy. As if they needed extra motivation!
How much do you know about the venue that was picked for this huge event? Las Vegas has been grabbing the headlines for a number of visually impressive and hosting reasons, which we share with you in this piece.
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It's not only us that have started the fun. The festivities for Super Bowl LVIII have begun in style in Las Vegas, marking the official kickoff of this exciting week leading up to the showdown between the 49ers and the Chiefs.
In the lead-up to the game, the National Football League has organised several events in the vibrant city, among which was an opportunity for fans to gather at the stadium in Paradise for the public presentation of the two competing teams vying for the coveted Vince Lombardi trophy.
It's fair to say the Chiefs didn't get the warmest of receptions.
49ers are doing it for the Bay
These days, social media plays such a massive role in the promotion and communication of sport... and we'll be bringing you the best of it.
1.4 billion chicken wings... 108 footballs... $157,000 bonus... and stadium seat prices that will make your eyes water.
Our Sveto takes a look at some of the more interesting numbers behind this year's Super Bowl extravaganza.
Super Bowl 2024 is set
Following the Championship Games - where the Chiefs swatted away the Ravens and the 49ers slay the Lions - the climax to the season sees a repeat of Super Bowl LIV at the Hard Rock Stadium, just four years ago. The team from the Bay will not want to see a repeat of their 4th quarter slip up this time around.
Super Bowl 2024: the build-up starts here
Hello and welcome everybody to your best source of rolling news about the upcoming Super Bowl LVIII, that's 58 in real money. Here at AS USA we simply cannot wait for the action to begin so will be bringing you all you need to know - and a little of what you don't - over the coming days to get you in the mood for the big game.
The Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas is our host on Sunday 11 February, but we've got plenty to cram in before then. Let's go...